Lafayette is one of several Centennial Wireless markets in Louisiana and Mississippi being bought up by Verizon Wireless. Lafayette is one of several Centennial Wireless markets in Louisiana and Mississippi being bought up by Verizon Wireless. In a press release today, the company announced it has purchased from AT&T operating assets of Centennial Communications Corp. in Louisiana and Mississippi for $235 million. The deal was agreed to last year, and follows divestiture requirements for AT&T to complete its acquisition of Centennial. Verizon and AT&T represent the nation's two largest cell phone service companies.
Verizon will continue to use the Centennial brand in the new markets for the next several months as it works to convert Centennial's existing wireless network. Verizon also pledges it will roll out enhanced high-speed mobile broadband service on a market-by-market basis in the newly acquired markets. Local Centennial customers will not have any changes to their existing service at this time and will soon get a letter from Verizon explaining the changeover.
Overall Verizon's purchase includes Centennial's spectrum licenses, network assets and more than 117,000 current customers. The Louisiana markets include the following parishes: Acadia, Allen, Assumption, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Cameron, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Pointe Coupee, Saint Helena, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, Tangipahoa, Vermilion, Washington and West Feliciana.