ITEM 1. BUSINESS
References in this Form 10-K to “Rural Cellular,” “RCC,” “we,” “our,” and “us” refer to Rural Cellular Corporation and its subsidiaries as a combined entity, except where it is clear that those terms mean only the parent company.
We file with, or furnish to, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the ''SEC’’) annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K, as well as various other information. RCC makes these reports and other information available free of charge on the Investor Relations page of our website as soon as reasonably practicable after providing such reports to the SEC. In addition, in the Corporate Governance section of the Investor Relations page of our website, we make available the Financial Code of Ethics and the charters for the Audit, Compensation, and Nominating Committees. The internet address for our website is at www.unicel.com.
Forward-Looking Information
This Form 10-K includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act. All statements regarding us and our expected financial position, business, and financing plans are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by, among other things, the use of forward-looking terminology such as “believes,” “expects,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “seeks,” “anticipates,” “intends,” or the negative or other variations of any such term or comparable terminology, or by discussions of strategy or intentions. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, our expectations may prove not to be correct. A number of factors could cause our actual results, performance, and achievements or industry results to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to:
• the competitive environment in the wireless and telecommunications industries and in the markets we serve, including the quality and pricing of comparable wireless communications services offered by our competitors;
• economic conditions in our geographic markets and in general, including those resulting from geopolitical concerns;
• demographic changes;
• our ability to attract and retain qualified personnel;
• our ability to meet the obligations of our indebtedness;
• our ability to meet our schedule for build-out of our wireless network;
• our business plan and our strategy for implementing our plan;
• the market acceptance of the technology we use;
• our capital expenditures and funding requirements, including our ability to access sufficient capital to meet operating and financing needs;
• the availability of adequate quantities of system infrastructure and customer equipment and components to meet our service deployment and marketing plans and customer demand;
• our ability to achieve and maintain market penetration and average customer revenue levels sufficient for financial viability;
• our ability to integrate the operations of any businesses we acquire;
• our ability to scale our billing, collection, customer care, and similar back-office operations to keep pace with customer growth and increased system usage;
• future legislation or regulatory actions relating to specialized mobile radio services, other wireless communications services, or telecommunications services generally;
• other risks and uncertainties described from time to time in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and
• other factors described in this report including, without limitation, under “Factors that may affect our business, future operating results, and financial condition.”
In addition, such forward-looking statements are necessarily dependent upon assumptions, estimates, and data that may be incorrect or imprecise and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors. Accordingly, forward-looking statements included in this report do not purport to be predictions of future events or circumstances and may not be realized. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or to persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements. Given these uncertainties, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. We disclaim any obligation to update any such factors or to announce publicly the results of any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained in this report to reflect future events or developments.
Factors that may affect our business, future operating results, and financial condition
Our future operating results could fluctuate significantly.
We believe that our future operating results and cash flows may fluctuate due to many factors, some of which are outside our control. These factors include the following:
• increased costs we may incur in connection with the build-out of our networks and the further development, expansion, and upgrading of our wireless systems;
• fluctuations in the demand for our services and equipment and wireless services in general;
• increased competition, including price competition;
• changes in our roaming revenue and expenses due to renegotiation of our roaming agreements and the development of neighboring or competing networks;
• changes in the regulatory environment;
• changes in the level of support provided by the Universal Service Fund (“USF”);
• the cost and availability of equipment components;
• seasonality of roaming revenue;
• changes in travel trends;
• acts of terrorism, political tensions, unforeseen health risks, unusual weather patterns, and other catastrophic occurrences that could affect travel and demand for our services; and
• changes in general economic conditions that may affect, among other things, demand for our services and the creditworthiness of our customers.
We incurred net losses applicable to common shares of approximately $71.9 million, $50.1 million, and $456.5 million, in the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003, and 2002, respectively. We may continue to incur significant net losses as we seek to increase our customer base in existing markets. We may not generate profits in the short term or at all. If we fail to achieve profitability, that failure could have a negative effect on the market value of our common stock.
Our transition from TDMA to GSM/GPRS and CDMA/2000/1XRTT (“2.5G”) technologies will increase our operating costs.
Our current technology strategy involves overlaying 2.5G networks on our existing TDMA networks. This upgrade will result in additional operating costs, including:
• increased cost of equipment as our current customers migrate from TDMA handsets to more expensive 2.5G technology handsets,
• increased network costs to maintain simultaneous operation of both TDMA and 2.5G technology networks,
• increased billing and technical support costs as a result of maintaining both TDMA and 2.5G networks in our service areas, and
• increased sales and marketing costs to alleviate customer dissatisfaction and fund retention initiatives if we fail to timely and efficiently meet the demands of our 2.5G customers.
Our implementation of 2.5G network technology has resulted in network capacity constraints, heightened customer churn, and increased costs.
We recently deployed 2.5G technology in our Midwest, Northeast, and Northwest regions. However, we have experienced and may continue to experience technical difficulties and network coverage issues as we implement this overlay . In addition, we have experienced network capacity constraints relating to the initial migration of our Midwest, Northeast, and Northwest TDMA customers to 2.5G. We have incurred, and may continue to incur, costs to address these issues, including costs for engineering, additional equipment, and additional spectrum in certain markets. These costs may be significant. As our Midwest, Northeast, and Northwest customers migrate from TDMA to 2.5G service, they may be dissatisfied with our service and switch to a competitor, thereby increasing our churn rate and reducing our revenues and profitability. Continuing problems could damage our reputation and affect our ability to attract new customers. In addition, network quality issues could affect our roaming arrangements. To the extent we are required to spend significant amounts on correcting problems with our network, we will have fewer resources available for marketing and customer acquisition activities, which would affect our customer growth.
As we dedicate more resources to 2.5G voice technology, our TDMA offerings could become less attractive, resulting in a loss of customers and reduced profitability.
We expect to continue operating our TDMA network for the foreseeable future while current customers migrate to 2.5G technology. However, we may choose not to upgrade our TDMA network with the same features as are available on our 2.5G networks. In addition, as we introduce and market 2.5G services, we may price related products and services at more attractive levels than TDMA products and services to encourage our customers to migrate to 2.5G service, and manufacturers are not expected to produce innovative TDMA handsets with the same functionality as handsets using newer technologies. Further, as we dedicate more spectrum to 2.5G networks, our remaining TDMA customers may experience difficulties in using our services. All of these potential developments could drive our TDMA customers to our competitors rather than to our 2.5G product offerings and thereby reduce our market share and revenue.
We have required and will continue to require substantial amounts of capital to meet various obligations and to maintain our wireless network and complete our upgrade to 2.5G technologies. Our ability to generate the required capital depends on many factors, including some that are beyond our control.
We have required, and will continue to require, substantial capital to maintain our wireless network and complete our upgrade to 2.5G technologies, to satisfy obligations on our debt and exchangeable preferred stock, and for other operating needs. Including the cost of our 2.5G technology overlays, our total capital expenditures for 2004 were $94.4 million. We expect capital expenditures in 2005 to be approximately $100 million. We believe that we have sufficient funds to finance our planned capital expenditures for network construction, but we may require additional capital in the event of significant departures from our current business plan, unforeseen delays, cost overruns, unanticipated expenses, regulatory changes, engineering design changes, and other technological issues or if we acquire additional licenses.
We will likely need additional financing to repay or refinance our debt at its final maturities and to meet mandatory redemption provisions on our preferred stock. To the extent that we do not generate sufficient cash from operations to satisfy these needs, we will need to explore other sources of capital, which may include public and private equity and debt financings, including vendor financing. The availability of additional financing is dependent on conditions in the capital markets. We may not be able to obtain additional financing on terms acceptable to us and within the limitations contained in the instruments governing our debt and our preferred stock or any future financing arrangements.
If we fail to obtain appropriate financing, should we need it, we may need to delay or abandon our development and expansion plans and we may fail to meet regulatory requirements. Any failure to upgrade could also have a negative effect on our roaming revenues, since most of our roaming partners’ customers will likely use 2.5G handsets as our roaming partners upgrade their networks. Our ability to meet our debt
service requirements and our customers’ needs may also be impaired, which would have a material adverse effect on our business. See “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Liquidity and Capital Resources.”
We have committed a substantial amount of capital to upgrade our wireless voice networks to offer advanced data services. If the demand for wireless data services does not grow, or if we fail to capitalize on such demand, it could have an adverse effect on our growth potential.
We have committed significant resources to wireless data services and our business plan assumes increasing demand for such services. Although demand for wireless data services is growing, it is currently a small portion of our revenues. Continued growth in demand for wireless data services is dependent on development and availability of popular applications and availability of handsets and other wireless devices with features, functionality, and pricing desired by customers. If applications and devices are not developed or do not become commercially acceptable, our revenues could be adversely affected. Even if such demand does develop, our ability to deploy and deliver wireless data services relies, in many instances, on new and unproven technology. Existing technology may not perform as expected, and we may not be able to obtain new technology to effectively and economically deliver these services. We cannot give assurance that there will be widespread demand for advanced wireless data services, that revenues from data services will constitute a significant portion of our total revenues in the near future, or that we can provide such services on a profitable basis.
Our business could be materially and adversely affected by our failure to anticipate and react to frequent and significant technological changes.
The telecommunications industry is subject to rapid and significant changes in technology that are evidenced by:
• the increasing pace of 2.5G digital upgrades;
• evolving industry standards;
• the availability of new radio frequency spectrum allocations for wireless services;
• ongoing improvements in the capacity and quality of digital technology;
• shorter development cycles for new products and enhancements;
• developments in emerging wireless transmission technologies; and
• changes in end-user requirements and preferences.
It is possible that we may select a technology that does not achieve widespread commercial success or that is not compatible with the technology selected by one or more of our roaming partners, and as a result, our business, results of operations and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected. Moreover, one or more of the technologies that we currently utilize may become inferior or obsolete at some time in the future.
A significant portion of our revenue is from roaming charges. Based on industry trends, outcollect roaming yields have been declining over the last few years and are expected to continue to decline in the future. As a result, our future operating results could be adversely affected if increases in roaming minutes do not offset anticipated decreases in roaming yield.
In 2004, 2003, and 2002, approximately 21%, 26%, and 27%, respectively, of our revenue was derived from roaming charges incurred by other wireless providers for use of our network by their customers who traveled within our coverage areas. A substantial portion of our roaming revenue is derived from Cingular, Verizon Wireless, and T-Mobile. Changes in their operations or a significant decline in the number of their customers could adversely affect our business. For the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003, and 2002, Cingular (on a pro forma basis giving effect to its merger with AT&T Wireless (“AWE”)), Verizon Wireless, and T-Mobile accounted for approximately 86%, 89%, and 86%, respectively, of our total outcollect roaming minutes. For the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003, and 2002, Cingular (on a pro forma basis giving effect to its merger with AWE) accounted for approximately 9.9%, 14.5%, and 14.4% of
our total revenue. Changes in the network footprints of these providers could have a material adverse effect on our outcollect revenue and incollect expenses. For example, if a roaming partner from which we derive a significant amount of revenue in one of our service areas were to build its own network in that service area, our outcollect revenue derived from our roaming relationship with that partner in that service area might decrease or even cease altogether, and our ability to negotiate favorable incollect rates in that partner’s other service areas could suffer as well.
Our most significant roaming partners are performing overlays of their existing networks with 2.5G technology at an accelerated pace. We believe that during 2004 these partners converted their customer base to this new technology before we had completed our network overlays. Reflecting the transition of our networks and our roaming partners’ 2.5G technology customer base, we believe we did not capture a portion of available roaming revenue. With our 2.5G networks substantially completed in our Northeast and Northwest regions as of January 2005, three of our four regions are now overlaid with 2.5G network technology. Our South region may continue to lose roaming minutes until its upgrade is completed in the summer of 2005.
Further, if we encounter delays in completing our overlays, we could miss upgrade milestones in our roaming agreements or our roaming partners may decide to expand their networks into our service areas in order to provide coverage for their customers. Failure to meet upgrade milestones may result in reduced outcollect rates or loss of preferred roaming status under our roaming agreements. Any overbuild of our service areas by our roaming partners would also result in increased competition, which could have a negative impact on our outcollect roaming revenues, business, operating results, and retention.
Our roaming agreements have varying terms, from month-to-month to up to five years, and some are terminable with 30 days’ written notice. When these agreements expire or are terminated, we may be unable to renegotiate these roaming agreements or to obtain roaming agreements with other wireless providers upon acceptable terms. Failure to obtain acceptable roaming agreements could lead to a substantial decline in our revenue and operating income.
Our roaming revenue is subject to some effects of seasonality, and as a result, our overall revenue and operating income are also subject to seasonal fluctuations.
In 2004, 2003, and 2002, a substantial amount of our revenue was derived from roaming charges incurred by other wireless providers for use of our network by their customers who traveled within our service areas. Our service areas include a number of resort destinations. As a result, our roaming revenue increases during vacation periods, introducing a measure of seasonality to our revenue and operating income. See “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Other Matters - Seasonality.”
We operate in a very competitive business environment, which can adversely affect our business and operations. Competitors who offer more services than we do may attract our targeted customers.
We operate in highly competitive markets, and there is substantial and increasing competition in all aspects of the wireless communications business. Some competitors may market services we do not offer, such as cable television, internet access, landline local exchange, or long distance services, which may make their services more attractive to customers. Competition for customers is based primarily upon services and features offered, system coverage, technical quality of wireless systems, price, customer service, capacity, and strength of distribution channels.
In each of our markets we compete with several other wireless licensees. To a lesser extent, we also compete with wireless internet, paging, dispatch services, resellers, and landline telephone service providers in some of our service areas. Increasingly, cellular services have become a viable alternative to landline voice services for certain customers, putting cellular licensees in direct competition with traditional landline telephone service providers.
Cable companies are providing telecommunications services to the home, and of these, some carriers are providing local and long distance voice services using Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP. In particular circumstances, these carriers may be able to avoid payment of access charges to local exchange carriers for the use of their networks on long distance calls. Cost savings for these carriers could result in lower rates for customers and increased competition for wireless services.
Continuing industry consolidation has resulted in an increased presence of regional and national wireless operators within some of our service areas. Many of these national market competitors provide services comparable to ours and, because they operate in a wider geographic area, are able to offer no or low cost roaming and toll calls over a wider area. In addition, some national wireless operators have recently begun to build networks in certain of the more densely populated or well-traveled portions of our service areas. National advertising and promotional programs by national wireless operators run in our markets are also a source of additional competitive and pricing pressures, even though these operators may not provide service in those markets. If the wireless communications industry continues to consolidate and we do not participate in that consolidation, even stronger competitors may be created. In 2003, the FCC eliminated the spectrum cap in all markets and the cellular cross-interest restriction in the larger urban cellular markets. Effective July 2004, the FCC also eliminated the cellular cross-interest restriction in rural service areas. These regulatory actions may facilitate the creation of larger and more formidable competitors.
Several of our competitors also operate in multiple segments of the industry. In the future, we expect to face increased competition from entities providing similar services using other communications technologies. Given the rapid advances in the wireless communications industry, there can be no assurance that new technologies will not evolve that will compete with our products and services. In addition, a number of our competitors have substantially greater financial, technical, marketing, sales, and distribution resources. With so many companies targeting many of the same customers, we may not be able to successfully attract and retain customers and grow our customer base and revenues, which could have a materially adverse effect on our future business, strategy, operations, and financial condition.
Market prices for wireless service may decline in the future.
We expect significant price competition among wireless providers that may lead to increasing movement of customers between competitors resulting in reductions in average monthly service revenue per customer. While we try to maintain or grow our customer base and average monthly service revenue per customer, we cannot assure you that we will be able to do so. If market prices decline it could adversely affect our our financial condition and results of operations.
Wireless number portability may continue to have a negative impact on our customer retention and increase our marketing costs.
Wireless number portability allows customers to keep their wireless phone number when switching to a different service provider. Our service areas are in compliance with the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) mandate that requires wireless carriers to provide wireless number portability. Wireless number portability has increased and may continue to increase competition and reduce retention. Since implementation of wireless number portability in our markets, we have experienced increased churn. A high rate of churn would adversely affect our results of operations by reducing revenue and increasing the cost of adding a new customer. Such costs generally include commission expense and/or significant handset discounts, which are significant factors in income and profitability for participants in the wireless industry. We may be required to grant promotional credits, subsidize product upgrades, and/or reduce pricing to match competitors’ initiatives and to retain customers, which could adversely impact our operating results.
If we encounter significant problems, such as delays, inaccuracies, or loss of customer information from our database, in the process of upgrading our billing function, we could experience customer dissatisfaction and increased churn, which could have a material adverse impact on our financial performance.
We have begun the implementation of a new data processing and billing system and expect this transition to continue over the next several months. This process could cause disruption in our billing cycles, including delays in mailing of and errors in statements sent to customers, and customers may be dropped from our database. If such problems are significant or prolonged, our customers may become dissatisfied and decide to switch to a rival carrier. Also, following implementation, we will be dependent on future performance of an outside contractor. Any significant or prolonged problems with our billing function could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
There will also likely be a period during which our existing billing function and our upgraded billing function will run in tandem as we transition from one system to the other. To the extent that agreements relating to current systems and services are still in effect, we will encounter duplication of some expenses.
Regulation or potential litigation relating to the use of wireless phones while driving could adversely affect our results of operations. Further, if wireless handsets are perceived to pose health and safety risks, we may be subject to new regulations, and demand for our services may decrease.
Some studies have indicated that using wireless phones while driving may distract drivers’ attention, making accidents more likely. These concerns could lead to litigation relating to accidents, deaths, or serious bodily injuries, or to new restrictions or regulations on wireless phone use, any of which also could have material adverse effects on our results of operations. A number of U.S. states and local governments are considering or have recently enacted legislation that would restrict or prohibit the use of a wireless handset while driving or, alternatively, require the use of a hands-free telephone. Legislation of this sort, if enacted, would require wireless service providers to provide hands-free enhanced services, such as voice activated dialing and hands-free speaker phones and headsets. If we are unable to provide hands-free services and products to customers in a timely and adequate fashion, our ability to generate revenues could suffer.
It has been suggested that certain radio frequency emissions from wireless handsets may be linked to various health concerns, including cancer, and may interfere with various electronic medical devices, including hearing aids and pacemakers. Concerns over the effect of radio frequency emissions may discourage the use of wireless handsets, which would decrease demand for our services.
Our business is subject to extensive government regulation, which could adversely affect our business by increasing our expenses. We also may be unable to obtain or retain regulatory approvals necessary to operate our business, which could negatively affect our results of operations.
The FCC regulates many aspects of our business, including the licensing, construction, interconnection, operation, acquisition, and sale of our wireless systems, as well as the number of wireless licenses issued for each of our markets. State and local regulatory authorities, to a lesser extent, also regulate aspects of our business and services. In addition, the Federal Aviation Administration regulates aspects of construction, marking, and lighting of communications towers on which we place our wireless transmitters. Changes in legislation and regulations governing wireless activities, wireless carriers, and availability of USF support, our failure to comply with applicable regulations, or our loss of or failure to obtain any license or licensed area could have a material adverse effect on our operations.
The FCC and state authorities are increasingly looking to the wireless industry to fund various initiatives, including federal and state universal service programs, telephone number administration, services to the hearing-impaired, and emergency 911 services. In addition, many states have imposed significant taxes on providers in the wireless industry and have adopted or are considering adoption of regulatory requirements regarding customer billing and other matters. These initiatives have imposed and will continue to impose
increased costs on us and other wireless carriers and may otherwise adversely affect our business. Under Phase II of its emergency 911 service rules, for example, the FCC has mandated that wireless providers supply the geographic coordinates of a customer’s location, by means of network-based or handset-based technologies, to public safety dispatch agencies. We believe that we will be able to implement most aspects of the required Phase II systems by the applicable deadlines; however, it appears unlikely that our network-based systems will be able to comply fully with the FCC’s current accuracy requirements for these systems. Although we intend to continue working with the FCC to seek relaxed standards or extended deadlines for Phase II implementation in rural areas, there can be no assurance that the FCC ultimately will permit such relaxed standards or extended deadlines, that we will be able to comply with any such relaxed standards or extended deadlines, or that we will not be subject to fines by the FCC in connection with our failure to comply with the FCC’s emergency 911 service rules.
Each of our wireless licenses is subject to renewal upon expiration of its current term, which is generally ten years. Grants of wireless license renewals are governed by FCC rules establishing a presumption in favor of incumbent licensees that have complied with their regulatory obligations during the ten-year license period. However, we cannot provide assurance that the FCC will grant us any future renewal applications or that our applications will be free from challenge. In addition, FCC rules require wireless licensees to meet build-out requirements with respect to particular licenses, and failure to comply with these and other requirements in a given licensed area could result in revocation or nonrenewal of our license for that area or the imposition of fines by the FCC.
Our designation or certification as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier (“ETC”) in any state where we conduct business could be refused, conditioned, or revoked due to circumstances beyond our control, thus depriving us of financial support in that state from the Universal Service Funds (“USF”). In addition, we cannot be certain that we will continue to receive payments at the current levels.
In order to receive financial support from the USF in any state, we must receive ETC certification in that state. Currently, we are ETC certified in eight of the states in which we offer wireless services. If designation or certification in these states were revoked or conditioned, our financial results could be adversely affected. Further, the FCC is currently considering whether to change the rules governing the eligibility of cellular carriers to receive USF payments. Although the FCC is not expected to make any final decisions on changes in the rules until 2005 or later, the FCC and state commissions could impose additional regulatory obligations on ETCs that we may find unacceptable. At this time, it is not clear what impact changes in the rules, if any, will have on our continued eligibility to receive USF support. Loss of USF revenues could adversely affect our future financial performance.
Equipment failure and natural disasters may adversely affect our operations.
A major equipment failure or a natural disaster affecting any of our central switching offices, microwave links, or cell sites could have a material adverse effect on our operations. Our inability to operate any portion of our wireless system for an extended time period could result in a loss of customers or impair our ability to attract new customers, which would have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition.
Difficulties in upgrading our wireless systems could increase our planned capital expenditures, delay the continued build-out of our networks, and negatively impact our roaming arrangements.
Whenever we upgrade our networks, we need to:
• select appropriate equipment vendors;
• select and acquire appropriate sites for our transmission equipment, or cell sites;
• purchase and install low-power transmitters, receivers, and control equipment, or base radio equipment;
• build out any required physical infrastructure;
• obtain interconnection services from local telephone service carriers; and
• test cell sites.
Our ability to perform these necessary steps successfully may be hindered by, among other things, any failure to:
• obtain necessary zoning and other regulatory approvals;
• lease or obtain rights to sites for the location of our base radio equipment;
• obtain any necessary capital;
• acquire any additional necessary spectrum from third parties; and
• commence and complete the construction of sites for our equipment in a timely and satisfactory manner.
In addition, we may experience cost overruns and delays not within our control caused by acts of governmental entities, design changes, material and equipment shortages, delays in delivery, and catastrophic occurrences. Any failure to upgrade our wireless systems on a timely basis may affect our ability to provide the quality of service in our markets consistent with our current business plan, and any significant delays could have a material adverse effect on our business. Failure to meet upgrade milestones or to comply with other requirements under our roaming agreements could have an adverse effect on our roaming revenue.
Our future financial results could be adversely impacted by asset impairments or other charges.
Effective January 1, 2002, we adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 142, “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets” (“SFAS No. 142”). As a result, we are required to test both goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets, consisting primarily of our spectrum licenses, for impairment on an annual basis based upon a fair value approach, rather than amortizing them over time. We are also required to test goodwill for impairment between annual tests if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce our enterprise fair value below its book value. Additionally, the value of our licenses must be tested between annual tests if events or changes in circumstances indicate that the value might be impaired. The amount of any such annual or interim impairment charge could be significant and could have a material adverse effect on our reported financial results for the period in which the charge is taken. See “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates - Goodwill and Other Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets.”
Effective January 1, 2002, we adopted SFAS No. 144, “Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets” (“SFAS No. 144”). As a result, we are required to assess the impairment of our long-lived assets whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable as measured by the sum of the expected future undiscounted cash flows. See “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates - Impairment of Long-Lived Assets.”
Any operating losses resulting from impairment charges under SFAS No. 142 or SFAS No. 144 could have an adverse effect on the market price of our securities.
We may not be able to successfully integrate acquired or exchanged properties, which could have an adverse effect on our financial results.
We seek to improve our networks and service areas through selective acquisitions of other providers’ properties and other assets, and in some instances, we may exchange our properties or assets for the properties and assets of another carrier. We will be required to integrate with our operations any properties we acquire, which may have billing systems, customer care systems, and other operational characteristics that differ significantly from those of our networks. We may be unsuccessful in those efforts, and customer retention in acquired properties and surrounding areas may suffer as a result, which could have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
We will continue to incur increased costs as a result of being a public company subject to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“SOA”), as well as new rules implemented by the SEC and The Nasdaq Stock Market.
As a public company, we incur significant legal, accounting, and other expenses. In addition, the SOA, as well as new rules subsequently implemented by the SEC and the Nasdaq Stock Market, have required changes in corporate governance practices of public companies. We expect these new rules and regulations to increase our legal and financial compliance costs and to make certain activities more time-consuming and costly.
In addition, the new rules could make it more difficult for us to obtain certain types of insurance, including director and officer liability insurance, and we may be forced to accept reduced policy limits and coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain the same or similar coverage. The impact of these events could also make it more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified persons to serve on our board of directors, our board committees, or as executive officers.
Our common stock price has been and may continue to be volatile. Litigation instituted against us and our officers and directors as a result of changes in the price of our securities could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, and operating results.
The trading price of our Class A common stock has been and is likely to continue to be highly volatile and could be subject to wide fluctuations in response to factors such as:
• actual or anticipated variations in operating results;
• our ability to finance our operations and meet obligations under our financing arrangements
• conditions or trends in the wireless communications industry and changes in the economic performance and/or market valuation of other wireless communications companies;
• our strategic partnerships, joint ventures, or capital commitments; and
• additions or departures of key personnel.
In addition, the stock market in general has experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of the affected companies. These broad market and industry factors may materially and adversely affect the market price of our securities, regardless of our actual operating performance.
Often a drop in a company’s stock price is followed by lawsuits against the company and its officers and directors alleging securities fraud. The defense and eventual settlement of or judgment rendered in any such actions could result in substantial costs. Also, the defense of any such actions could divert management’s attention and resources. Both the costs and the diversion of management could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, and operating results. In addition, any material adverse judgment could trigger an event of default under our indebtedness.
We have a significant amount of debt and preferred stock, which may limit our ability to meet our debt service and dividend obligations, obtain future financing, make capital expenditures in support of our business plan, react to a downturn in our business, or otherwise conduct necessary corporate activities.
As of December 31, 2004, we had approximately $1.7 billion of long-term liabilities (which includes $457.0 million of senior and junior exchangeable preferred stock), approximately $166.3 million of Class M and Class T preferred stock, and shareholders’ deficit of approximately $596.3 million. Of the outstanding preferred stock, $532.2 million can be exchanged, at our option, subject to compliance with certain leverage ratios under our credit agreement and the indentures related to our senior secured, senior, and senior subordinated notes, for senior subordinated indebtedness.
The current levels of our debt and preferred stock entail a number of risks, including the following:
• we must use a substantial portion of our cash flows from operations to make interest payments on our debt, thereby reducing funds that would otherwise be available to us for working capital, capital expenditures, future business opportunities, and other purposes;
• we may not be able to obtain additional financing for working capital, capital expenditures, and other purposes on terms favorable to us or at all;
• borrowings under our floating rate senior secured notes and our revolving credit agreement are at variable interest rates, making us vulnerable to increases in interest rates;
• we may have more debt than many of our competitors, which may place us at a competitive disadvantage;
• we may have limited flexibility to react to changes in our business; and
• we may not be able to refinance our indebtedness or preferred stock on terms that are commercially reasonable or at all.
Our ability to generate sufficient cash flow from operations to pay the principal or liquidation preference of, and interest or preferred dividends on, our indebtedness and preferred stock is not certain. In particular, if we do not meet our anticipated revenue growth and operating expense targets, our future debt and preferred stock service obligations could exceed the amount of our available cash.
The restrictive covenants in our existing debt and preferred stock instruments and agreements may limit our ability to operate our business.
The instruments governing our debt and the certificates of designation governing our preferred stock impose significant operating and financial restrictions on us. These restrictions limit, among other things, our ability and the ability of certain of our subsidiaries to:
• incur additional debt;
• pay cash dividends on capital stock;
• repay junior debt and preferred stock prior to stated maturities;
• allow the imposition of dividend restrictions on certain subsidiaries;
• sell assets;
• make investments;
• engage in transactions with shareholders and affiliates;
• create liens; and
• engage in some types of mergers or acquisitions.
Our failure to comply with these restrictions could lead to a default under the terms of the relevant debt or a violation of the terms of the preferred stock even if we are able to meet debt service and dividend obligations.
Our revolving credit agreement requires us to maintain specified financial ratios if we draw against it. Substantially all our assets are subject to liens securing indebtedness under our revolving credit agreement and senior secured notes. These restrictions could limit our ability to obtain future financing, make needed capital expenditures, withstand a downturn in our business, or otherwise conduct necessary corporate activities.
If there were an event of default under our revolving credit agreement or other debt, the holders of the affected debt could elect to declare all of that debt to be due and payable, which, in turn, could cause all of our other debt to become due and payable. We might not have sufficient funds available, and we might be unable to obtain sufficient funds from alternative sources on terms favorable to us or at all. If the amounts outstanding under our revolving credit agreement were accelerated and we could not obtain sufficient funds to satisfy our obligations, our lenders could proceed against our assets and the stock and assets of our subsidiaries that guarantee our revolving credit agreement and senior secured notes.
We are subject to limitations on our ability to pay cash dividends on and repurchase or otherwise satisfy our obligations under our senior exchangeable preferred stock and junior exchangeable preferred stock. If we do not satisfy these obligations, the holders of these series of preferred stock may have the right to elect additional members to our board of directors.
We are required to pay dividends on our exchangeable preferred stock. Since August 2003, dividends on our senior exchangeable preferred stock are to be paid in cash. However, we have not declared or paid any of the cash dividends on the senior exchangeable preferred stock. We are accruing the undeclared dividends by increasing the carrying amount of the senior exchangeable preferred stock. At December 31, 2004, we had accrued $34.8 million in undeclared dividends, which will be payable at the senior preferred mandatory redemption date, if not sooner declared and paid. We currently pay dividends on our junior exchangeable preferred stock by issuing additional shares. Beginning in May 2005, dividends on our junior exchangeable preferred stock are to be paid in cash.
Our ability to pay cash dividends on and to redeem for cash our senior exchangeable preferred stock and junior exchangeable preferred stock when required is restricted under various covenants contained in documents governing our outstanding preferred stock and our indebtedness. In addition, under Minnesota law, we are permitted to pay dividends on or redeem our capital stock, including the senior exchangeable preferred stock and the junior exchangeable preferred stock, only if our board of directors determines that we will be able to pay our debts in the ordinary course of business after paying the dividends or completing the redemption. In addition, in order to redeem the junior exchangeable preferred stock, our board of directors must determine that we have sufficient assets to satisfy the liquidation preferences of the senior exchangeable preferred stock.
Because we have failed to pay at least six quarterly dividends on the senior exchangeable preferred stock, the holders of such stock currently have the right to elect the lesser of two directors or the number of directors constituting 25% of the members of our board, if they so choose, by following the procedures set forth in the certificate of designation. If, at any time, we have failed to pay six or more quarterly dividends on our junior exchangeable preferred stock, the holders of such stock would have the same right to elect directors. Failure to pay dividends on our preferred stock may also result in a downgrade of our credit ratings, and such a downgrade could have an adverse effect on our ability to refinance our existing indebtedness or otherwise raise capital.
We have preferred shareholders who could exercise significant influence on management.
The holders of our Class M convertible preferred stock currently are able to elect two members to our board of directors and can vote, on an as-converted basis, approximately 2,075,471 shares of our Class A common stock, which represented, as of December 31, 2004, approximately 11% of the voting power of our common stock.
The holders of our senior exchangeable preferred stock and junior exchangeable preferred stock, under certain circumstances, may also be able to elect members of our board of directors in the future. Because we have failed to pay at least six quarterly dividends on the senior exchangeable preferred stock, the holders of such stock currently have the right to elect the lesser of two directors or the number of directors constituting 25% of the members of our board, if they so choose, by following the procedures set forth in the certificate of designation. We anticipate that two directors will be elected by the holders of the senior exchangeable preferred stock at the 2005 annual meeting.
If any of these preferred stock holders or the directors elected by them were to disagree with decisions made by management or the board of directors about our plans or operations, they might be able to bring significant pressure to change such plans or operations.
Antitakeover provisions could adversely affect the price of our Class A common stock.
Some of the provisions of our Articles of Incorporation, Amended and Restated Bylaws, and Minnesota law could delay or prevent a change of control or a change in management that may be beneficial to shareholders. These provisions include:
• provisions for a classified board of directors;
• provisions for advance notice for director nominations and shareholder proposals;
• provisions allowing holders of our Class B common stock ten votes per share as compared to one vote per share for our Class A common stock;
• provisions for supermajority votes to approve mergers or amend specified provisions of the Articles and Bylaws; and
• statutory limits regarding share acquisitions and business combinations.
We also have adopted a rights plan that could discourage, delay, or prevent someone from acquiring us at a premium price. The rights plan provides that preferred stock purchase rights attached to each share of our common stock become exercisable to purchase shares of common stock at 50% of market value, causing substantial dilution to a person or group acquiring 15% or more of our common stock if the acquisition is not approved by our board of directors.
In addition, the documents governing our indebtedness contain limitations on our ability to enter into a change of control transaction. Under these documents, the occurrence of a change of control transaction, in some cases after notice and grace periods, would constitute an event of default permitting acceleration of the indebtedness.
(a) General Development of Business
We are a wireless communications service provider focusing primarily on rural markets in the United States. Our principal operating objective is to increase revenue and achieve profitability through increased penetration in existing wireless markets.
Our operating regions include portions of five states in the Northeast, three states in the Northwest, four states in the Midwest, and three states in the South. Within each of our four regions, we have deployed a strong local sales and customer service presence in the communities we serve. Our marketed networks covered a total population of approximately 6.3 million POPs and served approximately 730,000 voice customers as of December 31, 2004.
The following table summarizes our existing wireless systems as of December 31, 2004.
Post and Prepaid Customers (Not including paging and long distance)
We believe our market characteristics and network quality make us an attractive roaming partner for other wireless communications service providers. We have preferred roaming relationships with Cingular Wireless, LLC, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless in our various regions.
We began a 2.5G network overlay process in late 2003, which we expect to be substantially complete in 2005. We are also pursuing a strategy of expanding our network coverage in all of our regions, which will, upon completion, increase our cell sites and total marketed POPs. We believe our network overlay and expansion efforts will improve our ability to attract customers in addition to providing our roaming partners greater access to our networks.
Summary of year ended December 31, 2004
Our 2004 operating highlights reflect progress on our 2.5G network buildouts, transition of the acquired AWE operations in our South Region, wireless number portability compliance, increased ETC certification in certain states (which allows us to receive USF payments), and repurchases of senior preferred stock.
Service revenue increased 6.2% for the year ended December 31, 2004 to $377.2 million in spite of a 21,200 net customer decrease resulting from the AWE property exchange completed on March 1, 2004. These results reflect an increase in USF support payments, which increased to $28.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2004. For the year ended December 31, 2004, LSR increased to $46 as compared to $43 in the previous year. Contributing to the increase in LSR were increased levels of USF of approximately $2 together with increased access and features revenue of approximately $1.
During the year ended December 31, 2004, our total customers decreased by 1.4% to 729,811 at December 31, 2004 as compared to 745,516 at December 31, 2003. We believe the reasons contributing to the decrease include the following:
• The net customer decline resulting from the property exchange with AWE,
• The transitional stage of our networks, products, and services,
• The transition to a unified brand name across all regions, and
• Wireless local number portability.
Roaming revenue for the year ended December 31, 2004 was $105.5 million as compared to $131.9 million in the year ended December 31, 2003. Roaming revenue this year was lower than in 2003 primarily because of the Oregon 4 property exchange with AWE, which occurred in March 2004, declining roaming yield, and the accelerated transition by our national roaming partners to 2.5G handsets. For the year ended December 31, 2004, the Oregon 4 service area provided approximately $3.6 million of roaming revenue compared to approximately $14.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2003. Outcollect roaming yield for 2004 was $0.16 per minute as compared to $0.21 per minute last year. At December 31, 2004, approximately 67% of our cell sites have been overlaid with 2.5G technology.
We expect outcollect roaming revenues for all of 2005 to be comparable to 2004.
We expect capital spending for 2005 to be approximately $100 million as compared to $94.4 million in 2004.
In March 2004, we issued $350 million aggregate principal amount of 8 1/4% senior secured notes due 2012 and $160 million aggregate principal amount of senior secured floating rate notes due 2010. The net proceeds from these notes, together with some of our existing cash, were used to repay all outstanding obligations under our former credit agreement, to terminate interest rate exchange agreements associated with the former credit agreement, and to pay fees and expenses associated with the notes offering and the revolving credit agreement.
During the year ended December 31, 2004, we repurchased 80,500 shares of our 11 3/8% senior exchangeable preferred stock for $68.4 million. The corresponding $22.6 million gain on redemption of preferred shares was recorded as a reduction of interest expense.
(b) Financial Information about Segments
Our business consists of one reportable operating segment, the operation of wireless communication systems in the United States.
(c) Description of Business/Service Areas
Marketing of Products and Services
Local Service
We have developed our marketing strategy on a market-by-market basis and offer service plan options to our customers tailored to address their specific needs and to encourage cellular usage. In general, because our customers typically live in rural areas, they are more likely to purchase plans that provide a regional footprint rather than a national one. Most of our service plans have a fixed monthly access fee, which includes a specified number of minutes, and incremental fees for enhanced services. As a result of our focus on marketing strategies as well as the upgrade of our networks to digital capability, we are able to offer our customers a wide array of services on an individual or bundled basis. We believe these services, which include the following, stimulate demand for wireless usage and increase customer loyalty:
• Caller ID - Allows a customer to see the phone number and name of the calling party before answering the call or after not answering a call.
• Short Message Service - Allows a customer to receive and send text messages or content messages.
• Numeric Paging - Allows a caller to leave a phone number rather than a voice message.
• Visual Message Notification - Alerts a customer that a text or voice message has been received by displaying an icon on the customer’s phone.
• Add-A-Line - Allows an additional phone to be included on a single account for a flat fee, permitting a customer to share the service plan minutes.
• Voicemail - Allows a customer to receive and retrieve voicemail.
• Regional Personal Toll-Free Number - Provides a customer with a regional personal toll-free number, which encourages customers to distribute their cellular numbers and keep their telephones turned on to accept incoming calls.
• Nationwide Calling Option - Allows a customer to pay a flat fee for all long distance calls made from our service areas.
• Advanced 2.5G Technology Data Services - Includes picture phones, Brew and Java service, e-mail access, data cards, and internet accessibility.
In addition to tailoring our service plans based on features and minutes of use, we also offer our customers regional calling plans and roaming packages that allow our customers to pay home usage rates while traveling within specified regional zones, both within and outside of our cellular service areas. We have also established preferred roaming contracts and developed system integration with adjacent cellular
carriers, which permit our customers to receive automatic call delivery, call forwarding, toll-free access to voicemail, and call hand-off nationwide.
Roaming
We have roaming agreements in our markets with various national carriers and have nationwide roaming agreements including:
Under most of our roaming agreements, the roaming yield per minute we receive from outcollect calling minutes, in addition to the cost per minute we pay for our customers’ incollect activity, declines over time. We have structured our roaming agreements to enable us to provide expanded network access to our customers both regionally and nationally and provide roaming rates based upon factors such as network coverage, feature functionality, and number of customers.
On a pro forma basis, giving effect to the Cingular acquisition of AWE, a substantial portion of our roaming revenue has been derived from agreements with three national wireless providers, Cingular, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless. For the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003, and 2002, Cingular (on a pro forma basis giving effect to its merger with AWE), Verizon Wireless, and T-Mobile accounted for approximately 86%, 89%, and 86%, respectively, of our total outcollect roaming minutes. For the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003, and 2002, Cingular (on a pro forma basis giving effect to its merger with AWE) accounted for approximately 9.9%, 14.5%, and 14.4% of our total revenue.
Under our agreements with Cingular and Verizon Wireless, we are able to attain preferred roaming status by overlaying our existing Northeast, Northwest, and South networks with GSM/GPRS/EDGE and our Midwest region with CDMA/2000/1XRTT technology. The GSM/GPRS/EDGE overlays in our Northeast and Northwest networks and our CDMA/2000/1XRTT network in our Midwest region are substantially completed. Our GSM/GPRS/EDGE overlay in our South region is expected to be completed during the summer of 2005.
Wireless Alliance has a roaming agreement with its joint venture partner T-Mobile.
Customer Equipment
We currently sell handsets manufactured by Audiovox Corporation, Ericsson, Inc., Kyocera Corporation, LG Electronics, Inc., Motorola, Inc., and Nokia Telecommunications, Inc. and accessories manufactured by a number of sources.
Distribution and Sales
We market our wireless products and services through direct sales distribution channels, which include company-owned retail stores and account executives. We also utilize indirect sales distribution channels, including independent sales agents. All distribution channels are managed on a regional basis. We believe that our decentralized sales distribution strategy contributes to our service offering success because our regions are able to tailor their respective programs to meet the needs of each local market.
Our distribution channels include the following:
o retail stores and kiosks that we operate and staff with our employees. As of December 31, 2004, we had 86 stores, primarily located in our more densely populated markets. In addition, we had 13 stand-alone kiosks. Our retail locations help us establish our local presence and promote customer sales and service;
o account executives who are our employees and focus on business and major account sales and service;
o telesales, which are conducted by customer service representatives, internet, and toll-free phone services; and
• indirect sales through independent sales agents. Our independent sales agents are established businesses in their communities and include retail electronics stores, farm implement dealers, automobile dealers, automotive parts suppliers, college and university bookstores, video and music stores, and local telephone companies. Most of the agents sell our services in conjunction with their principal business. We provide cellular, digital, and paging equipment to the agents for sale or lease to customers, and the agents market our services utilizing a cooperative advertising program.
Each region is responsible for recruiting, training, and supporting sales personnel for each distribution channel.
Customer Base
At December 31, 2004, our customer base consisted of three types of customers: postpaid, wholesale, and prepaid. Postpaid customers accounted for the largest portion of our customer base as of that date, at 86%. These customers pay a monthly access fee for a wireless service plan that generally includes a fixed number of minutes and certain service features. In addition to the monthly access fee, these customers are typically billed in arrears for long-distance charges, roaming charges, and minutes of use exceeding the rate plans. Our wholesale customers are similar to our postpaid customers in that they pay monthly fees to utilize our network and services; however, the customers are billed by a third party (reseller), who has effectively resold our service to the end user (customer). We in turn bill the third party for the monthly usage of the end user. Wholesale customers accounted for 11% of our total customer base as of December 31, 2004. Our prepaid customers accounted for 3% of our customer base as of December 31, 2004.
Customer Service
To provide consistent customer service in our service centers, we have implemented local monitoring and control systems and maintain customer service departments consisting of trained personnel who are aware of the needs of the customers in our local markets. Our customer service centers are located in Alexandria, Minnesota; Bangor, Maine; Enterprise, Alabama; and Bend, Oregon. Our customer service centers can be accessed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and are responsible for processing new service orders and service changes for existing customers and maintaining customer records.
Service Marks
In 2004, our Midwest and Northwest regions changed their brand name to UNICEL®. We now use the UNICEL® brand, which we own, in all of our markets. The following table summarizes the brand names we have used to market our services in our different regions in 2004 and 2003.
Brand name use as of December 31,
Network Operations
We develop and build our wireless service areas in response to customer demand by adding channels to existing cell sites, building new cell sites to increase coverage and capacity, and upgrading entire networks with advanced technology and services. Where appropriate, we also upgrade acquired properties to enable us to provide similar quality service over our entire network. We expect to continue our wireless system expansion where necessary to add and retain customers, enhance customer usage on our systems, and increase roaming traffic. We also enhance our systems through scalable network equipment, cell site splitting, cell site sectorization, and digital upgrades of our systems. In addition to improving service quality, these enhancements generally provide improved network system performance and efficiency of operations. Our network consisted of 857 cell sites as of December 31, 2004.
Technology
As described below, beginning in late 2003 and throughout 2004, we have been overlaying our networks with 2.5G technology. 2.5G refers to wireless technology and capability usually associated with General Packet Radio Services (“GPRS”), Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution (“EDGE”), and Code Division Multiple Access / 1x Radio Transmission Technology (“CDMA2000/1XRTT”).
While these new networks typically can accommodate roaming traffic as individual sites come on line, we commercially introduce 2.5G services to our customers only when a sufficient number of cell sites within the region have been overlaid to provide relatively seamless 2.5G service. Commercial introduction of CDMA/2000/1XRTT services in our Midwest region began in August 2004, and commercial introduction of GSM/GPRS/EDGE services in our Northeast and Northwest regions began in January 2005. In late 2004, we began the GSM/GPRS/EDGE overlay process in our South region and anticipate a commercial launch in the summer of 2005. Our 2.5G technology networks utilize existing cellular and PCS spectrum. At December 31, 2004, approximately 67% of our cell sites incorporated 2.5G technology.
The customer transition to 2.5G technology networks will take into account the pace of national carrier 2.5G customer growth, our own anticipated growth of 2.5G technology services, the cost to migrate existing TDMA customers to more expensive 2.5G technology handsets, and our desire to ultimately operate from a single network technology platform. We believe that the majority of our customers will be using 2.5G handsets by the end of 2006. We anticipate maintaining existing TDMA networks in our regions as long as it is financially desirable and replacement equipment is available.
Using previously unbuilt PCS licenses that are adjacent to our traditional cellular footprint, we are expanding our network coverage through the following initiatives:
• Midwest region CDMA network expansion into the adjacent markets of Fargo and Grand Forks, North Dakota,
• Northeast region GSM network expansion into the adjacent market of Lewiston-Auburn, Maine,
• Northeast region GSM network expansion into the adjacent Lakes Area region in east central New Hampshire, and
• Northwest region GSM network expansion in mid-2005 into the adjacent markets of Lewiston-Moscow, Idaho and Madras, Oregon.
We also have PCS networks in our Midwest and Northeast regions that satisfy FCC build-out requirements and allow us to receive outcollect revenue from our national roaming partners and minimize our incollect cost from our existing customers using their phones in those areas. We do not market our wireless service to residents of these areas.
Build-Out Conditions of PCS Licenses
All PCS licenses are granted for 10-year terms conditioned upon timely compliance with the FCC’s build-out requirements. Pursuant to the FCC’s build-out requirements, all 30 MHz broadband PCS licensees must construct facilities that offer coverage to one-third of the licensed area’s population within five years of obtaining the license and to two-thirds of the licensed area’s population within ten years, and all 10 MHz broadband PCS licensees must construct facilities that offer coverage to at least one-quarter of the population within five years or make a showing of “substantial service” within that five year period. Failure to comply with these build-out requirements could result in license cancellation or revocation. We are currently in compliance with the build-out requirements of our PCS licenses.
Wireless Alliance
Wireless Alliance operates a GSM network and at December 31, 2004, had 66 cell sites using T-Mobile’s switch.
Licenses
Our reasons for building out our licenses can vary. We build out many of our licenses primarily to market our wireless services directly to that region’s population and to capture outcollect roaming minutes. We build out other licenses to minimize incollect cost and capture outcollect roaming minutes while not marketing our services to that region’s population. In some cases, we have chosen not to build out licensed areas, reflecting lack of sufficient current financial incentive.
Our total marketed service area served approximately 649,000 voice customers, excluding wholesale customers, as of December 31, 2004.
Throughout our regions, we have multiple licenses at different bandwidths covering similar service areas. Accordingly, POPs in some service areas may be covered by more than one license and are not incremental to our marketed POPs. The following table, which includes overlapping licenses, lists our cellular and PCS licenses as of December 31, 2004:
The following map illustrates the geography of our 850 MHz Cellular and 1.9 GHz PCS licenses as of December 31, 2004.
Suppliers and Equipment Partners
We do not manufacture any customer or network equipment. The high degree of compatibility among different manufacturers’ models of handsets and network facilities equipment allows us to design, supply, and operate our systems without being dependent upon a single source of equipment. Historically, we have used network equipment manufactured by Northern Telecom, Inc., Lucent Technologies Inc., Harris, Inc., Nokia Telecommunications, Inc., Alcatel, Ericsson, Inc., and Motorola, Inc. We also resell network equipment.
Competition
We compete against wireless carriers in each of our markets and also compete with a number of enhanced specialized mobile radio service providers. We compete for customers based on numerous factors, including wireless system coverage and quality, service value equation (minutes and features over price), local market presence, digital voice and features, customer service, distribution strength, and brand name recognition. Some competitors also market other services, such as landline local exchange and internet access service, with their wireless service offerings. Many of our competitors have been operating for a number of years, currently serve a substantial customer base, and have significantly greater financial, personnel, technical, marketing, sales, and distribution resources than we do.
The following table lists our major competitors by market:
(*) National Third Party Resellers. We also compete with national third party resellers including Virgin Mobile USA, LLC and TracFone Wireless, Inc. These resellers purchase bulk wireless services from wireless providers and resell through mass-market retail outlets, including Wal-Mart, Target, Radio Shack, and Best Buy. TracFone purchases bulk wireless services from RCC in selected markets.
Continuing industry consolidation has resulted in an increased presence of regional and national wireless operators within our service areas. More recently, some national wireless operators have begun to build small networks in more densely populated or well-traveled portions of our service areas. National advertising and promotional programs by national wireless operators run in our markets are a source of additional competitive and pricing pressures even though these operators may not provide service in those markets.
In the future, we expect to face increased competition from entities holding licenses for PCS spectrum not yet operating in our markets. The FCC has issued licenses for both narrowband and broadband PCS, and six broadband licenses were issued in each of our cellular service areas. Under FCC rules, PCS license holders are allowed to disaggregate the spectrum covered by their license. Accordingly, we may face competition from additional providers of PCS if the FCC approves a disaggregation of spectrum for any PCS license in one of our service areas. In addition, the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 required, among other things, the allocation to commercial use of a portion of 200 MHz of the spectrum currently reserved for government use. Some portion of this spectrum may be used to create new land-mobile services or to expand existing land-mobile services. Further, the FCC has auctioned or announced plans to auction licenses in the 39 GHz spectrum and 700 MHz spectrum that may be used for wireless communications that would compete with our services.
We may also face competition from our roaming partners if they decide to overbuild or acquire networks in our service areas. Many of our roaming partners are national carriers with greater financial resources and access to capital than we have.
We also compete to a lesser extent with resellers, landline telephone service providers, fixed wireless services, specialized mobile radio, private radio systems and satellite-based telecommunications systems. A reseller provides wireless services to customers but does not hold an FCC license and might not own facilities. Instead, the reseller buys blocks of wireless telephone numbers and capacity from a licensed carrier and resells service through its own distribution network to the public. Thus, a reseller is both a customer of a wireless licensee’s service and also a competitor of that licensee. Several small resellers currently operate in our service areas.
Cable companies are providing telecommunications services to the home, and of these, some carriers are providing local and long distance voice services using Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP. In particular circumstances, these carriers may be able to avoid payment of access charges to local exchange carriers for the use of their networks on long distance calls. Cost savings for these carriers could result in lower prices to customers and increased competition for wireless services.
The telecommunications industry is experiencing significant technological changes, as evidenced by the increasing pace of improvements in the capacity and quality of digital technology, shorter cycles for new products and enhancements, and changes in consumer preferences and expectations. Accordingly, with the entry of new competitors and the development of new technologies, products, and services, competition in the wireless telecommunications industry has been dynamic and intense.
Our ability to compete successfully is dependent, in part, on our ability to anticipate and respond to various competitive factors affecting the industry. Our marketing and sales organization includes a group that carefully monitors and analyzes competitive products and service offerings, changes in consumer preferences, changes in demographic trends and economic conditions, and pricing strategies by competitors that could adversely affect our operations or present strategic opportunities.
We believe that we are strategically positioned to compete with other communications technologies that now exist. Continuing technological advances in telecommunications and FCC policies that encourage the development of new spectrum-based technologies make it difficult, however, to predict the extent of future competition.
Legislation and Regulation
The following summary of regulatory developments and legislation does not purport to describe all present and proposed federal, state, and local regulation and legislation affecting the telecommunications industry. Many existing federal, state, and local laws and regulations are currently the subject of judicial proceedings, legislative hearings, and administrative proposals that could change, in varying degrees, the manner in which the telecommunications industry operates. Neither the outcome of these proceedings nor their impact upon the telecommunications industry or us can be predicted.
Overview
Our business is subject to varying degrees of federal, state, and local regulation. The FCC has jurisdiction over all facilities of, and services offered by, wireless licensees such as us, to the extent those facilities are used to provide, originate, or terminate interstate or international communications. The Communications Act of 1934, as amended (the “Communications Act”), preempts state and local regulation of the entry of, or the rates charged by, any provider of commercial mobile radio service (“CMRS”), which includes our cellular service and broadband personal communications service. Otherwise, state and local regulatory commissions may exercise jurisdiction over most of the same facilities and services to the extent they are used to originate or terminate intrastate or intra-Major Trading Area communications and with respect to zoning and similar matters. The manner in which we are regulated is subject to change in ways we cannot predict.
Federal Licensing of Wireless Systems
Geographic Market Area Licenses. CMRS providers operate under licenses granted by the FCC within a specified geographic market area. For cellular systems, those market areas are typically Metropolitan Statistical Areas (“MSAs”) or Rural Service Areas (“RSAs”) as defined by the FCC. PCS systems are normally licensed within market areas known as Major Trading Areas (“MTAs”) or Basic Trading Areas (“BTAs”), although it is possible to obtain, and we currently hold, some PCS licenses that are for market areas smaller than an entire MTA or BTA, known as a partitioned area.
While the FCC has used an assortment of methods in the past to grant licenses, most if not all new CMRS licenses granted by the FCC are by auction. The FCC determines the availability of licenses in particular frequency ranges, as well as the terms under which license auctions are conducted. Our ability to secure new licenses that could be used to introduce advanced “third generation” wireless services may depend upon our success in future FCC auctions. For example, in 2006 the FCC is expected to auction and license 90 megahertz of spectrum for third generation and advanced wireless services, specifying comparatively large geographic areas, known as Regional Economic Area Groups, for licensing of 50-60 megahertz of the available spectrum.
Construction and Operation. Most cellular licensees, including RCC, have substantially constructed their systems and have license rights in their Cellular Geographic Service Areas that cut off rights of others to obtain licenses on the same frequencies in the same areas. We do not need to perform additional construction under our cellular licenses to retain those licenses. If we were to discontinue operation of a cellular system for a period of at least 90 continuous days, our license for such area would be automatically forfeited. However, we have no intention of allowing any discontinuance of service that may occur to last as long as 90 continuous days.
In order to retain licenses, PCS licensees, including RCC, are required by the FCC’s rules to construct facilities in the geographic areas authorized under their PCS licenses. That construction must result in a signal level adequate to permit an offering of services to a certain percentage of the population covered by those licenses within specified periods, based on the date of the grant of the licenses. Our PCS licenses are subject to revocation or nonrenewal by the FCC, as are all similar licenses held by other companies, if these build-out requirements are not satisfied in a timely manner. Build-out requirements apply as to certain PCS
licenses we have acquired from other entities. We believe that our construction will progress at a pace that allows for timely compliance with the construction requirements.
Because we hold PCS licenses, we must comply with FCC microwave relocation rules. A block of spectrum licensed for PCS may be encumbered by a previously licensed microwave system. In such a case, if the PCS licensee cannot avoid interference with the microwave system, the FCC requires the PCS licensee to provide six months’ advance notice that interference may occur upon simultaneous operation of the PCS and microwave facilities and direct the microwave licensee to cease operation or move to other, non-interfering frequencies after such period of time. A PCS licensee is also obligated to participate in cost-sharing if a previous relocation of a microwave incumbent benefits more than one PCS licensee. However, a PCS licensee will not trigger any new cost-sharing obligations for sites activated April 5, 2005 or later, due to a scheduled termination of the FCC’s cost-sharing plan as of April 4, 2005. We believe that we are in compliance with applicable FCC microwave relocation and cost-sharing rules.
CMRS providers also must satisfy a variety of FCC requirements relating to technical and reporting matters, including coordination of proposed frequency usage with adjacent systems in order to avoid electrical interference between adjacent systems. The FCC also requires licensees to secure FCC consent to system modifications in specified instances.
Entities such as RCC that own towers used for radio systems are subject to Federal Aviation Administration and FCC regulations respecting the location, marking, lighting, and construction of towers and are subject to the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act, National Historic Preservation Act, and other environmental statutes enforced by the FCC. The FCC has also adopted guidelines and methods for evaluating human exposure to radio frequency emissions from radio equipment. We believe that all wireless devices we currently provide to our customers, and all our radio systems on towers that we own or occupy, comply with these requirements, guidelines, and methods.
We use, among other facilities, common carrier point-to-point microwave facilities to connect cell sites and to link the cell sites to the main switching office. These facilities are separately licensed by the FCC and are subject to regulation as to technical parameters, frequency protection, and service.
Renewal of Licenses. Near the conclusion of the generally ten-year term of a spectrum license, a licensee must file an application for renewal of the license to obtain authority to operate for up to an additional ten-year term. An application for license renewal may be denied if the FCC determines that the renewal would not serve the public interest, convenience, or necessity. The FCC also may revoke a license prior to the end of its term in extraordinary circumstances. In addition, at license renewal time, other parties may file competing applications for the authorization. The FCC has adopted specific standards stating renewal expectancy will be awarded to a spectrum licensee that has provided substantial service during its license term and has substantially complied with applicable FCC rules and policies and the Communications Act. If the FCC awards the licensee a renewal expectancy, its license renewal application generally is granted and the competing applications are dismissed.
Although we are unaware of any circumstances that would prevent the approval of any future renewal application, no assurance can be given that the FCC will renew any of our licenses. Moreover, the FCC has the authority to restrict the operation of a licensed facility or revoke or modify licenses. None of our licenses has ever been revoked or involuntarily modified.
Assignment of Licenses or Transfer of Control of Licensees. FCC licenses generally may be transferred and assigned, subject to specified limitations prescribed by the Communications Act and the FCC. The FCC’s prior approval is required for the assignment or transfer of control of a license for a wireless system. Before we can complete a purchase or sale, we must file appropriate applications with the FCC, and the public is by law granted a period of time, typically 30 days, to oppose or comment on the proposed transaction. In addition, the FCC has established transfer disclosure requirements that require licensees who assign or transfer control of a license acquired through an auction within the first three years of their license terms to file associated sale contracts, option agreements, management agreements, or other documents disclosing the total consideration that the licensee would receive in return for the transfer or assignment of its license.
In any instance where a proposed transaction would result in an entity holding attributable ownership interests in both the frequency Block A and frequency Block B cellular carriers in the same MSA or RSA, the FCC conducts a case-by-case analysis of the potential effect upon competition and may disapprove of the transaction or issue approval subject to conditions that may or may not be acceptable to the parties. Non-controlling minority interests in an entity that holds a FCC license generally may be bought or sold without FCC approval, subject to any applicable FCC notification requirements.
Limitation on Foreign Ownership. Ownership of our capital stock by non-U.S. citizens is subject to limitations under the Communications Act and FCC regulations. Under existing law, no more than 20% of a licensee’s capital stock may be directly owned or voted by non-U.S. citizens or their representatives, by a foreign government or its representatives, or by a foreign corporation. If an FCC licensee is controlled by another entity, up to 25% of that entity’s capital stock may be owned or voted by non-U.S. citizens or their representatives, by a foreign government or its representatives, or by a foreign corporation. Indirect foreign ownership above the 25% level may be allowed should the FCC find such higher levels not inconsistent with the public interest.
Regulatory Matters and Developments
Enhanced 911 Services. Cellular and PCS licensees must comply with the FCC’s rules regarding emergency 911 service. There is a staged process for the required deployment of enhanced 911 services, referred to by the FCC as Phase I and Phase II.
Under Phase I, cellular and PCS licensees were required as of April 1, 1998, or within six months of a request from the designated Public Safety Answering Point (“PSAP”), whichever is later, to be able to provide, if available to the serving carrier, the telephone number of the originator of a 911 call and to provide to the designated PSAP the location of the cell site or base station receiving a 911 call from any mobile handset accessing their systems through the use of Automatic Number Identification and Pseudo-Automatic Number Identification. We are in substantial compliance with Phase I requirements.
Under Phase II, cellular and PCS licensees must be able to provide to the designated PSAP the location of all wireless 911 callers, by longitude and latitude, in conformance with particular accuracy requirements. To comply, licensees may elect either network-based or mobile radio handset-based location technologies and thereafter meet, according to a phased-in schedule, the enhanced 911 service standards stated in the FCC’s rules. We notified the FCC of our intention to utilize network-based location technologies to provide Phase II enhanced 911 service and amended the notification to indicate that, where we utilize CDMA network technology, we will rely upon a handset-based Phase II solution. Pursuant to terms and conditions of an FCC “Order to Stay” adopted in July 2002, granting us an extension of the compliance deadlines, we are subject to requirements of the FCC where we have deployed a network-based Phase II solution that we provide Phase II enhanced 911 service to at least 50% of a requesting PSAP’s coverage area or population beginning March 1, 2003, or within six months of a PSAP request, whichever is later, and to 100% of a requesting PSAP’s coverage area or population by March 1, 2004 or within 18 months of such a request, whichever is later. We have received requests from PSAPs for deployment of Phase II enhanced 911 service that relate to various areas where we provide cellular or PCS service and we have met the applicable 50%-coverage benchmark. Nevertheless, if the FCC finds that the accuracy results produced by any of our Phase II deployments are not in compliance with FCC rules, the FCC could issue enforcement orders and impose monetary forfeitures upon us. The FCC has issued notices of apparent liability requiring other CMRS providers to pay fines based upon violations of enhanced 911 service requirements. The
implementation of enhanced 911 obligations may have a financial impact on us. We are not yet able to predict the extent of that impact.
Interconnection. FCC rules provide that a local exchange carrier (“LEC”) must provide CMRS providers interconnection within a reasonable time after it is requested, unless such interconnection is not technically feasible or economically reasonable, and that CMRS providers are entitled to compensation from LECs for terminating wireline-to-wireless traffic that originates and terminates within the same MTA. Recently, the FCC decided to amend its rules so as to allow LECs to request interconnection agreements with CMRS providers that operate within the same MTA. As a result, LECs will be able to establish reciprocal compensation arrangements for termination of telecommunications traffic even when a CMRS provider has no need for direct interconnection with a LEC that provides service in the same MTA. The FCC has a rulemaking proceeding in progress to consider whether, and possibly how, to replace the current system of reciprocal compensation for termination of local telecommunications traffic, and access charges for inter-MTA traffic, with a uniform intercarrier compensation plan. That proceeding could result in changes to compensation arrangements we have with LECs and interexchange carriers for the exchange of telecommunications traffic. Additionally, although key provisions of FCC orders implementing the Communications Act’s interconnection requirements have been affirmed by the courts, certain court challenges to the FCC rules are pending.
Universal Service. The Communications Act mandates that telecommunications carriers, such as us, contribute to the federal USF, the purpose of which is to ensure that basic telephone services are available and affordable for all citizens and that consumers in rural areas have similar choices in telecommunications services as consumers living in urban areas. The USF is intended to promote telecommunications infrastructure development in high cost areas and to provide subsidies to low income persons, schools, libraries, and rural health care providers. We also are required to contribute to state universal service programs administered by some states. The federal USF is administered jointly by the FCC, the fund administrator, and state regulatory authorities. Because we are a collection agent for customer contributions, we expect that our obligation to remit USF contributions will have a minimal financial impact on us.
1996 amendments to the Communications Act allow wireless carriers such as us to propose services and pursue eligibility to receive USF funding for constructing, maintaining and improving our facilities and services in high-cost areas. When declared eligible for USF funding we are also obligated to offer discounts to low-income customers, which amounts are reimbursed to us through the federal Lifeline and Link-up programs. We must be designated as an eligible telecommunications carrier (“ETC”) by the state where we provide service (or, in some cases, the FCC) and the state (or, in some cases, we) must certify our eligibility to the FCC so that we may ultimately receive USF support. We have received ETC designation in the states of Alabama, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. We are currently receiving USF support, or expect soon to begin receiving USF support, in each of these states. We have filed additional applications for ETC designation in New Hampshire and South Dakota. To be eligible from year-to-year to receive USF support, our ETC certifications must be renewed each year. Our ability to receive USF support, and our obligations to pay into state and federal universal service funds, are subject to change based upon pending regulatory proceedings, court challenges, and marketplace conditions.
Local Number Portability. The FCC has adopted rules on telephone number portability in an effort to achieve more efficient number utilization. Cellular and PCS licensees are required to provide number portability, which enables customers to change providers and services without changing their telephone number. By November 24, 2003, CMRS providers in the top 100 markets were required to offer number portability without impairment of quality, reliability, or convenience when customers switch wireless service providers, including the ability to support roaming throughout their networks. Providers in other markets were to comply by May 24, 2004 if they received a “bona fide request” to be open for porting-out of customer numbers at least six months prior from another wireless service provider. Where our operations are subject to the FCC mandate we are in compliance. In other areas any failure to comply with this obligation could result in a fine or revocation of our licenses.
In addition, the FCC provided guidance to the wireline and wireless industries in the form of a decision released November 10, 2003 in response to a petition filed by the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association requesting that wireline carriers be required to allow their customers to retain their numbers when switching to a wireless carrier. The FCC concluded that, as of November 24, 2003, upon the request of a customer, wireline carriers in the top-100 markets must port numbers to wireless carriers where the wireless carrier’s “coverage area” overlaps the geographic location of the rate center in which the customer’s wireline number is provisioned, provided that the porting-in carrier maintains the number’s original rate center designation following the port. The wireless “coverage area” was defined by the FCC as the area in which wireless service can be received from the wireless carrier. Wireline carriers outside the top-100 markets were given until May 24, 2004 to comply with the same porting obligations. The FCC subsequently granted an extension of time until May 24, 2004 to wireline carriers in the top-100 markets that serve fewer than two percent of the nation’s customer lines if such wireline carriers had not received a request for local number porting from either a wireline carrier prior to May 24, 2003, or a wireless carrier that has a point of interconnection or numbering resources in the rate center where the customer’s wireline number is provisioned. In addition, state public utility commissions have authority under the Communications Act to suspend or extend FCC number portability requirements faced by wireline carriers that serve fewer than two percent of the nation’s customer lines. On March 11, 2005, the U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit, issued decisions that upheld the FCC’s requirements concerning wireline-to-wireless as well as wireless-to-wireless porting, although the court stayed the wireline-to-wireless obligations of certain LECs that qualify as small entities under the Regulatory Flexibility Act until the FCC completes its final regulatory flexibility analysis and publishes it in accordance with the applicable federal statute.
Meanwhile, the FCC invited and has received written comments on issues that bear upon wireless carriers’ obligations to port numbers to wireline carriers upon customer request. We expect to face obligations that will allow our customers to port their numbers to wireline carriers.
CALEA. Telecommunications carriers also are subject to the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (“CALEA”), which is administered by the Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) and the FCC. CALEA requires carriers to have a specific number of open ports available for law enforcement personnel with the appropriate legal authority to perform wiretaps on each carrier’s network. Full implementation of CALEA’s assistance capability requirements was previously required by June 30, 2000. However, because the FCC found that there was a lack of equipment available to meet these requirements, it accepted petitions for a two-year extension of this deadline on a carrier-by-carrier basis. We submitted such a petition and were granted a two-year extension, until June 30, 2002, to comply with CALEA’s assistance capability requirements. We petitioned the FCC for another two-year extension and received from the FBI a letter of support for our petition for extension. At this time CALEA features are installed and operational at all but one of our switching facilities. We have petitioned for additional time, through May 31, 2005, to complete final installation of CALEA features on a switch located in Alexandria, Minnesota. Additional requirements have been adopted to require cellular and PCS licensees to accommodate interception of digital packet mode telecommunications. We will become obligated to comply with these requirements only if and when we commence to offer services that make use of digital packet mode technology. If we are not able to comply with CALEA prior to the applicable deadlines, we could be subject to substantial fines that, under existing law, could be as much as $10,000 per day. We cannot predict yet whether we will be able to comply with CALEA requirements prior to the applicable deadlines.
Other FCC-Mandated Payments. We also are required to contribute annually to the Telecommunications Relay Service Fund and the North American Numbering Plan Administration Fund and to remit regulatory fees to the FCC with respect to our licenses and operations. We do not expect that these financial obligations will have a material impact on us.
Access by the Disabled. The FCC has adopted rules that determine the obligations of telecommunications carriers to make their services accessible to individuals with disabilities. The rules require wireless and other providers to offer equipment and services that are accessible to and useable by persons with disabilities. While the rules exempt telecommunications carriers from meeting general disability access requirements if these results are not readily achievable, it is not clear how the FCC will construe this exemption. Accordingly, the FCC occasionally adopts rules that may require us to make material changes
to our network, product line, or services at our expense. By September 16, 2006, we must begin to offer hearing aid compatible handsets, and by February 28, 2008, 50% of all phone models offered must meet the U3 performance level for acoustic coupling to accommodate hearing aid compatible functions. We are required to file with the FCC periodic progress reports on our preparation for implementing these offerings.
Health and Safety. Various media reports and plaintiffs’ attorneys in lawsuits not involving us have suggested that radio frequency emissions from wireless handsets may be linked to an assortment of health concerns, including cancer, and may interfere with some electronic medical devices, including hearing aids and pacemakers. The FCC and foreign regulatory agencies have updated and may continue to update the guidelines and methods they use for evaluating radio frequency emissions from radio equipment, including wireless handsets. In addition, interest groups have requested that the FCC investigate claims that wireless technologies pose health concerns and cause interference with airbags, hearing aids, and medical devices. The FDA has issued guidelines for the use of wireless phones by pacemaker wearers. Safety concerns have also been raised with respect to the use of wireless handsets while driving. Federal, state, and local legislation has been proposed and, in some instances, enacted in response to these issues. Concerns over radio frequency emissions may have the effect of discouraging the use of wireless handsets, and thus decrease demand for wireless products and services.
Regulatory Oversight. The rapid growth and penetration of wireless services has prompted the interest of the FCC, state legislatures, and state public utility commissions to oversee certain practices by the wireless industry, generally in the form of efforts to regulate service quality, customer billing, termination of service arrangements, advertising, filing of “informational” tariffs, certification of operation, and other matters such as deterrence of spam messaging to wireless devices. While the Communications Act generally preempts state and local governments from regulating the entry of, or the rates charged by, wireless carriers, a state has authority to regulate “other terms and conditions” of service offerings by CMRS providers and may petition the FCC to allow it to regulate the rates of CMRS providers. Several states have proposed or imposed consumer protection regulations on CMRS providers. Moreover, in securing ETC status, we may become subject to such rules (as we already are in Maine and Vermont), may be required to offer a specific “universal service” rate plan, as we have in Maine, or may become subject to other state-imposed requirements as a condition of their granting ETC status. In some states, we are or expect to be required annually to demonstrate that funds we collect from the high-cost fund are used for the required purpose of constructing, maintaining, or improving our facilities and services. These additional regulatory obligations can be expected to increase our costs of doing business.
The FCC has rules that require CMRS providers to report to the FCC network outages of at least 30 minutes duration that potentially affect at least 900,000 user minutes. We do not expect this requirement to have a substantial impact on our costs of operation.
On August 4, 2004 the FCC adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to consider how the Emergency Alert System (“EAS”) can become a more effective mechanism for warning the American public of an emergency. The proceeding inquires whether EAS should be extended beyond broadcast and cable TV to other services such as commercial wireless. We may be obligated to purchase additional hardware and/or software to comply with any EAS requirements the FCC ultimately adopts that are applicable to wireless carriers.
At the local level, wireless facilities typically are subject to zoning and land use regulation and may be subject to fees for use of public rights of way. Although local and state governments cannot categorically prohibit the construction of wireless facilities in any community, or take actions that have the effect of prohibiting construction, securing state and local government approvals for new tower sites may become a more difficult and lengthy process.
The FCC has expanded the flexibility of cellular, PCS, and other CMRS providers to provide fixed as well as mobile services. Such fixed services include, but need not be limited to, “wireless local loop” services to apartment and office buildings and wireless backup services to private business exchanges and local area networks to be used in the event of interruptions due to weather or other emergencies. The FCC has
determined that fixed services provided as ancillary services to a carrier’s mobile service will be regulated as commercial mobile radio services.
The FCC authorizes spectrum leasing for a variety of wireless services. Such rules may provide us with opportunities to expand our services into new areas, or provide us with access to additional spectrum, without need for us to purchase licenses, but the same rules also have the potential to induce new competitors to enter our markets. In addition, proceedings relating to human exposure to radio frequency emissions, the feasibility of making additional spectrum available for unlicensed devices, and the provision of spectrum-based services in rural areas are pending before the FCC. All of these initiatives could have an effect on the way we do business and the spectrum that is available to us and our competitors.
The FCC does not currently specify the rates CMRS carriers may charge for their services, nor does it require the filing of tariffs for wireless operations. However, the FCC has the authority to regulate the rates, terms, and conditions under which we provide service because CMRS carriers are statutorily considered to be common carriers and thus are required to charge just and reasonable rates and are not allowed to engage in unreasonable discrimination. The FCC has adopted rules and has proposed further rules relating to the use of customer proprietary network information (“CPNI”). Petitions for reconsideration of the CPNI rules are pending before the FCC. Additionally, the FCC has adopted rules governing billing practices. While none of these existing requirements has a material impact on our operations, there is no assurance that future regulatory changes will not materially impact us. The FCC has ruled that the Communications Act does not preempt state damages claims as a matter of law, but whether a specific damage award is prohibited would depend upon the facts of a particular case. This ruling may affect the number of class action suits brought against CMRS providers and the amount of damages awarded by courts.
Employees and Sales Agents
As of December 31, 2004, we had 1,074 employees, including 447 in sales and marketing, 307 in customer service, 181 in network and systems operations, 88 in administration, and 51 in finance and accounting. Approximately 51 of our employees were part-time. None of our employees is represented by a labor organization, and we believe we have excellent relations with our employees. In addition, we utilize approximately 423 independent sales agents.
ITEM 2.
ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
Our corporate facilities include the following:
As of December 31, 2004, our network consisted of the following cell sites:
Our leased sites consist of land leases, tower leases or both. We own all the equipment within the leased sites. The leases covering these sites have various expiration dates and are with numerous lessors. These leases generally have renewal options that we would anticipate exercising. Due to our network design, loss of a leased location would not have a material impact on the operations of a region’s business.
We have 99 retail locations, of which almost all are leased. The leases covering these locations have various expiration dates. We believe that the loss of any one of these retail sites would not have a material impact on our business as we would likely be able to obtain substantially equivalent alternative space.
ITEM 3.
ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
We are involved from time to time in routine legal matters and other claims incidental to our business. We believe that the resolution of such routine matters and other incidental claims, taking into account established reserves and insurance, will not have a material adverse impact on our consolidated financial position or results of operations.
ITEM 4.
ITEM 4. SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS
No matters were submitted to a vote of security holders during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year covered by this report.
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT
The following table sets forth certain information with regard to each of our executive officers:
Richard P. Ekstrand has served as our President, Chief Executive Officer, and a director since 1990. He currently serves on the board of directors and executive committee of the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association (CTIA) and the Wireless Foundation. Mr. Ekstrand previously served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of both CTIA and the Wireless Foundation. He also was a founding director of the Rural Cellular Association (“RCA”) and served as a director until 2000. He was again elected to the RCA Board in September 2000. In addition, he is past President of the Minnesota Telephone Association, the Association of Minnesota Telephone Utilities, and the Minnesota Telecommunications Association. He also serves on the board of directors of the Minnesota Zoo Foundation. Mr. Ekstrand is the sole shareholder, president, and a director of North Holdings, Inc. (formerly Lowry Telephone Co., Inc.), which is a shareholder of Rural Cellular. From 1980 through 2000, Mr. Ekstrand had served as vice president and a director of Lowry Telephone Co., Inc. North Holdings, Inc. is a member of Lowry Telephone Company, LLC, of which Mr. Ekstrand is the treasurer and a member of the board of governors.
Wesley E. Schultz has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since 2000 and as a director since 1999. He joined us in 1996 as Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer. In 1999, he was appointed Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Secretary. Mr. Schultz is a certified public accountant and served for three years as an auditor with Deloitte & Touche LLP.
Ann K. Newhall has served as Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, and Secretary since 2000 and as a director since 1999. She joined us as Senior Vice President and General Counsel in 1999. Prior to joining us, Ms. Newhall was a shareholder attorney with Moss & Barnett, A Professional Association, most recently serving as President and a director of the firm. Ms. Newhall received her J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1977. She serves on the board of directors of Alliant Energy Corporation, a gas and electric utility.
David J. Del Zoppo has served as Vice President, Finance and Accounting since 1999. He joined us in 1997 as Controller and was appointed Vice President in 1998. Mr. Del Zoppo is a certified public accountant and served for four years as an auditor with KPMG, LLP.
PART II
ITEM 5.
ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER REPURCHASE OF EQUITY SECURITIES
Until December 17, 2002, our Class A common stock was quoted on the Nasdaq National Market, and between December 18, 2002 and December 29, 2003, was quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board. On December 30, 2003, it was again listed on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol RCCC.
The following table indicates the high and low sales price of the Class A Common Stock for each quarter of the 2004 and 2003 fiscal years as quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board or The Nasdaq National Market.
Our Class B common stock is not publicly traded.
As of February 25, 2005, there were approximately 123 holders of record of our Class A common stock and approximately 15 holders of record of our Class B common stock.
Dividend Policy
RCC has never paid dividends on its Common Stock. The terms of our credit agreement, outstanding notes, and exchangeable preferred stock limit our ability to pay dividends on our Common Stock.
ITEM 6.
ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
The following tables set forth certain of our consolidated financial and operating data as of and for each of the five years in the period ended December 31, 2004, which we derived from our consolidated financial statements. The data set forth below should be read in conjunction with “Item 7.
ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Business Overview
We are a wireless communications service provider focusing primarily on rural markets in the United States. Our principal operating objective is to increase revenue and achieve profitability through increased penetration in existing wireless markets.
Our operating regions include portions of five states in the Northeast, three states in the Northwest, four states in the Midwest, and three states in the South. Within each of our four regions, we have deployed a strong local sales and customer service presence in the communities we serve. Our marketed networks covered a total population of approximately 6.3 million POPs and served approximately 730,000 voice customers as of December 31, 2004.
We believe our market characteristics and network quality make us an attractive roaming partner for other wireless communications service providers. We have preferred roaming relationships with Cingular Wireless, LLC, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless in our various regions.
We began a 2.5G network overlay process in late 2003, which we expect to be substantially complete in 2005. We are also pursuing a strategy of expanding our network coverage in all of our regions, which will, upon completion, increase our cell sites and our total marketed POPs. We believe our network overlay and expansion efforts will improve our ability to attract customers in addition to providing our roaming partners greater access to our networks.
Operating Revenue
Our revenue primarily consists of service, roaming, and equipment revenue, each of which is described below:
• Service revenue includes monthly access charges, charges for airtime used in excess of the time included in the service package purchased, long distance charges derived from calls placed by customers as well as wireless and paging equipment lease revenue. Also included are charges for features such as voicemail, call waiting, call forwarding, and incollect revenue, which consists of charges to our customers when they use their wireless phones in other wireless markets. We do not charge installation or connection fees. We also include in service revenue the USF support funding that we receive as a result of our ETC status in certain states in addition to USF pass-through fees we charge our customers.
• Roaming revenue includes only outcollect revenue, which we receive when other wireless providers’ customers use our network.
• Equipment revenue includes sales of wireless and paging equipment and accessories to customers, network equipment reselling, and customer activation fees.
Operating Expenses
Our operating expenses include network costs, cost of equipment sales, selling, general and administrative expenses, and depreciation and amortization, each of which is described below:
• Network costs include switching and transport expenses and expenses associated with the maintenance and operation of our wireless network facilities, including salaries for employees involved in network operations, site costs, charges from other service providers for resold minutes, and the expense associated with incollect revenue.
• Cost of equipment sales includes costs associated with telephone equipment and accessories sold to customers. In recent years, we and other wireless providers have increased the use of discounts on phone equipment as competition between service providers has intensified. As a result, we have incurred, and expect to continue to incur, losses on equipment sales per gross additional customer. We expect to continue these discounts and promotions because we believe they will increase the number of our wireless customers and, consequently, increase service revenue.
• Selling, general and administrative (“SG&A”) expenses include salaries, benefits, and operating expenses such as marketing, commissions, customer support, accounting, administration, and billing. We also include in SG&A contributions payable to the USF.
• Depreciation and amortization represents the costs associated with the depreciation of fixed assets and the amortization of customer lists. Under the rules of SFAS No. 142, RCC treats licenses and goodwill as having indefinite useful lives and, therefore, since January 1, 2002, they are not being amortized. Depreciation and amortization also includes the depreciation of the capitalized cost of handsets leased to customers.
Other Expenses
• Interest expense primarily results from borrowings under our credit agreement and the issuance of outstanding notes and exchangeable preferred stock, the proceeds of which were used to finance acquisitions, repay other borrowings, and further develop our wireless network.
Interest expense includes the following:
- Interest expense on our credit agreement, senior secured notes, senior notes, and senior subordinated notes,
- Amortization of debt issuance costs,
- Early extinguishment of debt issuance cost,
- Dividends on senior and junior exchangeable preferred stock subsequent to adoption of SFAS No. 150 on July 1, 2003,
- Related amortization of stock issuance costs subsequent to adoption of SFAS No. 150 on July 1, 2003,
- Gain (loss) on derivative instruments, and
- Gains on repurchase of preferred stock.
All of our derivative financial instruments entered into after January 1, 2003 are marked to market, with changes in fair value included in interest expense.
• Preferred stock dividends are accrued on our outstanding Class M convertible preferred stock and Class T convertible preferred stock. Through June 30, 2003, preferred stock dividends also included dividends on our senior and junior exchangeable preferred securities.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
The following discussion and analysis is based upon our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The preparation of our consolidated financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of revenue, expenses, assets, and liabilities during the periods reported. Estimates are used when accounting for certain items such as unbilled revenue, allowance for doubtful accounts, depreciation and amortization periods, income taxes, valuation of intangible assets, and litigation contingencies. We base our estimates on historical experience, where applicable, and other assumptions that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances. We believe that the following critical accounting policies affect our more significant judgments and estimates used in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements.
Goodwill and Other Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets
We review goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment based on the requirements of SFAS No. 142. Goodwill is tested for impairment at the reporting unit level on an annual basis as of October 1st or on an interim basis if an event occurs or circumstances change that would reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying value. These events or circumstances would include a significant change in the business climate, legal factors, operating performance indicators, competition, sale or disposition of a significant portion of the business or other factors. In analyzing goodwill for potential impairment, we use projections of future cash flows from the reporting units. These projections are based on our view of growth rates, anticipated future economic conditions, the appropriate discount rates relative to risk, and estimates of residual values. We believe that our estimates are consistent with assumptions that marketplace participants would use in their estimates of fair value. If changes in growth rates, future economic conditions, discount rates, or estimates of residual values were to occur, goodwill may become impaired.
Additionally, impairment tests for indefinite-lived intangible assets, consisting of FCC licenses, are required to be performed on an annual basis or on an interim basis if an event occurs or circumstances change that would indicate the asset might be impaired. In accordance with Emerging Issues Task Force (“EITF”) No. 02-7, “Unit of Accounting for Testing of Impairment of Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets” (“EITF No. 02-7”), impairment tests for FCC licenses are performed on an aggregate basis by reporting unit. We utilize a fair value approach, incorporating discounted cash flows, to complete the test. This approach determines the fair value of the FCC licenses, using start-up model assumptions and, accordingly, incorporates cash flow assumptions regarding the investment in a network, the development of distribution channels, and other inputs for making the business operational. These inputs are included in determining free cash flows of the reporting unit, using assumptions of weighted average costs of capital and the long-term rate of growth for our reporting unit. We believe that our estimates are consistent with assumptions that marketplace participants would use in their estimates of fair value. If any of the assumptions were to change, our FCC licenses may become impaired.
Following adoption of SFAS No. 142 on January 1, 2002, we completed a transitional impairment test for both our goodwill and licenses and determined that there were impairments of $5.0 million and $412.0 million, respectively. We used a fair value approach, using primarily discounted cash flows, to complete the transitional impairment tests. In accordance with SFAS No. 142, the impairment charges were recorded as a cumulative change in accounting principle in our consolidated financial statements for the first quarter of 2002. No additional impairment was found on the October 1, 2002 assessment date.
Under SFAS No. 142, we performed annual impairment tests in 2003 and 2004 for our indefinite lived assets. Based on these tests, we recorded a noncash impairment charge of $47.1 million (included in operating expenses) in the fourth quarter of 2004. There was no impairment charge in 2003 related to our annual assessment under SFAS No. 142.
Revenue Recognition - Service
We recognize service revenue based upon contracted service fees and minutes of use processed. As a result of our billing cycle cut-off times, we are required to make estimates for service revenue earned, but not yet billed, at the end of each month. These estimates are based primarily upon historical minutes of use processed. We follow this method since reasonable, dependable estimates of the revenue can be made. Actual billing cycle results and related revenue may vary from the results estimated at the end of each quarter, depending on customer usage and rate plan mix. For customers who prepay their monthly access fees, we match the recognition of service revenue to their corresponding usage. Revenues are net of credits and adjustments for service. We adopted EITF No. 00-21, “Accounting for Revenue Arrangements with Multiple Deliverables” (“EITF No. 00-21”), effective July 1, 2003, on a prospective basis. The adoption did not have a material impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
We receive USF revenue reflecting our ETC status in certain states. We recognize support revenue depending on the level of its collection experience in each ETC qualified state. Where we do not have adequate experience to determine the time required for reimbursement, we recognize revenue upon cash receipt. Where we do have adequate experience as to the amount and timing of the receipt of these funds, we recognize revenue on an accrual basis.
We include the pass-through fees we collect from customers as service revenue with a corresponding charge to SG&A expense. These pass-through fees, which we have the option of passing to our customers, include state and federal USF fees, together with city utility and state gross receipt taxes.
Revenue Recognition - Roaming Revenue and Incollect Cost
Roaming revenue and incollect cost information is provided to us primarily through a third party centralized clearinghouse. From the clearinghouse we receive monthly settlement data. We base our accrual of roaming revenue and incollect expense on these clearinghouse reports. We follow this method since reasonably dependable estimates of roaming revenue and incollect cost can be made based on these reports.
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts
We maintain an allowance for doubtful accounts for estimated losses that will result from failure of our customers to pay amounts owed. We base our estimates on the aging of our accounts receivable balances and our historical write-off experience, net of recoveries. If the financial condition of our customers were to deteriorate, we may be required to maintain higher allowances.
Depreciation of Property and Equipment
We depreciate our wireless communications equipment using the straight-line method over estimated useful lives. We periodically review changes in our technology and industry conditions, asset retirement activity, and salvage to determine adjustments to estimated remaining useful lives and depreciation rates. Total depreciation expense for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003, and 2002 was $57.4 million, $56.2 million, and $61.5 million, respectively.
Effective January 1, 2003, we implemented the results of a review of the estimated service lives of our remaining TDMA network assets. Useful lives were shortened to substantially depreciate all such equipment by December 31, 2008. During the fourth quarter of 2004, we again reviewed the lives of the TDMA assets and reduced the remaining useful life of this equipment to 30 months. As of December 31, 2004, all TDMA equipment will be fully depreciated by June 30, 2007. The net book value of this equipment as of December 31, 2004, was approximately $86.9 million.
While we will continue to sell and market TDMA services for the foreseeable future, the amount of future cash flows to be derived from the TDMA network assets is highly dependent upon the rate of transition of
existing customers using TDMA equipment to 2.5G capable equipment, as well as other competitive and technological factors. We determined that a reduction in the useful lives of these assets was warranted based on the projected transition of network traffic. We will continue to review the useful lives of the TDMA assets throughout the period of transition to 2.5G capable equipment to determine whether further changes are warranted.
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets
We review long-lived assets, consisting primarily of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets with finite lives, for impairment in accordance with SFAS No. 144. In analyzing potential impairment, we use projections of future undiscounted cash flows from the assets. These projections are based on our view of growth rates for the related business, anticipated future economic conditions, the appropriate discount rates relative to risk, and estimates of residual values. We believe that our estimates are consistent with assumptions that marketplace participants would use in their estimates of fair value. If changes in growth rates, future economic conditions, discount rates, or estimates of residual values were to occur, long-lived assets may become impaired.
Income Taxes
We account for income taxes in accordance with SFAS No. 109, “Accounting for Income Taxes.” As part of the process of preparing the consolidated financial statements, we are required to estimate income taxes in each of the jurisdictions in which we operate. This process involves estimating actual current tax exposure together with assessing temporary differences resulting from differing treatment of items for tax and accounting purposes. These differences result in deferred tax assets and liabilities. We must then assess the likelihood that deferred tax assets will be recovered from future taxable income and, to the extent we believe that recovery is not likely, we must establish a valuation allowance. To the extent we increase or decrease the valuation allowance in a period, we must include an expense or benefit within the tax provision in the consolidated statement of operations.
Significant management judgment is required in determining the provision for income taxes, deferred tax assets and liabilities, and any valuation allowance recorded against net deferred tax assets. As of December 31, 2004, our valuation allowance was $178.8 million due to uncertainties related to our ability to utilize the deferred tax assets. The deferred tax assets consist principally of certain net operating losses (“NOLs”) being carried forward, as well as impairment write-downs of intangible assets not currently deductible for tax purposes. The valuation allowance is based on our historical operations projected forward and our estimate of future taxable income and the period over which deferred tax assets will be recoverable. It is possible that we could be profitable in the future at levels that cause us to conclude that it is more likely than not that we will realize a portion or all of the NOL carryforward. Upon reaching such a conclusion, we would immediately record the estimated net realizable value of the deferred tax asset at that time and would then provide for income taxes at a rate equal to our combined federal and state effective rates, which would be approximately 38% under current tax law. Subsequent revisions to the estimated net realizable value of the deferred tax asset could cause the provision for income taxes to vary significantly from period to period, although our cash tax payments would likely remain unaffected until the benefit of the NOLs is utilized or the NOLs expire unused.
Litigation and Other Loss Contingencies
In the ordinary course of business, we are subject to litigation and other contingencies. Management must use its best judgment and estimates of probable outcomes when determining the impact of these contingencies. We assess the impact of claims and litigation on a regular basis and update the assumptions and estimates used to prepare the consolidated financial statements.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
Accounting for Share-Based Compensation
On December 16, 2004, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (''FASB’’) issued SFAS No. 123(R), “Share-Based Payment” which is a revision of SFAS No. 123 and supersedes Accounting Principles Board (“APB”) Opinion No. 25. SFAS No. 123(R) requires all share-based payments to employees, including grants of employee stock options, to be valued at fair value on the date of grant and to be expensed over the applicable vesting period. Pro forma disclosure of the income statement effects of share-based payments is no longer an alternative. SFAS No. 123(R) is effective for all share-based awards granted on or after July 1, 2005. In addition, companies must also recognize compensation expense related to any awards that are not fully vested as of the effective date. Compensation expense for the unvested awards will be measured based on the fair value of the awards previously calculated in developing the pro forma disclosures in accordance with the provisions of SFAS No. 123. We are currently assessing the impact of adopting SFAS No. 123(R) on our consolidated results of operations.
Accounting for Nonmonetary Exchanges
In December 2004, the FASB issued SFAS No. 153, “Exchanges of Nonmonetary Assets - An Amendment of APB Opinion No. 29” (“SFAS No. 153”). SFAS No. 153 amends APB Opinion No. 29, “Accounting for Nonmonetary Transactions.” The amendments made by SFAS No. 153 are based on the principle that exchanges of nonmonetary assets should be measured based on the fair value of the assets exchanged. Further, the amendments eliminate the narrow exception for nonmonetary exchanges of similar productive assets, which requires that the accounting for the exchange be based on the recorded amount of the asset relinquished, and replaced it with a broader exception for exchanges of nonmonetary assets that do not have “commercial substance.” The provisions in SFAS No. 153 are effective for nonmonetary asset exchanges occurring in fiscal periods beginning after June 15, 2005. Early application is permitted and companies must apply the standard prospectively. We are currently assessing the impact of adopting SFAS No. 153 on our consolidated results of operations.
Results of Operations
Years ended December 31, 2004 and 2003
Revenue
Operating Revenue:
Service Revenue. Service revenue growth for the year ended December 31, 2004 reflects USF support payments increasing to $28.2 million as compared to $8.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2003. We are currently receiving USF support in the states of Alabama, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. We have filed additional applications for ETC designation in New Hampshire and South Dakota. We expect the amount of USF support in 2005 to be approximately $30 million. Local service revenue per customer (“LSR”) increased to $46 for the year ended December 31, 2004, as compared to $43 for the year ended December 31, 2003. Contributing to the increase in LSR were increased levels of USF of approximately $2 and increased access and features revenue of approximately $1.
Reflecting FCC changes to the USF rate structure, our customer pass-through charges were $11.2 million during the year ended December 31, 2004 as compared to $8.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2003.
Service revenue was negatively impacted by a decrease in customers resulting from the AWE property exchange completed on March 1, 2004 and customers lost due to the transition of our TDMA networks to 2.5G technology.
Customers. Our total customers decreased to 729,811 at December 31, 2004 as compared to 745,516 at December 31, 2003, primarily due to the transfer of approximately 35,000 Oregon RSA 4 customers to AWE on March 1, 2004. As part of the property exchange, we received from AWE operations in Alabama and Mississippi, including approximately 14,000 customers.
Customer reconciliation giving effect to the AWE property exchange: (not including long distance and paging)
During the year ended December 31, 2004, postpaid retention declined to 97.9% as compared to 98.1% in the year ended December 31, 2003. A primary contributor to the decline in retention was the transition stage of our networks from TDMA to 2.5G technology throughout 2004. We believe TDMA technology is not as attractive to customers as newer technologies. Accordingly, total customer net additions decreased to 5,549 in 2004 as compared to 23,143 in 2003.
Roaming Revenue. The 20.0% decrease in roaming revenue during the year ended December 31, 2004 primarily reflects the effect of the transfer of our Northwest Region Oregon 4 (“Oregon 4”) service area to AWE on March 1, 2004. For the year ended December 31, 2004, the Oregon 4 service area provided approximately $3.6 million of roaming revenue compared to approximately $14.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2003. In addition, our outcollect yield for the year ended December 31, 2004 was $0.16 per minute as compared to $0.21 per minute in 2003.
Also impacting roaming revenue during the year ended December 31, 2004 was the accelerated transition by our national roaming partners to 2.5G technology handsets. Our most significant roaming partners are performing overlays of their existing networks with 2.5G technology at an accelerated pace. We believe that during 2004 these partners converted their customer base to this new technology before we had completed our network overlays. Reflecting the transition of our networks and our roaming partners’ 2.5G technology customer base, we believe we did not capture a portion of available roaming revenue. At December 31, 2004, approximately 67% of our 857 cell sites have been overlaid with 2.5G technology. With our 2.5G networks substantially completed in our Northeast and Northwest regions as of January 2005, three of our four regions are now overlaid with 2.5G network technology. Our South region may continue to lose roaming minutes until its upgrade is completed in late second quarter.
For the years ended December 31, 2004 and 2003, Cingular (on a pro forma basis giving effect to its merger with AWE), Verizon Wireless, and T-Mobile accounted for approximately 86% and 89%, respectively, of our total outcollect roaming minutes. For the years ended December 31, 2004 and 2003, Cingular (on a pro forma basis giving effect to its merger with AWE) accounted for approximately 9.9% and 14.5% of our total revenue.
Our roaming agreements with Cingular, T-Mobile, and Verizon are effective through December 2009, December 2007, and December 2007, respectively. Outcollect yields under these agreements will continue to decline over the terms of the agreements. In certain markets, these decreases may be offset by increases in outcollect minutes. Under these agreements, we are able to attain preferred roaming status by overlaying our existing TDMA networks with GSM/GPRS/EDGE or CDMA/2000/1XRTT technologies. Our Northeast, Northwest, and South networks are being overlaid with GSM/GPRS/EDGE technology, while our Midwest region network is overlaid with CDMA/2000/1XRTT technology. We expect to have these technology conversions substantially completed during 2005. We expect outcollect roaming yield for all of 2005 to be approximately $0.13.
Equipment Revenue. Equipment revenue increased 8.0% to $22.1 million during the year ended December 31, 2004 as compared to $20.5 million during the year ended December 31, 2003. Primarily contributing to increased equipment revenue was our adoption of EITF No. 00-21, which was effective for us, prospectively, on July 1, 2003 and resulted in our classifying activation fees as equipment revenue rather than as service revenue. Revenue reflecting EITF No. 00-21 was $3.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2004, as compared to $1.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2003. Partially offsetting increased equipment revenue was a decline in equipment reselling during the year ended December 31, 2004 to $735,000 as compared to $1.5 million during the year ended December 31, 2003.
Operating Expenses
Network Cost. Network cost, as a percentage of total revenues, increased to 20.6% in the year ended December 31, 2004 as compared to 18.9% in the year ended December 31, 2003. Our network cost for the year ended December 31, 2004 increased 8.3% to $104.1 million, reflecting additional costs of operating multiple networks (TDMA and 2.5G networks), increased incollect expense, additional cell sites and additional costs resulting from the AWE property exchange. Per minute incollect cost for 2004 was approximately $0.12 per minute as compared to $0.15 in 2003.
Cost of Equipment Sales. Cost of equipment sales increased 7.3% to $40.4 million in the year ended December 31, 2004, reflecting the increased cost of customer migration. As a percentage of revenue, cost of equipment sales for 2004 increased to 8.0% as compared to 7.4% in 2003. Post and prepaid gross customer additions in 2004 were approximately 169,000 as compared to 185,000 in 2003.
Selling, General and Administrative. Contributing to the increase in SG&A was an increase in regulatory pass-through fees to $11.5 million in the year ended December 31, 2004 as compared to $9.3 million in the year ended December 31, 2003. Additionally, sales and marketing costs increased by 3.7% as a result of the market launch of next-generation technology products and costs relating to brand name change activities. As a percentage of revenue, SG&A increased to 26.8% in the year ended December 31, 2004 as compared to 26.0% during the year ended December 31, 2003.
Components of SG&A are as follows:
Depreciation and Amortization. Depreciation expense was unchanged at $76.4 million for both 2004 and 2003. A $7.2 million decline in phone service depreciation in 2004 as compared to 2003 was offset by an increase in depreciation resulting from the 2.5G technology overlay and the accelerated deprecation of
TDMA equipment. As of December 31, 2004, our network had 857 cell sites. We expect depreciation expense to increase in 2005 as our network overlays become activated and we continue other network construction efforts.
Loss on Impairment of Assets
Under SFAS No. 142, we performed our annual impairment test for our indefinite lived assets. Based on this analysis, we recorded a noncash impairment charge of $47.1 million (included in operating expenses) in the fourth quarter of 2004. There was no impairment charge in 2003 related to our annual assessment under SFAS No. 142.
In October 2003, we entered into an agreement with AWE to exchange certain wireless properties. In connection with this transaction, we recorded a non-cash impairment charge on assets held for sale, in accordance with SFAS No. 144, of $42.2 million effective in the third quarter of 2003. This transaction was completed on March 1, 2004.
Other Income (Expense)
Interest Expense. Interest expense for the year ended December 31, 2004, including the effect of SFAS No. 133, “Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities” (“SFAS No. 133”), and SFAS No. 150, “Accounting for Certain Financial Instruments with Characteristics of Both Liabilities and Equity” (“SFAS No. 150”), increased 20.3% to $164.0 million as compared to $136.3 million in the year ended December 31, 2003. This increase reflects a full year’s effect of the adoption of SFAS No. 150, effective July 1, 2003. Pursuant to SFAS No. 150, our 11 3/8% senior exchangeable and 12 1/4% junior exchangeable preferred securities were reclassified to Long-Term Liabilities, and dividend expense related to these instruments is reported as interest expense in our Consolidated Statements of Operations. Prior to July 1, 2003, dividends on our 11 3/8% senior exchangeable and 12 1/4% junior exchangeable preferred securities were reported as a component of “Preferred Stock Dividend” in our Consolidated Statements of Operations. SFAS No. 150 does not permit reclassification of prior year amounts to conform to the current year presentation.
Also contributing to the increase in interest expense were $12.6 million in the write-off of debt issuance costs related to the repayment of our previous credit facility in March 2004 as compared to $6.1 million in 2003 and an increase in the effective rate of interest on our debt (excluding senior and junior exchangeable preferred stock) to 8.97% in 2004 as compared to 8.03% in 2003. Partially offsetting these increases were gains on redemption of senior exchangeable preferred stock.
Gain on redemption of preferred stock. During the year ended December 31, 2004, we repurchased 80,500 shares of our 11 3/8% senior exchangeable preferred stock for $68.4 million. The corresponding $22.6 million gain on redemption of preferred shares was recorded as a reduction of interest expense.
Preferred Stock Dividends
Preferred stock dividends for the year ended December 31, 2004 decreased by 66.8% to $12.9 million as compared to $38.9 million in the year ended December 31, 2003. The decline in preferred stock dividends results from the adoption of SFAS No. 150, as described above, which requires that dividends on certain preferred stock be treated as interest expense.
Years ended December 31, 2003 and December 31, 2002
Operating Revenue:
Service Revenue. Service revenue growth reflects the revenue resulting from additional customers added through increased penetration in existing markets together with increases in LSR. The increase in LSR to $43 in 2003 from $41 in 2002 is the result of several factors, including increases in per customer access and features fees and in USF support.
During 2003, postpaid retention was 98.1%. Our customer growth in 2003 of 23,143 as compared to 60,465 in 2002 primarily reflects an increased number of competitors in the markets we serve.
Customers (including Wireless Alliance):
We recognized $8.8 million in USF support from the states of Alabama, Maine, Mississippi, and Washington during 2003. We did not recognize USF support in the year ended December 31, 2002. Reflecting FCC changes to the USF rate structure, our customer pass-through charges were $8.9 million during 2003 as compared to $4.9 million during 2002.
Roaming Revenue. The increase in roaming revenue primarily reflects increases in outcollect minutes offsetting declines in outcollect yield. Roaming yield for 2003 was $0.21 per minute as compared to $0.26 per minute in 2002. Affecting year-over-year comparability, however, was a $2.0 million one-time retroactive roaming payment to Wireless Alliance during 2002.
AWE, Cingular, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless, accounted for approximately 89% and 86% of our outcollect minutes during 2003 and 2002, respectively. During 2003 and 2002, AWE accounted for 10.0% and 10.1% of our total revenue, respectively.
Equipment Revenue. Within equipment revenue, equipment reselling decreased by $5.5 million in 2003 to $1.5 million. Offsetting decreases in equipment reselling was a $3.7 million increase in phone and accessory sales, which reflects our customer promotion activities that did not utilize phone rental programs. Also contributing to equipment revenue was the adoption of EITF No. 00-21, effective July 1, 2003, which increased 2003 equipment revenue by $1.8 million.
Operating Expenses:
Network Costs. The decrease in network costs reflects a decline in incollect cost, a material component of network costs. For 2003, the effect of decreases in per minute incollect cost outpaced the effect of increases in incollect minutes. As a result, incollect cost declined 6.5% in 2003 to $44.1 million as compared to $47.1 million in 2002. Per minute incollect cost for 2003 was $0.15 per minute as compared to $0.18 in 2002. Partially offsetting decreased incollect costs were increased employee and network maintenance costs reflecting continued network construction efforts.
Cost of Equipment Sales. As a percentage of revenue, cost of equipment sales for 2003 increased to 7.4% as compared to 6.3% in 2002. Contributing to the increase in cost of equipment sales was our decision not to utilize our phone service leasing plans during 2003, under which the cost of handsets is capitalized rather than expensed as cost of equipment sales. As a result, we sold more phones in 2003 than in 2002. In 2002, we capitalized $13.3 million in phone service handsets.
Selling, General and Administrative. Contributing to the increase in SG&A was an increase in pass-through charges totaling $9.3 million in 2003 as compared to $4.9 million in 2002 and a $1.4 million increase in bad debt expense. For 2003, bad debt expense was $9.4 million as compared to $8.0 million in 2002. Sales and marketing costs were $52.2 million in 2003 as compared to $50.7 million in 2002. As a percentage of revenue, SG&A increased to 26.0% in 2003 from 25.7% in 2002.
Components of SG&A are as follows:
Depreciation and Amortization. The decrease in depreciation expense primarily reflects phone service equipment depreciation expense for 2003 declining to $7.3 million as compared to $15.9 million in 2002, partially offset by depreciation relating to additional cell site construction and $0.6 million additional depreciation expense related to the accelerated depreciation of TDMA equipment. As of December 31, 2003, our network had 754 cell sites.
Loss on Assets Held for Sale. In October 2003, we entered into an agreement with AWE to exchange certain wireless properties. In connection with this transaction, we recorded a non-cash impairment charge on assets held for sale, in accordance with SFAS No. 144, of $42.2 million effective in the third quarter of 2003. This transaction was completed on March 1, 2004.
Other Income (Expense)
Interest Expense. Interest expense for 2003, including the effect of SFAS No. 133 and SFAS No. 150, increased 19.0% to $136.3 million as compared to $114.5 million in 2002. The increase in interest expense primarily reflects our adoption of SFAS No. 150, effective July 1, 2003. As a result, our 11 3/8% Senior Exchangeable and 12 1/4% Junior Exchangeable Preferred securities were reclassified into Long-Term Liabilities, and the dividend expense related to these instruments, which was previously reported as a component of “Preferred Stock Dividend” in our Consolidated Statements of Operations, is now classified as interest expense. SFAS No. 150 does not permit reclassification of prior year amounts to conform to the current year presentation. Also contributing to the increase in interest expense is $6.1 million in charges related to the early extinguishment of debt under our credit agreement in 2003 as compared to a $3.3 million charge in 2002.
Components of interest expense are as follows:
The following table sets forth adjustments relating to SFAS No. 133:
As of December 31, 2003, the effective rate of interest on our credit agreement, excluding the impact of hedge agreements, was 4.39% as compared to 4.53% at December 31, 2002. The amount outstanding under the credit agreement decreased to $525.7 million at December 31, 2003 as compared to $793.9 million at December 31, 2002. Partially offsetting the decline in the effective rate of interest under the credit agreement was the issuance of $325 million of 9 7/8% senior notes, the proceeds of which were used primarily to repay amounts outstanding under the credit agreement. Long-term debt as of December 31, 2003 was $1.765 billion as compared to $1.211 billion as of December 31, 2002, reflecting primarily the reclassification of exchangeable preferred stock into long-term debt.
Preferred Stock Dividends
Preferred stock dividends for 2003 decreased by 35.8% to $38.9 million as compared to $60.6 million in 2002. The decline in Preferred Stock Dividends relates primarily to the adoption of SFAS No. 150, which does not permit reclassification of prior year amounts to conform to the current year presentation.
Cumulative Change in Accounting Principle
Effective January 1, 2002, we adopted SFAS No. 142, which requires cessation of goodwill and license amortization and requires a fair value approach to testing the impairment of goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets. We completed a transitional impairment test in 2002 for both our goodwill and our licenses and determined that there were impairments of $5.0 million and $412.0 million, respectively. RCC used a fair value approach, using primarily discounted cash flows, to complete the transitional impairment tests.
On a prospective basis, we are required to test both goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets, including licenses, for impairment on an annual basis based upon a fair value approach. We performed our annual impairment test for both goodwill and licenses as of October 1, 2002 and 2003 using methodologies consistent with those applied under our transitional impairment tests performed as of January 1, 2002 and determined there was no additional impairment to be recognized. Other indefinite-lived intangible assets will be tested between annual tests if events or changes in circumstances indicate that the asset might be impaired.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
We need cash primarily for working capital, capital expenditures, debt service, customer growth, and purchases of additional spectrum. In past years, we have met these requirements through cash flow from operations, borrowings under our credit agreement, sales of common and preferred stock, and issuance of debt securities.
We began a 2.5G technology network overlay process in late 2003, which we expect to be substantially complete in 2005. We are also pursuing a strategy of expanding our network coverage in all of our regions, which will result in an increase in the number of our cell sites and an increase in total marketed POPs. We believe our network overlay and expansion efforts will improve our ability to attract customers in addition to providing our roaming partners greater access to our networks.
Capital expenditures for the year ended December 31, 2004 were approximately $94.4 million compared to approximately $53.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2003, reflecting the continued expansion of our existing wireless coverage and the implementation of 2.5G network overlays in all of our markets.
We have made commitments to our roaming partners and to equipment vendors to substantially complete our 2.5G networks by the end of 2005. At December 31, 2004, approximately 67% of our 857 cell sites had been overlaid with next-generation technology. Including the cost of these anticipated overlays, our total capital expenditures for 2005 are expected to be approximately $100 million. We expect to fund these capital expenditures primarily from cash on hand, operating cash flow, and borrowings under our revolving credit agreement, under which we have $60 million available.
We do not have any off-balance sheet financing arrangements or liabilities. We do not have any majority-owned subsidiaries or any interests in, or relationships with, any material special-purpose entities that are not included in the consolidated financial statements.
Until August 2003, we paid the dividends on our senior exchangeable preferred stock by issuing additional shares of exchangeable preferred stock. Under the terms of the certificate of designation for our senior exchangeable preferred stock, beginning in August 2003 we were required to make quarterly dividends on such shares in cash. We have not declared or paid the cash dividends on the senior exchangeable preferred stock since August 2003. Accrued dividends in arrears, through December 31, 2004, were approximately $34.8 million.
Because we have not paid six quarterly dividends on our senior exchangeable preferred stock, the holders have the right to elect the lesser of two directors or that number of directors constituting 25% of the members of the Board of Directors, if they so choose, by following the procedures set forth in the certificate of designation. This right of the holders of the senior exchangeable preferred stock to elect members of the Board of Directors will continue until such time as all past due dividends are paid in full in cash. We do not anticipate paying cash dividends on our senior exchangeable preferred stock in the foreseeable future.
Beginning in May 2005 our junior exchangeable preferred stock dividends are to be paid in cash. Until such date, we will continue to pay the dividends by issuing additional shares of junior exchangeable preferred stock. If we elect not to pay the required cash dividends for our junior exchangeable preferred stock for six quarters, the rights and limitations of the holders of junior exchangeable preferred stock are the same as our senior exchangeable preferred stock holders.
Credit Agreement - In March 2004, we entered into a revolving credit agreement that is undrawn and provides up to $60 million in borrowing capacity at a rate of LIBOR plus 2.75%. The credit agreement is subject to various covenants, including the ratio of senior indebtedness to annualized operating cash flow (as defined in the credit agreement), the ratio of total indebtedness to annualized operating cash flow, and the ratio of annualized operating cash flow to interest expense. Although the credit agreement financial covenants are not applicable unless we draw against the credit facility, we were in compliance with all financial covenants at December 31, 2004.
Senior Secured Notes - In March 2004, we issued $350 million aggregate principal amount of 8 1/4% senior secured notes due 2012 and $160 million aggregate principal amount of senior secured floating rate notes due 2010. The net proceeds from these notes, were used to repay outstanding obligations under our former credit agreement, terminate interest rate exchange agreements associated with the former credit agreement, and pay fees and expenses associated with the notes offering and the revolving credit agreement. In connection with the retirement of the former credit facility, we terminated two interest rate exchanges, which had a total notional amount of $284.0 million, for aggregate cash consideration of $9.2 million, including accrued and unpaid interest through the date of termination.
Contractual Obligations Summary
The following table summarizes our contractual commitments including dividends, interest, and principal amounts that are payable in cash, as of December 31, 2004 through the mandatory redemption dates (in thousands) for the securities listed below.
Cash Flows for the Year Ended December 31, 2004, Compared with the Year Ended December 31,
Net cash provided by operating activities was $130.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2004. Adjustments to the $58.9 million net loss to reconcile to net cash provided by operating activities include $76.4 million in depreciation and amortization, $12.6 million loss on write-off of debt and preferred stock issuance costs, a $26.7 million increase in accrued preferred stock dividends, $47.1 million noncash impairment charge, and $28.6 million in noncash preferred stock dividends, which was partially offset by a $22.6 million gain on repurchase of preferred securities.
Net cash used in investing activities for 2004 was $81.5 million, consisting of $94.4 million for purchases of property and equipment, which was partially offset by $13.6 million in net proceeds from the AWE property exchange. The majority of property and equipment purchases reflect capital expenditures related to our 2.5G network overlay.
We have made commitments to our roaming partners and to equipment vendors to substantially complete our 2.5G networks in 2005. We expect capital expenditures for 2005 to be in the $100 million range. Additionally, in February 2004, we signed a multi-year agreement with Amdocs Software Systems Limited to be our billing system provider for most 2.5G customers starting in the first quarter of 2005. Other legacy customers will be converted throughout 2005.
Net cash used in financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2004 was $106.0 million, reflecting the completed offering of $350 million aggregate principal amount of our 8 1/4% senior secured notes due 2012 and $160 million aggregate principal amount of our senior secured floating rate notes due 2010. Offsetting the proceeds from the offering are $525.7 million in repayments of outstanding indebtedness under our former credit agreement, $14.3 million in payment of debt issuance costs, and $68.4 million in repurchases of preferred stock.
Under the indenture governing our senior secured notes, we are able to make limited restricted payments, including the repurchase of senior subordinated notes or preferred stock and the payment of dividends to holders of our equity securities. As of December 31, 2004, we had approximately $90 million of restricted payments capacity. During the year ended December 31, 2004, we repurchased 80,500 shares of 11 3/8% senior exchangeable preferred stock for $68.4 million. These shares had accrued $10.4 million in unpaid dividends.
Other Matters
Inflation
The impact of inflation on our operations has not been significant.
Seasonality
We experience seasonal fluctuations in revenue and operating income. Our average monthly roaming revenue per cellular customer increases during the second and third calendar quarters. This increase reflects greater usage by our roaming customers who travel in our cellular service area for weekend and vacation recreation or work in seasonal industries. Because our cellular service area includes many seasonal recreational areas, we expect that roaming revenue will continue to fluctuate seasonally more than service revenue.
Certain quarterly results for 2004 and 2003 are set forth below (in thousands, except per share data):
ITEM 7A.
ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
Interest Rate Risk
We have used senior secured notes, senior notes, senior subordinated notes, preferred securities, and bank credit facilities to finance, in part, capital requirements and operations. These financial instruments, to the extent they provide for variable rates of interest, expose us to interest rate risk. One percentage point of an interest rate adjustment would have changed our cash interest payments on an annual basis by approximately $1.6 million in 2004.
RCC’s financial instruments’ notional and estimated fair market values and carrying amounts are set forth in the table below. Fair market values are based on quoted market prices, if available.
(1)
These financial instruments are not actively traded and, therefore, the estimated fair market value is stated at the carrying value.
(2)
Recorded on our balance sheet at fair market value, with related changes in fair market value included in the statement of operations, and not accounted for as a hedge under SFAS No. 133.
ITEM 8.
ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
See Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes included in this report.
ITEM 9.
ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE
None
ITEM 9A.
ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Disclosure Controls and Procedures
RCC maintains a set of disclosure controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in reports that it files or submits under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in SEC rules and forms. As of December 31, 2004, based on an evaluation carried out under the supervision and with the participation of RCC’s management, including the chief executive officer (CEO) and the chief financial officer (CFO), of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures, the CEO and CFO have concluded that RCC’s disclosure controls and procedures are effective.
Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
The management of RCC is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(f). RCC’s internal control system was designed to provide reasonable assurance to the company’s management and board of directors regarding the preparation and fair presentation of published financial statements.
All internal control systems, no matter how well designed, have inherent limitations. Therefore, even those systems determined to be effective can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to financial statement preparation and presentation.
RCC’s management assessed the effectiveness of the company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2004. In making this assessment, management used the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission in Internal Control - Integrated Framework. Based on our assessment, we believe that, as of December 31, 2004, the company’s internal controls over financial reporting were effective.
Management’s assessment of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2004 has been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report which is included herein.
ITEM 9B.
ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION
None
PART III
ITEM 10.
ITEM 10. DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT
Information regarding directors of Rural Cellular is set forth in the Proxy Statement under the heading “Item No. 1 - Election of Directors” and is incorporated herein by reference. Information regarding our executive officers is contained in Part I of this Form 10-K. Information required by Item 401(h) and (i) and Item 405 of Regulation S-K is included in the Proxy Statement under the headings “Item No. 1 - Election of Directors” and “Item No. 2 - Ratification of Appointment of Independent Auditors.”
We have adopted a financial code of ethics that applies to our directors, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Controller and other employees involved in preparation of our financial statements. This financial code of ethics, which is one of several policies within our Code of Business Conduct, is posted on our website. Also included on our website are all of our SEC filings, including our Form 10-K. The internet address for our website is www.unicel.com.
We intend to satisfy the disclosure requirement under Item 10 of Form 8-K regarding an amendment to, or waiver from, a provision of this code of ethics by posting such information on our website, at the address and location specified above.
ITEM 11.
ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Information required by this item is set forth in the Proxy Statement under the headings “Item No. 1 - Election of Directors” and “Executive Compensation” and is incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM 12.
ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN INFORMATION
The following table summarizes share and exercise price information about our equity compensation plans as of December 31, 2004.
(1)
Includes stock subject to outstanding options and stock available for issuance under our 1995 Stock Compensation Plan, Stock Option Plan for Nonemployee Directors, and Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
(2)
We have not adopted any equity compensation plans that have not been approved by our shareholders.
The remaining information required by this Item 12 is set forth in the Proxy Statement under the heading “Ownership of Voting Securities” and is incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM 13.
ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
Information required by this item is set forth in the Proxy Statement under the heading “Certain Transactions” and is incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM 14.
ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES
Information required by this item is set forth in the Proxy Statement under the heading “Item No. 2 - Ratification of Appointment of Independent Auditors.”
PART IV
ITEM 15.
ITEM 15. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Board of Directors and Shareholders
Rural Cellular Corporation and Subsidiaries
Alexandria, Minnesota
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Rural Cellular Corporation and Subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2004 and 2003, and the related consolidated statements of operations, shareholders’ deficit and comprehensive income (loss), and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2004. Our audits also included the financial statement schedule listed in the Index at Item 15. These financial statements and financial statement schedule are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the financial statements and financial statement schedule based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, such consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company at December 31, 2004 and 2003, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2004, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Also, in our opinion, such financial statement schedule, when considered in relation to the basic consolidated financial statements taken as a whole, presents fairly, in all material respects, the information set forth therein.
We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2004, based on the criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission and our report dated March 11, 2005, expressed an unqualified opinion on management’s assessment of the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting and an unqualified opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
As discussed in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, on January 1, 2002, the Company adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 142, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets, and changed its method of accounting for goodwill and licenses.
As discussed in Note 4, effective July 1, 2003, the Company adopted the provisions of SFAS No. 150, Accounting for Certain Financial Instruments with Characteristics of Both Liabilities and Equity.
/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP
Minneapolis, Minnesota
March 11, 2005
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Board of Directors and Shareholders
Rural Cellular Corporation and Subsidiaries
Alexandria, Minnesota
We have audited management’s assessment, included in the accompanying Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting, that Rural Cellular Corporation and Subsidiaries (the “Company”) maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2004, based on criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (the “COSO Framework”). The Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on management’s assessment and an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, evaluating management’s assessment, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinions.
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or under the supervision of, the company’s principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, and effected by the company’s board of directors, management, and other personnel to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“generally accepted accounting principles”). A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of the inherent limitations of internal control over financial reporting, including the possibility of collusion or improper management override of controls, material misstatements due to error or fraud may not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Also, projections of any evaluation of the effectiveness of the internal control over financial reporting to future periods are subject to the risk that the controls may
become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
In our opinion, management’s assessment that the Company maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2004, is fairly stated, in all material respects, based on the criteria established in the COSO Framework. Also in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2004, based on the criteria established in the COSO Framework.
We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2004 and 2003, the related consolidated statements of operations, shareholders’ deficit and comprehensive income (loss), and cash flows, and the financial statement schedule listed in the Index at Item 15 for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2004, of the Company and our report dated March 11, 2005 (which includes explanatory paragraphs relating to the adoption of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 142 and 150), expressed an unqualified opinion on those financial statements and financial statement schedule.
/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP
Minneapolis, Minnesota
March 11, 2005
RURAL CELLULAR CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(In thousands)
ASSETS
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated balance sheets.
RURAL CELLULAR CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(In thousands, except per share data)
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ DEFICIT
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
RURAL CELLULAR CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(In thousands, except per share data)
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
RURAL CELLULAR CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS’ DEFICIT
AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2004, 2003 AND 2002
(In thousands)
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
RURAL CELLULAR CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(In thousands)
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
RURAL CELLULAR CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2004, 2003, and 2002
1. Organization and Nature of Business:
Rural Cellular Corporation (“RCC” or the “Company”) is a wireless communications service provider focusing primarily on rural markets in the United States. The Company’s principal operating objective is to increase revenue and achieve profitability through increased penetration in existing wireless markets.
RCC’s operating regions include portions of five states in the Northeast, three states in the Northwest, four states in the Midwest, and three states in the South. Within each of its four regions, RCC has deployed a strong local sales and customer service presence in the communities it serves. RCC’s marketed networks covered a total population of approximately 6.3 million POPs and served approximately 730,000 voice customers as of December 31, 2004.
The Company has preferred roaming relationships with Cingular Wireless, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless in its various regions.
RCC began a 2.5G network overlay process in late 2003, which it expects to be substantially complete in 2005. The Company is also pursuing a strategy of expanding its network coverage in all of its regions, which will, upon completion, increase its total number of cell sites and total marketed POPs.
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies:
Principles of Consolidation
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of RCC and its wholly-owned subsidiaries and its majority-owned joint venture, Wireless Alliance, LLC (“Wireless Alliance”). All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated.
Revenue Recognition - Service
The Company recognizes service revenue based upon contracted service fees and minutes of use processed. As a result of its billing cycle cut-off times, the Company is required to make estimates for service revenue earned, but not yet billed, at the end of each month. These estimates are based primarily upon historical minutes of use processed. The Company follows this method since reasonable, dependable estimates of the revenue can be made. Actual billing cycle results and related revenue may vary from the results estimated at the end of each quarter, depending on customer usage and rate plan mix. For customers who prepay their monthly access fees, the Company matches the recognition of service revenue to their corresponding usage. Revenues are net of credits and adjustments for service. The Company adopted Emerging Issues Task Force (“EITF”) No. 00-21, “Accounting for Revenue Arrangements with Multiple Deliverables” (“EITF No. 00-21”) effective July 1, 2003 on a prospective basis. The adoption did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
The Company receives Universal Service Fund (“USF”) revenue reflecting its eligible telecommunications carrier (“ETC”) status in certain states. The Company recognizes support revenue depending on the level of its collection experience in each ETC qualified state. Where the Company does not have adequate experience to determine the time required for reimbursement, it recognizes revenue upon cash receipt. Where the Company does have adequate experience as to the amount and timing of the receipt of these funds, it recognizes revenue as earned.
The Company includes the pass-through fees it collects from customers as service revenue with a corresponding charge to selling, general and administrative expense. These pass-through fees, which the Company has the option of passing to customers, include state and federal USF fees, together with city utility and state gross receipt taxes.
Revenue Recognition - Roaming Revenue and Incollect Cost
Roaming revenue and incollect cost information is provided to the Company primarily through a third party centralized clearinghouse. From the clearinghouse the Company receives monthly settlement data. The Company bases its accrual of roaming revenue and incollect expense on these clearinghouse reports. The Company follows this method since reasonably dependable estimates of roaming revenue and incollect cost can be made based on these reports.
Revenue Recognition - Equipment
Equipment revenue includes sales of wireless and paging equipment and accessories to customers, network equipment reselling, and customer activation fees, which are recognized at the time of sale to the customer.
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts
The Company maintains an allowance for doubtful accounts for estimated losses that will result from failure of its customers to pay amounts owed. The Company bases its estimates on the aging of accounts receivable balances and its historical write-off experience, net of recoveries. If the financial condition of the Company’s customers were to deteriorate, the Company may be required to maintain higher allowances.
Cash Equivalents
The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.
Inventories
Inventories consist of cellular telephone equipment, pagers, and accessories and are stated at the lower of cost, determined using the average cost method, or market. Market value is determined using replacement cost.
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment are recorded at cost. Additions, improvements, or major renewals are capitalized, while expenditures that do not enhance or extend the asset’s useful life are charged to operating expense as incurred.
The components of property and equipment and the useful lives of the Company’s assets are as follows as of December 31 (in thousands):
(1)
Includes the cost of cell site radio equipment, switch equipment, billing hardware and related software.
(2)
Includes the cost of furniture, in-house computer hardware/software, and phone system equipment.
The Company’s network construction expenditures are recorded as assets under construction until the system or assets are placed in service and ready for their intended use, at which time the assets are transferred to the appropriate property and equipment category. During the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003, and 2002, the Company capitalized $4.2 million, $1.9 million, and $1.1 million, respectively, in salaries of the Company’s employees. The Company capitalized interest cost in 2004 and 2003 of $1.9 million and $204,000, respectively.
The Company depreciates its wireless communications equipment using the straight-line method over estimated useful lives. RCC periodically reviews changes in its technology and industry conditions, asset retirement activity, and salvage to determine adjustments to estimated remaining useful lives and depreciation rates. Total depreciation expense for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003, and 2002 was $57.4 million, $56.2 million, and $61.5 million, respectively.
Effective January 1, 2003, the Company implemented the results of a review of the estimated service lives of its remaining TDMA network assets. Useful lives were shortened to substantially depreciate all such equipment by December 31, 2008. During the fourth quarter of 2004, the lives of the TDMA assets were again reviewed, and the remaining useful life of this equipment was reduced to 30 months. As of December 31, 2004, all TDMA equipment will be fully depreciated by June 30, 2007. The net book value of this equipment as of December 31, 2004, was approximately $86.9 million.
While the Company will continue to sell and market TDMA services for the foreseeable future, the amount of future cash flows to be derived from the TDMA network assets is highly dependent upon the rate of transition of existing customers using TDMA equipment to 2.5G capable equipment, as well as other competitive and technological factors. The Company determined that a reduction in the useful lives of these assets was warranted based on its projected transition of network traffic. The Company will continue to review the useful lives of the TDMA assets throughout the period of transition to 2.5G capable equipment to determine whether further changes are warranted.
Licenses and Other Intangible Assets
Licenses consist of the value assigned to the Company’s personal communications services (“PCS”) licenses and cellular licenses. Other intangibles, resulting primarily from acquisitions, include the value assigned to customer lists and goodwill. Amortization is computed using the straight-line method based on the estimated useful life of the asset. Customer lists are the only intangible asset with a definitive useful life; all others are considered to have indefinite useful lives.
The components of licenses and other intangible assets are as follows:
Customer list amortization expense for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002 was approximately $18.5 million, $20.0 million, and $20.6 million, respectively. Customer list amortization expense is estimated to be approximately $18.5 million for 2005 through 2006, $8.4 million in 2007, $2.4 million in 2008 and $86,000 in 2009.
The Company reviews goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment based on the requirements of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 142, “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets” (“SFAS No. 142”). In accordance with this statement, goodwill is tested for impairment at the reporting unit level on an annual basis as of October 1st or on an interim basis if an event occurs or circumstances change that would reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying value. These events or circumstances would include a significant change in the business climate, legal factors, operating performance indicators, competition, sale or disposition of a significant portion of the business or other factors. In analyzing goodwill for potential impairment, the Company uses projections of future cash flows from the reporting units. These projections are based on its view of growth rates, anticipated future economic conditions, the appropriate discount rates relative to risk, and estimates of residual values. The Company believes that its estimates are consistent with assumptions that marketplace participants would use in their estimates of fair value. If changes in growth rates, future economic conditions, discount rates, or estimates of residual values were to occur, goodwill may become impaired.
Additionally, impairment tests for indefinite-lived intangible assets, including FCC licenses, are required to be performed on an annual basis or on an interim basis if an event occurs or circumstances change that would indicate the asset might be impaired. In accordance with EITF No. 02-7 (“EITF 02-7”), Unit of Accounting for Testing of Impairment of Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets, impairment tests for FCC licenses are performed on an aggregate basis by reporting unit. The Company utilizes a direct approach, incorporating discounted cash flows, to complete the test. This approach determines the fair value of the FCC licenses, using start-up model assumptions and, accordingly, incorporates cash flow assumptions regarding the investment in a network, the development of distribution channels, and other inputs for making the business operational. These inputs are included in determining free cash flows of the reporting unit, using assumptions of weighted average costs of capital and the long-term rate of growth for our reporting unit. The Company believes that its estimates are consistent with assumptions that marketplace participants would use in their estimates of fair value. If any of the assumptions were to change, FCC licenses may become impaired.
Following adoption of SFAS No. 142 on January 1, 2002, the Company completed a transitional impairment test for both its goodwill and licenses and determined that there were impairments of $5.0 million and $412.0 million, respectively. The Company used a fair value approach, using primarily discounted cash flows, to complete the transitional impairment tests. In accordance with SFAS No. 142, the impairment charges were recorded as a cumulative change in accounting principle in its consolidated financial statements for the first quarter of 2002. Under SFAS No. 142, we performed our annual impairment test. Based on this analysis, we recorded a noncash impairment charge of $47.1 million (included in operating expenses) in the fourth quarter of 2004. There was no impairment charge in 2003 or 2002 related to our annual assessment under SFAS No. 142.
Deferred Debt Issuance Costs
Deferred debt issuance costs relate to the credit agreement, senior secured notes, senior notes, senior subordinated notes and certain preferred stock issuances. These costs are being amortized over the respective instruments’ terms. If the related debt issuance is extinguished prior to maturity, the debt issuance costs are immediately expensed.
The Company adopted SFAS No. 145, Rescission of FASB Statements No. 4, 44, and 64, Amendment of FASB Statement No. 13, and Technical Corrections (“SFAS No. 145”) effective January 1, 2003. Accordingly, the Company’s financial statements have been revised to reflect the reclassification requirements of SFAS No. 145, requiring it to present losses on extinguishment of debt within interest expense. The Company has recorded within interest expense $12.6 million, $6.1 million, and $3.3 million of deferred debt issuance costs related to debt extinguishments in 2004, 2003, and 2002, respectively.
The gross valuation and accumulated amortization of deferred debt issuance costs are as follows:
Other Assets
Other assets primarily consist of costs related to spectrum relocation, restricted investments and investments, in unconsolidated affiliates. Restricted investments represent the Company’s investments in the stock of CoBank and are stated at cost, which approximates fair value. The restricted investments were purchased pursuant to the terms of a loan agreement and are restricted as to withdrawal.
The gross valuation and accumulated amortization of other assets are as follows:
Income Taxes
The income and expenses of all consolidated subsidiaries are included in the consolidated federal income tax return of Rural Cellular Corporation and Subsidiaries. For financial reporting purposes, any tax benefit or provision generated by a consolidated subsidiary is accounted for in its separate taxes payable and deferred income tax accounts, computed as if it had filed separate federal and state income tax returns.
RCC uses the asset and liability approach to account for income taxes. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the expected future tax consequences of differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities and their respective tax basis using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period when the change is enacted. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of management, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Changes in valuation allowances from period to period are included in the tax provision in the period of change.
Net Loss Per Common Share
Basic earnings per share (“EPS”) is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of shares outstanding during the year. Potential common shares of 2,044,037, 2,084,770, and 1,908,084 related to the Company’s outstanding stock options were excluded from the computation of the diluted EPS for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003, and 2002, respectively, together with 118,667 shares of restricted stock granted in 2004, as the impact had an antidilutive effect on earnings per share.
Comprehensive Loss
The Company follows the provisions of SFAS No. 130, “Reporting Comprehensive Income” (“SFAS No. 130”), which established standards for reporting and display of comprehensive income and its components. Comprehensive income (loss) reflects the change in equity of a business enterprise during a period from transactions and other events and circumstances from nonowner sources. For the Company, comprehensive loss represents net losses and the deferred gains on derivative instruments. In accordance with SFAS No. 130, the Company has chosen to disclose comprehensive loss in the accompanying consolidated statement of shareholders’ deficit and comprehensive income (loss).
Business and Credit Concentrations
RCC operates in one business segment, the operation of wireless communication systems in the United States.
For the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003, and 2002, Cingular (on a pro forma basis giving effect to its merger with AT&T Wireless) accounted for approximately 9.9%, 14.5%, and 14.4%, respectively, of the Company’s total revenue.
Impairment of Long-lived Assets
The Company reviews long-lived assets, consisting primarily of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets with finite lives, for impairment in accordance with SFAS No. 144, “Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets.” In analyzing potential impairment, the Company uses projections of future undiscounted cash flows from the assets at the reporting unit level. These projections are based on its view of growth rates for the related business, anticipated future economic conditions, the appropriate discount rates relative to risk, and estimates of residual values. The Company believes that its estimates are consistent with assumptions that marketplace participants would use in their estimates of fair value. If changes in growth rates, future economic conditions, discount rates, or estimates of residual values were to occur, long-lived assets may become impaired.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reported periods. Ultimate results could differ from those estimates.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
Accounting for Share-Based Compensation
On December 16, 2004, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (''FASB’’) issued SFAS No. 123(R), “Share-Based Payment” (“SFAS No. 123(R)”), which is a revision of SFAS No. 123 and supersedes Accounting Principles Board (“APB”) Opinion No. 25. SFAS No. 123(R) requires all share-based payments to employees, including grants of employee stock options, to be valued at fair value on the date of grant and to be expensed over the applicable vesting period. Pro forma disclosure of the income statement effects of share-based payments is no longer an alternative. SFAS No. 123(R) is effective for all share-based awards granted on or after July 1, 2005. In addition, companies must also recognize compensation expense related to any awards that are not fully vested as of the effective date. Compensation expense for the unvested awards will be measured based on the fair value of the awards previously calculated in developing the pro forma disclosures in accordance with the provisions of SFAS No. 123. The Company is currently assessing the impact of adopting SFAS 123(R) on its consolidated results of operations.
Accounting for Nonmonetary Transactions
In December 2004, the FASB issued SFAS No. 153, “Exchanges of Nonmonetary Assets - An Amendment of APB Opinion No. 29” (“SFAS No. 153.”) SFAS No. 153 amends APB Opinion No. 29, “Accounting for Nonmonetary Transactions.” The amendments made by SFAS No. 153 are based on the principle that exchanges of nonmonetary assets should be measured based on the fair value of the assets exchanged. Further, the amendments eliminate the narrow exception for nonmonetary exchanges of similar productive assets, which requires that the accounting for the exchange be based on the recorded amount of the asset relinquished, and replaced it with a broader exception for exchanges of nonmonetary assets that do not have “commercial substance.” The provisions in SFAS No. 153 are effective for nonmonetary asset exchanges occurring in fiscal periods beginning after June 15, 2005. Early application is permitted and companies must apply the standard prospectively. The Company is currently assessing the impact of adopting SFAS No. 153 on its consolidated results of operations.
3. Stock Compensation Plans:
The following table summarizes plan activity under the Company’s various stock compensation plans through December 31, 2004:
Nonemployee Directors Plan. The stock option plan for nonemployee directors authorizes the issuance of up to 400,000 shares of Class A common stock. The stock option plan provides that the option price shall not be less than the fair market value of the Class A common stock on the date of grant. The options vest and become exercisable one year following the date of grant and expire five years thereafter.
Stock Compensation Plan. The stock compensation plan for employees authorizes the issuance of up to 2,400,000 shares of Class A common stock in the form of restricted stock awards, stock options, stock appreciation rights, or other stock-based awards. The stock compensation plan provides that the exercise price of any option shall not be less than 85% of the fair market value of the Class A common stock as of the date of the grant (100% in the case of incentive stock options). Options and other awards granted under the stock compensation plan vest and become exercisable as determined by the Board of Directors or a stock option committee.
Under the Stock Compensation Plan, the Company has entered into restricted stock agreements with certain key employees, covering the issuance of Class A common stock (“Restricted Stock”). The Restricted Stock will be released to the key employees after a five-year waiting period if the employees are still employed by the Company and the Company achieves certain financial goals, which management anticipates achieving as of December 31, 2004. Deferred compensation equivalent to the market value of these shares as of December 31, 2004 is reflected in shareholders’ equity and is being amortized to operating expense over five years. Deferred compensation expense included in the accompanying consolidated statement of operations amounted to $41,500 for the year ended December 31, 2004. Shares of Restricted Stock have full voting rights and are entitled to any dividends paid on the Class A common stock. The restricted shares were granted to the recipients at no cost.
Transactions in restricted stock were as follows:
Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Under the employee stock purchase plan, employees who satisfy certain length of service and other criteria are permitted to purchase shares of Class A common stock at 85% of the fair market value of the Class A common stock on the first business day of January or the last business day of December of each year, whichever is lower. The number of shares authorized to be issued under the employee stock purchase plan is 750,000. The Company issued 71,398, 166,329, and 146,961 shares, at an exercise price of $5.30, $0.88, and $0.77, respectively, for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003, and 2002. Compensation cost is recognized for the fair value of the shares issued under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan, which was estimated using the Black-Scholes model with the following assumptions for 2004, 2003, and 2002, respectively: an expected life of one year for all years; expected volatility of 88.54%, 94.72%, and 88.0%; and risk-free interest rates of 5.25%, 4.39%, and 4.25%.
Stock options outstanding under the Company’s Nonemployee Directors Plan and Stock Compensation Plan as of December 31, 2004 have exercise prices ranging between $0.76 and $79.25. Information related to stock options is as follows:
The following table summarizes certain information concerning currently outstanding and exercisable options:
The Company accounts for stock options under APB Opinion No. 25, “Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees,” under which no compensation expense is recognized, as the exercise price has been the fair value of RCC’s common stock as of date of grant. The following schedule shows net loss and net loss per share for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003, and 2002, had compensation expense been determined consistent with SFAS No. 148, “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation - Transition and Disclosure,” and SFAS No. 123, “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation.”
The pro forma information presented above is based on several assumptions and should not be viewed as indicative of future periods. The fair value of each option grant is estimated on the date of the grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model with the following assumptions used for grants in 2004, 2003, and 2002: expected volatility of 88.54%, 94.7%, and 88.0%, respectively; risk-free interest rates of 5.25%, 4.39%, and 4.25%, respectively; expected life of 6 years, 10 years, and 10 years, respectively, and no expected dividend yield. The per share weighted average fair value of options granted in 2004, 2003, and 2002, was $5.82, $1.09, and $3.85, respectively.
4. Long-term Liabilities:
The Company had the following long-term liabilities outstanding as of December 31 (in thousands):
(1)
The net proceeds from the offering of RCC’s senior secured notes completed on March 25, 2004, together with some of the Company’s existing cash, were used to repay all outstanding obligations under its former credit agreement, to terminate interest rate swap agreements associated with the former credit agreement, and to pay fees and expenses associated with the notes offering and a revolving credit agreement.
Credit Agreement - As of December 31, 2004, the Company has $60 million in undrawn availability under its revolving credit agreement at a rate of LIBOR plus 2.75%. The credit agreement is subject to various covenants, including the ratio of senior secured indebtedness to annualized operating cash flow (as defined in the credit agreement), the ratio of total indebtedness to annualized operating cash, and the ratio of annualized operating cash flow to interest expense. Although the credit agreement financial covenants are not applicable unless the Company draws against the credit facility, RCC was in compliance with all financial covenants at December 31, 2004.
Senior Secured Notes - In March 2004, the Company issued $350 million aggregate principal amount of 8 1/4% senior secured notes due March 15, 2012 (“2012 notes”) and $160 million aggregate principal amount of senior secured floating rate notes due March 15, 2010 (“2010 notes”). The effective interest rate on the 2010 notes was 7.00% at December 31, 2004. Interest on the 2010 notes is reset quarterly and payable on March 15, June 15, September 15, and December 15 of each year. Interest on the 2012 notes is payable on March 15 and September 15 of each year, beginning on September 15, 2004.
After March 15, 2006, the Company may redeem the 2010 notes, in whole or in part, at prices starting at 102.000% of the principal amount at March 15, 2006, and declining to 101.000% at March 15, 2007 and to 100.000% at March 15, 2008, plus accrued and unpaid interest to but excluding the date fixed for redemption. At any time, which may be more than once, before March 15, 2006, the Company can choose to redeem up to 35% of the 2010 notes with money that it raises in certain equity offerings, as long as it pays 100% of the aggregate principal amount of the 2010 notes redeemed plus a premium equal to the interest rate per annum on the 2010 notes applicable on the date on which notice of redemption is given, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date of redemption; the Company redeems the 2010 notes within 45 days after completing the equity offering; and at least 65% of the aggregate principal amount of the 2010 notes issued under the indenture remains outstanding after the redemption.
After March 15, 2008, the Company may redeem the 2012 notes, in whole or in part, at prices starting at 104.125% of the principal amount at March 15, 2008, and declining to 102.063% at March 15, 2009 and 100.000% at March 15, 2010, plus accrued and unpaid interest to but excluding the date fixed for redemption. At any time, which may be more than once, before March 15, 2007, the Company can choose to redeem up to 35% of the 2012 notes with money that its raises in certain equity offerings, as long as it pays 108.250% of the aggregate principal amount of the 2012 notes redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date of redemption; the Company redeems the 2012 notes within 45 days after completing the equity offering; and at least 65% of the aggregate principal amount of the 2012 notes issued under the indenture remains outstanding after the redemption.
9 7/8 % Senior Notes - In 2003, RCC issued $325 million principal amount of 9 7/8% senior notes due 2010. Interest is payable on February 1 and August 1 of each year. The notes will mature on February 1, 2010. After August 1, 2007, at its option, the Company may redeem the 9 7/8% notes at prices starting at 104.938% of the principal amount at August 1, 2007, declining to 102.469% at August 1, 2008 and 100% at August 1, 2009, plus accrued and unpaid interest to but excluding the date fixed for redemption. Prior to August 1, 2006, the Company may redeem up to 35% of the outstanding principal amount of the 9 7/8% notes at 109.875% of the principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest to but excluding the date fixed for redemption with the net cash proceeds of certain equity offerings.
9 3/4 % Senior Subordinated Notes - In 2002, the Company issued $300 million principal amount of 9 3/4% senior subordinated notes due 2010. Interest on the 9 3/4% senior subordinated notes is payable semi-annually on January 15 and July 15. The 9 3/4% senior subordinated notes will mature on January 15, 2010. After January 15, 2006, at its option, the Company may redeem the 9 3/4% notes at prices starting at 104.875% of the principal amount at January 15, 2006, declining to 103.250%, 101.625%, and 100.000% at January 15, 2007, 2008, and 2009, respectively, plus accrued and unpaid interest to but excluding the date fixed for redemption.
9 5/8 % Senior Subordinated Notes - In 1998, RCC issued $125 million principal amount of 9 5/8% senior subordinated notes due 2008. Interest on the senior subordinated notes is payable semi-annually on May 15 and November 15. The senior subordinated notes will mature on May 15, 2008, and are redeemable, in whole or in part, at the Company’s option, at any time on or after May 15, 2003. The Company may redeem these notes at a rate of 101.604% of the principal amount at May 15, 2005, declining to 100.000% at May 15, 2006, plus accrued and unpaid interest to but excluding the date fixed for redemption.
11 3/8% Senior Exchangeable Preferred Stock - Due May 15, 2010. Dividends on the senior exchangeable preferred stock are cumulative, are payable quarterly, and were payable, until May 15, 2003, at the Company’s option either in cash or by the issuance of additional shares of senior exchangeable preferred stock having an aggregate liquidation preference equal to the amount of such dividends. The Company has not declared or paid the cash dividends due since August 2003.
The Company may redeem the senior exchangeable preferred stock, in whole or in part, at any time at a redemption price equal to 104.266% of the liquidation preference at May 15, 2004, declining to 102.844% at May 15, 2005, 101.422% at May 15, 2006, and 100.000% at May 15, 2007, plus accumulated and unpaid dividends, if any, to but excluding the redemption date.
The Company has accrued the undeclared dividends by increasing the carrying amount of the senior exchangeable preferred stock. At December 31, 2004, RCC had accrued $34.8 million in undeclared dividends with respect to the Company’s senior exchangeable preferred stock, which will be payable at the senior preferred mandatory redemption date, if not sooner declared and paid.
Because the Company has failed to pay at least six quarterly dividends on its senior exchangeable preferred stock, the holders of senior exchangeable preferred stock have the right to elect the lesser of two directors or the number of directors constituting 25% of the members of the Company’s board, if they so choose, by following the procedures set forth in the certificate of designation.
Gain on redemption of preferred stock. During the year ended December 31, 2004, the Company repurchased 80,500 shares of its 11 3/8% senior exchangeable preferred stock for $68.4 million. These shares had accrued $10.4 million in unpaid dividends. The corresponding $22.6 million gain on redemption of preferred shares has been recorded as a reduction of interest expense.
12 1/4% Junior Exchangeable Preferred Stock - Due February 15, 2011. Dividends on the junior exchangeable preferred stock are cumulative, are payable quarterly, and may be paid, at the Company’s option, on any dividend payment date occurring on or before February 15, 2005, either in cash or by the issuance of additional shares of junior exchangeable preferred stock having an aggregate liquidation preference equal to the amount of such dividends.
The Company may redeem the junior exchangeable preferred stock, in whole or in part, at any time, at a redemption price equal to 106.125% of the liquidation preference at February 15, 2005, declining to 104.594% at February 15, 2006, 103.063% at February 15, 2007, 101.531% at February 15, 2008, and 100.000% at February 15, 2009, plus accumulated and unpaid dividends, if any, to but excluding the redemption date.
The senior and junior exchangeable preferred stock are non-voting, except as otherwise required by law and as provided in their respective Certificates of Designation. Each Certificate of Designation provides that at any time dividends on the outstanding exchangeable preferred stock are in arrears and unpaid for six or more quarterly dividend periods (whether or not consecutive), the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of the affected exchangeable preferred stock, voting as a class, will be entitled to elect the lesser of two directors or that number of directors constituting 25% of the members of the Company’s Board of Directors. The voting rights continue until such time as all dividends in arrears on the affected class of exchangeable preferred stock are paid in full (and, in the case of the senior exchangeable preferred stock after May 15, 2003, or in the case of the junior exchangeable preferred stock after February 15, 2005, are paid in cash), at which time the terms of any directors elected pursuant to such voting rights will terminate. Voting rights may also be triggered by other events described in the Certificates of Designation.
SFAS No. 150, Accounting for Certain Financial Instruments with Characteristics of Both Liabilities and Equity. The Company’s 11 3/8% Senior Exchangeable and 12 1/4% Junior Exchangeable Preferred securities, as a result of adopting SFAS No. 150 effective July 1, 2003, have been reclassified into Long-Term Liabilities. The dividend expense related to these instruments, which was previously reported as a component of “Preferred Stock Dividend” in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations, is now classified as interest expense. For the year ended December 31, 2004 and the six months ended December 31, 2003, dividends on these instruments were $55.4 million and $28.0 million, respectively. Accrued dividends payable for the junior exchangeable preferred securities of $3.8 million as of December 31, 2004 are included in “Accrued interest.” Accrued dividends payable for the senior exchangeable preferred securities of $34.8 million as of December 31, 2004 are included in long-term liabilities. In addition, $7.1 million of unamortized stock issuance costs related to these instruments was reclassified as “Deferred debt issuance costs” upon adoption. SFAS No. 150 does not permit reclassification of prior year amounts to conform to the current year presentation. Based on SFAS No. 150 guidelines, the Company’s Class M and Class T Preferred Stock do not meet the characteristics of a liability and will continue to be presented between liability and equity on the Company’s balance sheet.
Current portion of long-term debt - The current portion of the Company’s long-term debt included the following as of December 31 (in thousands):
(1)
The net proceeds from the offering of the Company’s senior secured notes completed on March 25, 2004, together with some of its existing cash, were used to repay all outstanding obligations under its former credit agreement, to terminate interest rate swap agreements associated with the former credit agreement, and to pay fees and expenses associated with the notes offering and a new revolving credit agreement.
5. Derivative Financial Instruments:
The Company recognizes all derivatives as either assets or liabilities in its consolidated balance sheets and measures those instruments at fair value. The Company used interest rate swaps to manage interest rate exposure under its previous credit agreement. Changes in the fair values of those derivative instruments were recorded as “Other Comprehensive Income” when they qualified for hedge accounting and “Interest Expense” when they did not qualify for hedge accounting.
The Company formally documents all relationships between hedging instruments and hedged items as well as the risk management objectives and strategies for undertaking various hedge transactions. The Company also assesses, both at inception and on an on-going basis, whether the derivatives that are used in hedging transactions are effective. Should it be determined that a derivative is not effective as a hedge, the Company would discontinue the hedge accounting prospectively.
In connection with the repayment of the Company’s former credit facility in March 2004, the Company terminated its two remaining interest rate swaps, which had an aggregate notional amount of $284.0 million, for aggregate cash consideration of $7.6 million. Amounts previously recognized as unrealized losses in other comprehensive income, when hedge accounting was applied, were charged to interest expense in the first quarter of 2004.
RCC’s financial instruments’ notional and estimated fair values and carrying amounts as of December 31 are set forth in the table below. Fair values are based on quoted market prices, if available.
(1)
These financial instruments are not actively traded and, therefore, the estimated fair market value is stated at the carrying value.
(2)
Recorded on its balance sheet at fair market value, with related changes in fair market value included in the statement of operations, and not accounted for as a hedge under SFAS No. 133.
6. Redeemable Preferred Stock:
The Company has issued the following preferred stock with liquidation preferences of $1,000 per share:
Preferred security balance sheet reconciliation (in thousands):
Dividends on the Class M convertible preferred stock are compounded quarterly, accrue at 8% per annum, and are payable upon redemption or upon liquidation of RCC. The Class M convertible preferred stock is convertible into the Company’s Class A common stock at $53.00 per share subject to certain adjustments. Dividends are not payable if the shares are converted. The holders of the Class M convertible preferred stock are entitled to vote on all matters submitted to the holders of the common stock on an as-converted basis.
In order to comply with the FCC rules regarding cross-ownership of cellular licensees within a given market, the Company issued 7,541 shares of Class T convertible preferred stock with a liquidation preference of $1,000 per share to Telephone & Data Systems, Inc. (“TDS”) on March 31, 2000 in exchange for 43,000 shares of Class A common stock and 105,940 shares of Class B common stock owned by TDS. TDS or RCC can convert the convertible preferred stock into the original number of shares of Class A or Class B common stock in the future if ownership by TDS of the common stock would then be permissible under FCC rules. Dividends on the Class T convertible preferred stock are cumulative, have a fixed coupon rate of 4% per annum, and are payable in April 2020. Dividends are not payable if the shares are converted. Shares of Class T convertible preferred stock are non-voting, except as otherwise required by law and as provided in the Certificate of Designation.
The Class T convertible preferred stock is senior to the junior exchangeable preferred stock, Class M convertible preferred stock and common stock of RCC with respect to dividend rights and rights on liquidation, winding-up and dissolution of RCC. The Class M convertible preferred stock is senior to the Company’s common stock with respect to dividend rights and rights on liquidation, winding-up and dissolution of RCC.
The senior exchangeable preferred stock, junior exchangeable preferred stock, Class M convertible preferred stock, and Class T convertible preferred stock are redeemable at 100% of their total liquidation preference plus accumulated and unpaid dividends at their respective redemption dates.
7. Shareholders’ Deficit:
Authorized Shares
The Company has 300,000,000 shares of authorized capital stock consisting of 200,000,000 shares of Class A common stock, 10,000,000 shares of Class B common stock and 90,000,000 undesignated shares.
Common Stock Rights
Holders of Class A common stock are entitled to one vote for each share owned while holders of Class B common stock are entitled to ten votes for each share owned. Each share of Class B common stock may at any time be converted into one share of Class A common stock at the option of the holder. All issued Class B common shares may also be converted into an equivalent number of Class A common shares upon the affirmative vote of not less than 66 2/3% of the then outstanding Class B common shares. Further, Class B common shares are automatically converted to an equal number of Class A common shares if they are transferred to anyone who is not an affiliate of the transferring shareholder.
RCC has shareholder rights plans for its Class A common stock and Class B common stock. The rights plans give each holder of Class A common stock the right to purchase 1/100th of a newly authorized preferred share that is essentially equivalent to one share of Class A common stock and each holder of Class B common stock the right to purchase 1/100th of a newly authorized preferred share, essentially equivalent to one share of Class B common stock. The exercise price for both the Class A rights and the Class B rights is $120 per right.
The rights become exercisable by existing shareholders only following the acquisition by a buyer, without prior approval of the Company’s board of directors, of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Stock, Class A and Class B, or following the announcement of a tender offer for 15% of the outstanding Common Stock. If a person acquires 15% or more of the Company’s Common Stock, each right (except those held by the acquiring person) will entitle the holder to purchase shares of the Company’s Class A or Class B common stock, as appropriate, having a market value of twice the right’s exercise price, or, in effect, at a 50% discount from the then current market value. If the Company were acquired in a merger or similar transaction after a person acquires 15% of the Company’s outstanding Common Stock, without prior approval of the board of directors, each right would entitle the holder (other than the acquirer) to purchase shares of the acquiring company having a market value of twice the exercise price of the right, or, in effect, at a discount of 50%. Until the acquisition by any person of 15% or more of the Company’s Common Stock, the rights can be redeemed by the board of directors for $.001 per right.
8. Income Taxes:
For the year ended December 31, 2004, the Company recorded an income tax benefit related to the change in deferred tax liability associated with the amortization of definite-lived intangibles acquired in a business combination. The Company incurred losses for the years ended December 31, 2003 and 2002, respectively, and recorded no provision for income taxes.
The reconciliation of income tax computed at the U.S. federal statutory rate to income tax benefit recorded in the consolidated financial statements was as follows:
The components of the Company’s current year income tax benefit of $1.7 million consists of the following:
The income tax effect of the items that create deferred income tax assets and liabilities are as follows:
As of December 31, 2004, the Company had tax operating loss carryforwards of approximately $421 million available to offset future income tax liabilities. These carryforwards expire in the years 2007 through 2024. Internal Revenue Code Section 382 limits the availability and timing of the use of net operating loss carryforwards in the event of certain changes in the ownership of the Company’s common stock.
In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, management considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which those temporary differences become deductible. Management has considered the scheduled reversal of deferred tax liabilities, the limitations under Internal Revenue Code Section 382 following a change in ownership and tax planning strategies in making this assessment. Based upon the assessment, management has established a valuation allowance for net deferred income tax assets currently not expected to be realized.
9. Commitments and Contingencies:
Employment Agreements
The Company has employment agreements with certain executive officers with terms of three years. These agreements provide for payment of amounts up to three times their annual compensation if there is a termination of their employment as a result of a change in control of the Company, as defined in the agreements. The maximum contingent liability under these agreements was $9.8 million at December 31, 2004.
Related Party Transactions
The Company has entered into various arrangements with its shareholders or their affiliates. Arrangements involving shareholders or their affiliates that beneficially own more than 5% of any class of the Company’s stock and in which total payments or receipts for these arrangements exceeded $60,000 are described below.
Agreements with Affiliates. The Company has arrangements with several of its shareholders for cell site leases, interconnection service agreements and agent sales agreements. During 2004, 2003 and 2002, the Company paid $1,259,834, $1,328,618, and $1,604,463, respectively, to related parties for these services net of amounts received from these shareholders for similar services provided by the Company. In addition, several of the Company’s shareholders are customers for its cellular and paging services and, in connection therewith, also purchase or lease cellular telephones and pagers from the Company. During 2004, 2003 and 2002, the Company received $310,485, $296,445, and $338,491, respectively, from related parties for these services.
Roaming Arrangements. The Company has roaming agreements with United States Cellular Corporation, a subsidiary of Telephone & Data Systems, Inc. Affiliates of Telephone & Data Systems, Inc. beneficially own, in the aggregate, more than 5% of the Company’s Class A and Class B Common Stock. Under the roaming agreements, the Company pays for service provided to its customers in areas served by United States Cellular Corporation and receives payment for service provided to customers of United States Cellular Corporation in the Company’s cellular service areas. RCC negotiated the rates of reimbursement with United States Cellular Corporation, and the rates reflect those charged by all carriers. During 2004, 2003, and 2002, charges to the Company for services provided by United States Cellular Corporation totaled $2,555,246, $1,923,274, and $2,136,134 and charges by the Company to United States Cellular Corporation totaled $4,123,699, $5,530,672, and $4,412,168, respectively.
Legal and Regulatory Matters
The Company is involved from time to time in routine legal matters and other claims incidental to the Company’s business. RCC believes that the resolution of such routine matters and other incidental claims, taking into account established reserves and insurance, will not have a material adverse impact on its consolidated financial position or results of operations.
Regulatory Matters. In the normal course of business, the Company is subject to various regulatory requirements associated with its networks related to E911 and CALEA. The Company currently does not meet all of the requirements imposed by regulatory agencies. In some cases, the Company has received a waiver from such requirements or is in the process of applying for a waiver. However, management does not believe such non-compliance will have a material adverse effect on the Company, although the ultimate outcome of these matters cannot be determined based on available information.
Leases
The Company leases office space, cellular towers (including land leases on which the Company’s owned towers reside), and real estate under noncancelable operating leases. These leases typically include renewal options and escalation clauses. Future minimum payments under these leases as of December 31, 2004 are as follows (in thousands):
Under the terms of the lease agreements, the Company also is responsible for certain operating expenses and taxes. Total rent expense of $13.6 million, $10.6 million, and $9.7 million was charged to operations for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003, and 2002, respectively.
For the Company’s leases, rent expense is recognized in accordance with FASB Technical Bulletin 85-3, “Accounting for Operating Leases with Scheduled Rent Increases,” using the straight-line method over the term of the leases.
The Company adopted SFAS No. 143, Accounting for Asset Retirement Obligations (“SFAS No. 143”), effective January 1, 2003. Pursuant to SFAS No. 143, the Company records the fair value of a legal liability for contractual obligations related to costs associated with removing equipment from cell sites that reside on leased property. This liability is reviewed and adjusted quarterly and is recorded in other long-term liabilities. The asset retirement obligation (“ARO”) liability totaled $984,924 and $975,223 at December 31, 2004 and 2003, respectively. There were no material additions, deletions or changes to the ARO liability during 2004, other than normal accretion expense.
Purchase Commitments
The Company has made commitments to its roaming partners and to equipment vendors to substantially complete its 2.5G networks by the end of 2005. Including the cost of the anticipated overlays, total capital expenditures for 2005 are expected to be approximately $100 million.
In 2003, the Company entered into a five-year $56.6 million purchase commitment with a vendor to install 2.5G network equipment, pursuant to which, through December 31, 2004, the Company had incurred $34.2 million in equipment purchases.
Off-Balance Sheet Financings and Liabilities
The Company does not have any off-balance sheet financing arrangements or liabilities. The Company does not have any majority-owned subsidiaries or any interests in, or relationships with, any material special-purpose entities that are not included in the consolidated financial statements.
10. Defined Contribution Plan:
The Company has a defined contribution savings and profit-sharing plan for employees who meet certain age and service requirements. Under the savings portion of the plan, employees may elect to contribute a percentage of their salaries to the plan, with the Company contributing a matching percentage of the employees’ contributions. Under the profit-sharing portion of the plan, the Company contributes a percentage of employees’ salaries. Contributions charged to operations for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003, and 2002 were $781,000, $599,000, and $570,000, respectively. The percentages the Company matches under the savings portion of the plan and contributes under the profit-sharing portion of the plan are determined annually by the Company’s Board of Directors.
11. Supplemental Cash Flow Information (in thousands):
12. Quarterly Results of Operations (Unaudited):
Certain unaudited quarterly results for 2004 and 2003 are set forth below (in thousands, except per share data):
13. Assets and Liabilities of Operations Held for Sale
On October 14, 2003, the Company entered into a definitive agreement with AT&T Wireless (“AWE”) to exchange certain wireless properties. This transaction closed on March 1, 2004. Under the agreement, the Company transferred to AWE its operations in Oregon RSA 4, covering 226,000 POPs and including 37 cell sites and approximately 35,000 customers as of December 31, 2003. RCC received from AWE operations in Alabama and Mississippi covering 754,000 total POPs, 545,000 incremental POPs, 96 cell sites and approximately 14,000 customers as of December 31, 2003. In addition, RCC received from AWE unbuilt PCS licenses covering portions of RCC’s South, Midwest, and Northwest regions that incorporate 2.4 million total POPs and 1.3 million incremental POPs. RCC also received $13.5 million in cash, which was used to pay amounts outstanding under the Company’s former credit agreement.
The acquisition of licenses in the exchange was accounted for as a purchase by the Company and the transfer of the properties by the Company to AWE was accounted for as a sale. The Company’s consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2003 reflects the assets and liabilities transferred as assets and liabilities of operations held for sale in accordance with SFAS No. 144, Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets. The results of operations of the markets transferred were included in continuing operations through March 1, 2004. In connection with the property exchange with AWE, the Company recorded a noncash impairment charge on assets held for sale of $42.2 million (included in operating expenses) in the third quarter of 2003, pursuant to SFAS No. 144. The final purchase price allocation was completed using the purchase method of accounting during the fourth quarter of 2004.
14. Guarantor/Non-Guarantor Condensed Consolidating Financial Information
RCC’s obligations under the Senior Secured Floating Rate Notes due 2010 and 8 1/4% Senior Secured Notes due 2012 are senior secured obligations and are fully and unconditionally guaranteed on a senior, secured, second-priority basis by certain of its subsidiaries. Wireless Alliance, LLC is not a guarantor of the notes.
The Company accounts for its investment in subsidiaries using the equity method for purposes of the supplemental consolidating presentation. The principal eliminating entries eliminate investments in subsidiaries and inter-company balances and transactions. For financial reporting purposes, each subsidiary computes income tax expense (benefit), income taxes payable, and deferred income taxes on a separate company basis as if they filed separate federal and state income tax returns. The differences between the separate company basis and consolidated income taxes is then adjusted in the elimination column of the condensed consolidating financial information.
The financial accounting records of RGI Group, Inc. (“RGI”), a guarantor subsidiary, are not maintained on a stand-alone basis and, accordingly, are included in the parent company financial presentation. RGI’s assets were approximately $7 million and $6 million as of December 31, 2004 and 2003, respectively.
The following consolidating financial information as of the dates and for the periods indicated of Rural Cellular Corporation (the Parent), its guarantor subsidiaries, and its non-guarantor subsidiaries reflects all inter-company revenue and expense.
Balance Sheet Information as of December 31, 2004 (in thousands, except per share data):
Statement of Operations information for the year ended December 31, 2004 (in thousands):
Statements of cash flows information for the year ended December 31, 2004 (in thousands):
Balance Sheet Information as of December 31, 2003 (In thousands, except per share data):
Statement of Operations information for the year ended December 31, 2003 (In thousands):
Statement of Cash Flows Information for the Year Ended December 31, 2003 (In thousands):
Statement of Operations Information for the Year Ended December 31, 2002 (In thousands):
Statement of Cash Flows Information for the Year Ended December 31, 2002 (In thousands):
RURAL CELLULAR CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
Schedule II - Valuation and Qualifying Accounts
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts:
Included on the following pages are the financial statements for RCC Minnesota, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rural Cellular Corporation. Rural Cellular Corporation is required to provide these financial statements under Regulation S-X Rule No. 3-16, “Financial Statements of Affiliates Whose Securities Collateralize an Issue Registered or Being Registered.” The securities of RCC Minnesota, Inc. collateralize RCC’s Senior Secured Floating Rate Notes due 2010 and 8 1/4% Senior Secured Notes due 2012.
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Shareholders and Board of Directors
Rural Cellular Corporation and Subsidiaries
Alexandria, Minnesota
We have audited the accompanying balance sheets of RCC Minnesota, Inc. (“RCCM”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Rural Cellular Corporation (“RCC”), as of December 31, 2004 and 2003, and the related statements of operations, shareholders’ equity (deficit), and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2004. These financial statements are the responsibility of RCCM’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of RCCM as of December 31, 2004 and 2003, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2004, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
As discussed in Note 2 to the financial statements, on January 1, 2002, RCCM adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 142, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets, and changed its method of accounting for licenses.
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared from the separate records maintained by Rural Cellular Corporation and may not necessarily be indicative of the conditions that would have existed or the results of operations if RCCM had been operated as an unaffiliated company. Portions of certain income and expenses represent allocations made to and from RCCM, as discussed in Note 2 to the financial statements.
/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP
Minneapolis, Minnesota
March 11, 2005
RCC MINNESOTA, INC.
(A WHOLLY-OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF RURAL CELLULAR CORPORATION)
BALANCE SHEETS
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
RCC MINNESOTA, INC.
(A WHOLLY-OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF RURAL CELLULAR CORPORATION)
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
RCC MINNESOTA, INC.
(A WHOLLY-OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF RURAL CELLULAR CORPORATION)
STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT)
For the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003, and 2002
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
RCC MINNESOTA, INC.
(A WHOLLY-OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF RURAL CELLULAR CORPORATION)
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (1)
(1) All transactions between RCC Minnesota, Inc. and the parent are transacted via intercompany note transactions. Cash is not held by RCC Minnesota, Inc. The activity herein reflects all such activity as if it were transacted in cash.
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
RCC MINNESOTA, INC.
(A WHOLLY-OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF RURAL CELLULAR CORPORATION)
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Background and Basis of Presentation:
RCC Licenses, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rural Cellular Corporation (“RCC”), was incorporated in 1997. In July 1998, RCC Licenses, Inc. changed its name to RCC Minnesota, Inc. (“RCCM”). RCCM’s operations are subject to the applicable rules and regulations of the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”). Since inception, this subsidiary has not engaged in any business activity other than acquiring and holding FCC licenses and conducting business activities incidental to holding and acquiring FCC licenses.
The financial statements of RCCM are presented to comply with the requirement under Rule 3-16 of Regulation S-X of the Securities and Exchange Commission to provide financial statements of affiliates whose securities collateralize registered securities if certain significance tests are met.
History of RCC Minnesota, Inc.
1) The following reflects the history of RCC Licenses, Inc. founded in 1997 and renamed RCC Minnesota, Inc. in 1998:
• October 1997, RCC assigned its cellular licenses in its Midwest region to RCC Licenses, Inc.
• July 1998, RCC Licenses, Inc. changed its name to RCC Minnesota, Inc.
• December 2000, RGI Group, Inc., Western Maine Cellular, Inc., RCC Holdings, Inc., and MRCC, Inc., wholly-owned subsidiaries of RCC, assigned certain licenses to RCCM. Management agreements between RCCM and RCC operating subsidiaries commenced on December 1, 2000.
• January 2001, Star Cellular, a wholly-owned subsidiary of RCC, was acquired by RCC and assigned certain licenses to RCCM.
• February 2001, RCCM entered into an agreement to sell its 10MHz PCS licenses in its Northwest region.
• October 2003, RCCM acquired 1900 MHz spectrum from AT&T Wireless Services, Inc. (“AWE”) and one of its affiliates.
• March 2004, RCCM exchanged certain wireless properties with AWE. Under the agreement, RCCM sold to AWE its Oregon RSA 4 license. RCCM received from AWE licenses in Alabama and Mississippi. In addition, RCCM received from AWE unbuilt PCS licenses covering portions of RCC’s South, Midwest, and Northwest regions.
• May 2004, RCC Holdings, a wholly-owned subsidiary of RCC, assigned licenses in its Alabama and Mississippi markets to RCCM.
• November 2004, RCCM acquired additional 1900 MHz PCS licenses, which cover selected areas in its Midwest and Northwest regions.
Principles of Presentation
The financial statements include all of the accounts of RCC Minnesota, Inc., a wholly-owned, license-only subsidiary of Rural Cellular Corporation.
The financial information included herein may not necessarily be indicative of the financial position, results of operations or cash flows of RCCM in the future or what the financial position, results of operations or cash flows would have been if RCCM had been a separate, independent company during the periods presented.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reported periods. Ultimate results could differ from those estimates.
2) Summary of Significant Accounting Policies:
Revenue Recognition - License management revenue
RCCM recognizes inter-company management revenue based upon agreements with RCC’s other operating subsidiaries, which have assigned all or a portion of their licenses to RCCM. This allocation is based on 85% of the respective subsidiary’s operating income (excluding impairment charges) relating to such assigned licenses.
Effective January 1, 2005, RCCM entered into new agreements with RCC’s other operating subsidiaries to amend the method used by RCCM to charge license management fees. Pursuant to the new agreements, RCCM will charge each of the other operating subsidiaries a fixed monthly amount for the use of the licenses based on a detailed transfer pricing analysis conducted by RCC.
Expense Recognition
Corporate management expense. RCCM recognizes an inter-company corporate management charge in accordance with an agreement with RCC’s other operating subsidiaries reflecting a proportionate share of RCC’s operating expenses. The allocation to RCCM is based on relative revenues.
Other operating expenses. RCCM recognizes other operating expenses, including costs directly related to legal and FCC license renewal fees.
Interest expense. In the year ended December 31, 2004, RCCM recognized inter-company interest expense using a rate equal to the weighted average rate of RCC’s total external debt, including preferred securities.
Income Tax Provision
The income and expenses of RCCM are included in the consolidated federal income tax return of Rural Cellular Corporation and Subsidiaries. Any tax benefit or provision generated by RCCM from such inclusion in Rural Cellular Corporation and Subsidiaries consolidated federal income tax return is accounted for in taxes payable and deferred tax accounts. For financial reporting purposes, the income tax provision or benefit of RCCM has been computed as if it had filed separate federal and state income tax returns.
RCCM uses the asset and liability approach to account for income taxes. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the expected future tax consequences of differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities and their respective tax basis using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period when the change is enacted. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of management, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Changes in valuation allowances from period to period are included in our tax provision in the period of change.
Licenses
RCCM holds licenses either granted to it by the FCC, received through acquisition, or assigned to it from Rural Cellular Corporation’s other subsidiaries. The valuation of RCCM’s licenses reflects their original acquisition cost adjusted by subsequent impairment adjustments as determined by the application of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 141, “Business Combinations,” and SFAS No. 142, “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets”(“SFAS No. 142”).
The changes in carrying amount of licenses are as follows (in thousands):
RCCM is a wholly-owned subsidiary of RCC and applies SFAS No. 142, in evaluating license impairment. Impairment tests for indefinite-lived intangible assets, consisting of FCC licenses, are required to be performed on an annual basis or on an interim basis if an event occurs or circumstances change that would indicate the asset might be impaired. In accordance with Emerging Issues Task Force (“EITF”) No. 02-7, Unit of Accounting for Testing of Impairment of Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets, impairment tests for FCC licenses are performed on an aggregate basis by reporting unit. RCCM utilizes a fair value approach, incorporating discounted cash flows, to complete the test. This approach determines the fair value of the FCC licenses, using start-up model assumptions and, accordingly, incorporates cash flow assumptions regarding the investment in a network, the development of distribution channels, and other inputs for making the business operational. These inputs are included in determining free cash flows of the reporting unit, using
assumptions of weighted average costs of capital and the long-term rate of growth for the reporting unit. RCCM believes that its estimates are consistent with assumptions that marketplace participants would use in their estimates of fair value. If any of the assumptions were to change, FCC licenses may become impaired.
RCC as a consolidated entity also tests for impairment as required under SFAS No. 142. This is done at the lowest reporting level for which identifiable cash flows exist. Under this guidance RCC has identified four separate reporting units. RCCM owns and manages the licenses used in the operation of these four reporting units. The testing required by SFAS No. 142 at the RCC level resulted in license impairments of $24.3 million for 2004, none for 2003 and $79.2 million for 2002 on licenses held by RCCM.
In connection with the property exchange with AWE, RCCM recorded a $28.3 million non-cash impairment charge on assets held for sale in the third quarter of 2003. (See Note 3)
Inter-company debt:
RCC funds RCCM through an inter-company note. The note balance adjusts as RCCM earns revenue and recognizes expense or as licenses are acquired or sold. Interest is computed monthly and is added to the note balance.
3) License Held for Sale:
License Held for Sale. In October 2003, RCC entered into a definitive agreement with AWE to exchange certain wireless properties. This transaction closed on March 1, 2004. Under the agreement, RCCM sold to AWE its license in Oregon RSA 4, covering 226,000 POPs. RCCM received from AWE licenses in Alabama and Mississippi covering 754,000 total POPs. In addition, RCCM received from AWE unbuilt PCS licenses covering portions of RCC’s South, Midwest, and Northwest regions that incorporate 1.1 million incremental POPs.
The exchange of licenses with AWE was accounted for as a purchase and a sale by RCCM. RCCM’s balance sheet as of December 31, 2003 reflects the licenses to be sold as licenses held for sale in accordance with SFAS No. 144, Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets. The results of operations of the licenses to be sold continued to be presented as continuing operations. In connection with this transaction, RCCM recorded an impairment charge on licenses held for sale of $28.3 million. Upon closing, no further charge to operations was taken and RCCM received licenses from AWE with a fair value of $13.8 million. The purchase price allocation has been completed using the purchase method under SFAS No. 141, “Business Combinations.”
4) Income Taxes:
RCCM’s reconciliation of income tax computed at the U.S. federal statutory rate to the income tax benefit recorded in its financial statements was as follows:
The components of the RCCM’s current year income tax provision of $13.1 million consists of the following (in thousands):
The income tax effect of the items that create deferred income tax assets are as follows:
In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, management considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which those temporary differences become deductible.
EXHIBIT INDEX