Western Wireless International Wins GSM License inSlovenia.

Business/High Tech Editors

BELLEVUE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 22, 2000

Western Wireless International Corporation ("WWI"), a subsidiary of Western Wireless Corporation (Nasdaq:WWCA), today announced that it has been awarded a license to provide nationwide GSM mobile

"This license represents an exciting expansion of our operations in the region," said John Stanton, chairman and chief executive officer of Western Wireless Corporation. "Our Slovenian system will be contiguous to our network in Croatia, where we have become the market leader in less than 18 months of operation."

The license has an initial term of fifteen years and provides WWI with 2 x 15 MHz of spectrum in the 1800-MHz band. WWI expects that it will sign its concession contract before the end of the year and pay a one-time license fee of approximately $20 million.

"Slovenia represents another outstanding market opportunity for WWI," said Brad Horwitz, president of WWI. "We look forward to introducing innovative voice and data services to Slovenian consumers and instilling new competition in the marketplace as Slovenia's third mobile operator."

Through its operating companies, Western Wireless International Corporation operates wireless networks in Iceland, Croatia, Georgia, Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire and Haiti, and it has GSM wireless networks under construction in Ireland and Bolivia. In total, these wireless companies are licensed to provide service to 65.1 million potential customers. WWI operating companies served a total of 636,500 customers as of September 30, 2000. You can learn more about WWI at www.wwirelessintl.com.

Western Wireless Corporation is a leading provider of rural communications in the western United States. The company owns and operates wireless cellular phone systems marketed under the Cellular One(R) national brand name in 19 states west of the Mississippi River. Through September 30, 2000, Western Wireless Corporation was providing service to 976,500 customers. You can learn more about Western Wireless Corporation at www.wwireless.com.