<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001137774-03-000039
<TYPE>SC 13G/A
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<FILING-DATE>20030211
<SUBJECT-COMPANY>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>AIRGATE PCS INC /DE/
<CIK>0001086844
<ASSIGNED-SIC>4813
<IRS-NUMBER>582422929
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>0930
</COMPANY-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>SC 13G/A
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>005-60325
<FILM-NUMBER>03550101
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>233 PEACHTREE ST NE
<STREET2>SUITE 1700
<CITY>ATLANTA
<STATE>GA
<ZIP>30303
<PHONE>4045257272
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>233 PEACHTREE ST
<STREET2>SUITE 1700
<CITY>ATLANTA
<STATE>GA
<ZIP>30303
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</SUBJECT-COMPANY>
<FILED-BY>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>PRUDENTIAL FINANCIAL INC
<CIK>0001137774
<ASSIGNED-SIC>6311
<IRS-NUMBER>223703799
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>NJ
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>SC 13G/A
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>751 BROAD ST
<CITY>NEWARK
<STATE>NJ
<ZIP>07102
<PHONE>9738026000
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>751 BROAD ST
<CITY>NEWARK
<STATE>NJ
<ZIP>07102
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
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<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>SC 13G/A
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>air.htm
<TEXT>
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<!-- 13G Filing Process for SEC -->
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<TITLE>13G HTML File</TITLE></HEAD>
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DOCUMENT TYPE             SC 13G/A<BR>
TEXT<BR>
<BR><BR>


SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION<BR>

Washington,  D.C.    20549<BR>

SCHEDULE 13G<BR>
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934<BR><BR>

Amendment  # 1<BR>
<BR>
Name of Issuer:       AIRGATE PCS INC.<BR>
_____________________________________________________<BR>

Title of Class<BR>
of Securities:  Common Stock<BR>
<BR>
CUSIP Number:    009367103<BR>
<BR>
1)  NAME AND I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF REPORTING PERSON<BR>
<BR>
	Prudential Financial, Inc.	    22-3703799<BR>
<BR>
2.) MEMBER OF A GROUP: 	(a)  N/A<BR>
					(b)  N/A<BR>
<BR>
3)  SEC USE ONLY:<BR>
<BR><BR><BR>


4)  PLACE OF ORGANIZATION:	New Jersey<BR>
<BR>
NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY REPORTING PERSON WITH:<BR>
<BR>
5)  Sole Voting Power:		417,300			See
Exhibit A<BR>
6)  Shared Voting Power:	2,203,671		See Exhibit A<BR>
7)  Sole Dispositive Power:	417,300		See Exhibit A<BR>
8)  Shared Dispositive Power:	2,203,671		See Exhibit A<BR>
<BR>
9)  AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED:<BR>
			2,620,971	See Exhibit A <BR>
<BR>
10)  AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES SHARES:	Not Applicable<BR>
<BR>
11) PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9):<BR>
			10.2 See Exhibit A<BR>
<BR>
12) TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON:  HC<BR>
<BR>
ITEM 1(a).  NAME OF ISSUER:<BR>
<BR>
                      AIRGATE PCS INC.<BR>
<BR>
ITEM 1(b).  ADDRESS OF ISSUER'S EXECUTIVE OFFICES:<BR>
<BR>
                      AIRGATE PCS INC.
233 Peachtree Street NE
Suite 1700
Atlanta, Georgia  30303
<BR>
<BR>
ITEM 2(a).  NAME OF PERSON FILING:<BR>
<BR>
		 Prudential Financial, Inc.<BR>
<BR>
ITEM 2(b).  ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL BUSINESS OFFICE:<BR>
<BR>
			751 Broad Street<BR>
			Newark, New Jersey  07102-3777<BR>
<BR>
ITEM 2(c).  CITIZENSHIP:<BR>
<BR>
			New Jersey<BR>
<BR>
ITEM 2(d).  TITLE OF CLASS OF SECURITIES:<BR>
<BR>
			Common Stock<BR>
<BR>
ITEM 2(e).  CUSIP NUMBER:<BR>
<BR>
			009367103<BR>
<BR>
ITEM 3.		The Person filing this statement is a Parent Holding
Company as<BR>
                defined in Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G) of the Securities
Exchange<BR>
                Act of 1934.<BR>
<BR>
ITEM 4.  OWNERSHIP:<BR>
<BR>
		(a) Number of Shares<BR>
		      Beneficially Owned:		2,620,971  See Exhibit
A<BR>
<BR>
		(b) Percent of Class:		10.2<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<PRE style="FONT-SIZE: 12px; COLOR: #000000; LINE-HEIGHT: 14px;
FONT-FAMILY:Courier New; TEXT-DECORATION: none">
(c) Powers                No. Of Shares<BR>
   -----------           -------------------- <BR>
Sole power to vote or    417,300  See Exhibit A
to direct the vote<BR>
Shared power to vote or   2,203,671  See Exhibit A
to direct the vote<BR>
Sole power to dispose or  417,300 See Exhibit A
to direct disposition<BR>
Shared power to dispose   2,203,671  See Exhibit A
or to direct disposition</PRE>
<BR>
ITEM 5.  OWNERSHIP OF 5% OR LESS OF A CLASS:<BR>
<BR>
		Not Applicable
<BR>
<BR>
ITEM 6.  OWNERSHIP OF MORE THAN 5% ON BEHALF OF<BR>
	 ANOTHER PERSON:<BR>
<BR>
		See Exhibit A<BR>
<BR>
ITEM 7.	IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE<BR>
	SUBSIDIARY WHICH ACQUIRED THE SECURITY BEING<BR>
	REPORTED ON BY THE ULTIMATE PARENT COMPANY:<BR>
<BR>
		See Exhibit A<BR>
<BR>
ITEM 8.  IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF<BR>
	 MEMBERS OF THE GROUP:<BR>
<BR>
		Not Applicable<BR>
<BR>
ITEM 9.  NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF GROUP:<BR>
<BR>
		Not Applicable<BR>
<BR>
ITEM 10.  CERTIFICATION:<BR>
<BR>
		<P>
By signing below, Prudential Financial, Inc. certifies that, to the best of
its<BR>
knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were acquired<BR>
and are held in the ordinary course of business and were not acquired<BR>
and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or<BR>
influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not
acquired<BR>
and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction<BR>
having that purpose or effect.</P><BR>

<P>
The filing of this statement should not be construed as an admission that<BR>
Prudential Financial, Inc. is, for purposes of Sections 13 or 16 of the
Securities<BR>
Exchange Act of 1934, the beneficial owner of such shares.</P><BR>
				SIGNATURE<BR>
<BR>
	After reasonable inquiry and to the best of its knowledge and
belief,<BR>
Prudential Financial, Inc. certifies that the information set forth in this<BR>
statement is true, complete and correct.<BR>
<BR>
PRUDENTIAL FINANCIAL, INC.
<BR>
<BR>
	By:	Ellen McGlynn Koke<BR>
		Vice President<BR>
<BR>
	Date:	02/07/2003<BR>
	As of:	12/31/2002<BR>
<BR>

				Exhibit A<BR>
				--------------<BR>
<BR>
ITEM 6.	 OWNERSHIP:<BR>
<BR>
<PRE style="FONT-SIZE: 12px; COLOR: #000000; LINE-HEIGHT: 14px;
FONT-FAMILY:Courier New; TEXT-DECORATION: none">
Prudential Financial, Inc. may be deemed the beneficial owner of securities
beneficially owned by the Item 7 listed entities and may have direct or
indirect voting and/or investment discretion over 2,620,971 shares which are
held for it's own benefit or for the benefit of its clients by its separate
accounts, externally managed accounts, registered investment companies,
subsidiaries and/or other affiliates.  Prudential Financial, Inc.  is reporting
the combined holdings of these entities for the purpose of administrative
convenience.

These shares were acquired in the ordinary course of business, and not with the
purpose or effect of changing or influencing control of the Issuer.  The filing
of this statement should not be construed as an admission that Prudential
Financial, Inc. is, for the purposes of Sections 13 or 16 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, the beneficial owner of these shares.
</PRE>
<BR>
<BR>
ITEM 7.		IDENTIFICATION/CLASSIFICATION:<BR>
<BR>
Prudential Financial, Inc. is a Parent Holding Company and the direct or
indirect parent of the following Registered Investment Advisers and Broker
Dealers:<BR>
<BR>
<BR>

<PRE><B>
           The Prudential Insurance Company of America         IC,IA
           Prudential Investment Management, Inc.              IA
           Jennison Associates LLC                             IA
           Prudential Securities Incorporated                  IA,BD
           The Prudential Asset Management Company, Inc.       IA
           Prudential Investments LLC                          IA
           Prudential Private Placement Investors, L.P.        IA,PN
           Prudential Equity Investors, Inc.                   IA
           PRUCO Securities Corporation                        IA,BD
           Wexford Clearing Services Corporation               IA,BD
           The Prudential Savings Bank, F.S.B.                 IA,SA
           Hochman & Baker Investment Advisory Services, Inc.  IA
           GRA (Bermuda) Limited                               IA
           PRICOA Property Investment Management Limited       IA
           Prudential Investment Management Services LLC       BD
           Hochman & Baker Securities, Inc.                    BD</B>
</PRE>
<BR>
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