In 1984, the group was granted Canada's national cellular license.

In 1987 he sold the cable business for $755 million, and used this new capital to buy even more cellular licenses.

Brazil plans to auction three new cellular licenses to offer personal communications services across the country.

Alltel holds a cellular license for Charlotte, giving the new company a more attractive offering across the state.

The West German cellular license is perhaps the most highly valued in Europe.

McCaw "has been very adroitly buying cellular licenses, making the most purchases at the lowest prices on average," he added.

The Federal Government allots only two cellular licenses for each metropolitan market.

Yet current prices for cellular and other wireless licenses suggest that the estimate could be far too low.

Analysts said Beijing might award the company a cellular license to make it more attractive to investors.

But it outraged non-German phone companies that had bid heavily for German cellular licenses.