UPDATE 1-Verizon's Alltel assets eyed by dozens

(Recasts with Verizon statement; adds comment from source, background)

PHILADELPHIA Feb 4 (Reuters) - Verizon Communications (VZ.N) said on Wednesday more than 30 parties have expressed interest in the wireless assets the telephone company must divest as part of its purchase of rural wireless provider Alltel Corp.

AT&T (T.N) is among the bidders, along with other communications companies and private equity firms, a source familiar with the situation said.

The auction of the assets is expected to last for several months and have multiple rounds of bidding, the source said. No deal is imminent.

The Wall Street Journal said private-equity firms Carlyle Group and Kohlberg Kravis & Roberts & Co submitted a joint bid, while Providence Equity Partners LLC also expressed interest. At least one cable provider also has expressed interest, the newspaper said.

Providence Equity, however, is not involved in the auction, a second source told Reuters.

Carlyle and Providence declined to comment. AT&T and KKR could not be immediately reached for comment.

Verizon declined to identify the bidders.

"More than 30 players have expressed interest," Verizon spokesman Peter Thonis said. "We will follow the process that has been laid out with the goal of doing this the right way under the process and maximizing shareholder value."

Verizon closed its acquisition of rural wireless provider Alltel Corp in early January. The merger created the biggest U.S. wireless provider, surpassing AT&T in terms of subscribers.

As part of gaining regulatory approval for the Alltel acquisition, Verizon Wireless was required to divest airwaves in 105 markets. Verizon Wireless is owned by Verizon and Britain's Vodafone Group Plc (VOD.L) VOD.N. (Reporting by Ajay Kamalakaran in Bangalore and Jessica Hall in Philadelphia; editing by Richard Chang)