Linney

Eight minority partners who operate various cellular telephone markets appeal the district court’s judgment certifying and approving the settlement of class actions against AT & T Wireless Services, Inc., and its affiliates and subsidiaries (“AT & T”), which became the general partner or majority shareholder in these partnerships. This court has jurisdiction over the district court’s final order certifying and settling the actions pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1291 , and we affirm.

I

In the 1980s, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) held lotteries to allocate cellular telephone licenses in the nation’s smaller metropolitan areas. The FCC devised a plan to maximize the opportunities of small businesses to win a part of the growing cellular telephone market. Under this plan, contenders for a license were allowed to band together prior to the lottery in each market. Following the drawing, the winner of the lottery was given a bare majority interest in the market and the other members of the winner’s band were given the balance of the interest. AT & T has purchased the rights of a number of majority interest holders throughout the country and has become a major player in the…