T-Mobile US has confirmed that it plans to deactivate the Iowa-based iWireless network it acquired in September 2017. At the time of the transaction iWireless was said to serve 75,000 wireless customers in Iowa, western Illinois and eastern Nebraska. A company spokesperson clarified to Fierce Wireless: ‘We’re in the process of migrating and upgrading the existing iWireless network to T-Mobile’s core network, so iWireless customers can get the same great experience as T-Mobile customers.’
Prior to its takeover, iWireless was a joint venture between T-Mobile and Aureon. Previously known as Iowa Network Services (INS), Aureon is privately owned by a group of 127 independent telephone companies that together serve 500,000 rural Iowans.