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PRESS
RELEASE
Krislov
& Associates, Ltd.
20 North Wacker Drive, Suite 1350
Chicago, Illinois 60606
Tel. (312) 606-0500/ Fax (312) 606-0207
To: All television
assignment editors, radio news and business reporters,
city desks, daily business reporters and wire services
From: Krislov &
Associates, Ltd.
Date: April 26,
2005
City
of Parma, Ohio, Files Nationwide Class Action to Thwart
Cingular's Ploy to Reduce Payments for Overlapping Cell
Sites
The following statement
was issued by Parma's attorneys, Krislov & Associates,
Ltd.:
Cingular Wireless' October
2004 acquisition of AT&T Wireless produced the nation's
largest wireless network, but also resulted in overlapping
wireless antenna site coverage. Cingular operates antenna
sites under long-term leases of up to 30 years. Seeking
to cut its monthly rent payments on these sites, Cingular
has threatened to terminate leases with an estimated
15,000 owners throughout the country, including cities,
local governments and volunteer organizations, unless
they agree to rent reductions of as much as 50%, even
though the agreements do not permit termination for
mere convenience or overlap.
The City of Parma has filed
a lawsuit for itself and other antenna site owners nationwide,
seeking to enforce their right to continue receiving
rent at the agreed price.
The case is titled City
of Parma, Ohio, v. Cingular Wireless LLC, Cuyahoga County
Court of Common Pleas, No. CV05560750, and is assigned
to Judge Lillian J. Greene.
Parma Law Director Tim
Dobeck was quoted: "At a time when state and local
governments are pushed and squeezed from all sides,
it is both baffling and sad to see a huge national corporation
renounce its contractual obligations to these governments
and attempt to cut off one of their vital revenue streams."
Attorney Clint Krislov
was quoted: "If Cingular needs to cut costs to
make the merger profitable, it should find legitimate
ways to do that, rather than by shortchanging local
governments and other site owners across the country
of their agreed rents."
Media Contact: Clint Krislov:
(312) 606-0500 E-mail
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