ault Job Board and more. VAULT CAREER LIBRARY Vault Guide to the Top Telecom Employers Cingular Wireless THE SCOOP From two, a singular company Cingular was created in April 2000 as a joint venture between the domestic wireless divisions of communications providers SBC and BellSouth, with SBC owning 60 percent share of the company and BellSouth owning the other 40 percent. Cingular currently has more than 50 million voice and data customers across the United States, and is a leader in mobile voice and data communications. The company focuses on providing cellular/PCS service in 43 of the top 50 markets nationwide, and provides corporate e-mail and other data services through its GPRS, EDGE and Mobitex packet data networks. Big buy In February 2004, Cingular announced a major step forward in its range and size. By signing an agreement to acquire AT&T Wireless for $41 billion, Cingular has created the largest wireless carrier in the United States, rocketing past Verizon Wireless to the No.-1 slot. The company now boasts one of the most advanced digital networks in the U.S., with wireless spectrum in 49 states and coverage in 97 of the top 100 markets. At the time of the announcement, Cingular said that the combined 2003 annual revenue of the two companies would have been more than $32 billion, which is a big jump from Cingular's $15 billion 2003 revenue. Cingular's parent companies, SBC Communications and BellSouth, each committed funding to Cingular to get the deal done. SBC shelled out approximately $25 billion, while BellSouth provided $16 billion for the acquisition. With 22 million subscribers as of the end of 2003, and revenue of more than $16 billion over the past four quarters, the acquisition of AT&T Wireless represents major coup for Cingular. But this merger won't be the companies' first collaboration. In March 2003, the two entered into a joint venture to build out a GSM/GPRS (global system for mobile communications/general packet radio service) offering, targeting more than 4,000 miles of rural highway