EchoStar/Dish raises doubts about 'ability to continue as a going concern'

[MitchDeerfield]

The financial situation at EchoStar/Dish Network looks dim, as the newly combined entity issued an ominous warning via this SEC filing that raises "substantial doubt" that the company can continue as a going concern.

EchoStar/Dish raises doubts about 'ability to continue as a going concern'

'Dish's business is spiraling toward bankruptcy,' says MoffettNathanson's Craig Moffett. Dish shed 314,000 pay-TV subs and 123,000 Boost wireless customers, and EchoStar dropped 59,000 satellite broadband subs in Q4 2023.

www.lightreading.com

 

[rvvaquero]

I don't claim to have insider information...................but, I know for a fact that DISH will be up and running at least until December of 2025 because I just entered into a two year contract with them.

 

[Bruce]

I don't claim to have insider information...................but, I know for a fact that DISH will be up and running at least until December of 2025 because I just entered into a two year contract with them.

They already lost a spectrum deal because no one will loan them the money, they have until November to raise $4 Billion.

A lot of the News stories I have read, no one will help them because they do not like or trust Charlie Ergen , their two aborted attempts at swapping out their debt/bonds did not help.

I have no idea what he is like in the business world, just what I read.

Also does not help they have now lost about half of their Satellite subscribers in 7 years, 1.5 Million Phone subscribers in less then 2 years, Hughes is down to 1 million subs, my guess because of availability to broadband in rural areas, 5G and Star Link, now have entered into unprofitability, 2 quarters in a row.

 

[Art7220]

So will they go off the air and have DirecTV be the only satellite provider left? They'll have to beef up broadband to rural areas for streaming because I don't think they can go back to C Band like they did back in the 80s.

 

[Bruce]

So will they go off the air and have DirecTV be the only satellite provider left? They'll have to beef up broadband to rural areas for streaming because I don't think they can go back to C Band like they did back in the 80s.

Math shows us there is just not that many rural customers in todays world.

As of now there is about 7-8 million DirecTV Sat Subscribers ( they have 11 million total, includes by Internet , Uverse) and then 6.5 million Dish Subscribers, so we will say 14 million total.

There is roughly 20 Million Households in the rural areas( out of 130 Million in the United States), which is almost 16% of the total.

So, we will say 20%( a little more then the 16%) in the rural area sub to Satellite , that is only 2.8 Million subscribers .

By the way, I live in a rural area (Well, septic, 2 acres of Land, etc) and I have 1G internet via Charter, 90% of the Population have Broadband now.

 

[MitchDeerfield]

So will they go off the air and have DirecTV be the only satellite provider left? They'll have to beef up broadband to rural areas for streaming because I don't think they can go back to C Band like they did back in the 80s.

The government would allow the two to merge in the case of bankruptcy. Similar to when Sirius and XM were given the okay to merge.

 

[Bruce]

The government would allow the two to merge in the case of bankruptcy. Similar to when Sirius and XM were given the okay to merge.

Takes money to merge, neither of them have it, DirecTV is still carrying $10 Billion in Debt, Echostar/Dish’s debt is $26 Billion.

From here-

While the satellite firm is continuing to pivot from pay-TV to wireless, it faces a significant challenge regarding its debt load of $26 billion. In an SEC filing on Thursday ahead of earnings, the company noted that it “expects to use a substantial amount of cash” to make debt payments this year, including one in March. “This raises substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern,” the filing noted.

EchoStar Chairman Charlie Ergen Skips Dish Network Parent’s Quarterly Earnings Call As Investor Angst About Debt Keeps Mounting

Charlie Ergen's singular voice fell silent Friday as the EchoStar chairman skipped the Dish Network parent's quarterly earnings call.

deadline.com

 

[jannah]

Why doesn't Dish offer a streaming service like Direct TV does ? Since most want to cut the cord or in my case the satellite dish.

I want my Hopper3 and EHD's. I have every episode of ER, Law and Order and The Big Bang Theory on EHD. I hate the thought if losing them and most of the movies we've recorded over the years. But, if Dish goes so do they.
I hate change. Getting too old, UGH.

Direct TV has streaming from your Smart TV or devices like Roku.

But it sounds like the streaming service isn't going to save Direct TV either.

Is this a stupid question ? Please be kind. LOL

 

[Bruce]

Why doesn't Dish offer a streaming service like Direct TV does ? Since most want to cut the cord or in my case the satellite dish.

DirecTV’s streaming service is not setting the world on fire with subscribers.

DirecTV, for all the company, has under 11 Million, it still has 7-8 Million Satellite Subscribers, 2 Million for Uverse ( mostly in multi-dwellings), so that leaves only 1-2 million for the streaming services.

In comparison, YouTube TV already has 8 Million subs.

Why, it is a great service and only $73 a month.

I want my Hopper3 and EHD's. I have every episode of ER, Law and Order and The Big Bang Theory on EHD. I hate the thought if losing them and most of the movies we've recorded over the years. But, if Dish goes so do they.

Except for the first two, I also have the Big Bang Theory, but via Vudu, so in the cloud, it was on sale for the complete series for $39.99 two years ago , so I click on Vudu, hit ok a couple of times, I can watch.

Also, for some reason, bought it on BR during Prime Day, on sale for $29.99, but still in the plastic.

Also own a bunch more on Vudu, have 2784 Movies, just bought The Beekeeper and it cost me $0, I use my Credit Card Points to buy Vudu gift cards ( and other streaming services’ cards).

I hate change. Getting too old, UGH.

Everyone has to adapt, change is part of life, I retired at 52, went back to work at 56 for what I thought was my dream job ( get to write my reports from home), but I should of stayed retired, so retire again in May, age of 57.

Plenty of time to enjoy this new Golden age of TV we are having.

Direct TV has streaming from your Smart TV or devices like Roku.

Does not matter if not enough subscribe, you can access all the other services the same.

But it sounds like the streaming service isn't going to save Direct TV either.

As I explained above, nope.

Is this a stupid question ? Please be kind. LOL

No, good question, but as I written before in other threads, Television has been nothing but change since it started, from Antennas, to cable, to Satellite, now to streaming.

DVRs started in 1999, before that, we had VCRs to record, before that, had to wait for reruns if we missed something.

Change is a part of life.

 

[llokey]

Why doesn't Dish offer a streaming service like Direct TV does ? Since most want to cut the cord or in my case the satellite dish.

I believe Dish was one of the first to offer a streaming service - SLING.

 

[Bruce]

I believe Dish was one of the first to offer a streaming service - SLING.

True, but also losing subscribers, down to 2.06 Million.

YTTV has won the streaming Paid Live TV battle already, in just 7 years, it has hit 8 million subscribers, by the end of Q1 or Q2/2024, it will have more then Dish and Sling added together.

And no, I do not have YTTV.

By the way, I believe strongly that Dish could of easily outlasted DirecTV, even bought them, if they did not have their 5G Money Pit, which is still not generating income, but it did add over $20 Billion of debt to the money.

Taking over Boost was a mistake also, no one considered it to be a top service, even before Dish took it over.

 

[dishdude]

True, but also losing subscribers, down to 2.06 Million.

YTTV has won the streaming Paid Live TV battle already, in just 7 years, it has hit 8 million subscribers, by the end of Q1 or Q2/2024, it will have more then Dish and Sling added together.

And no, I do not have YTTV.

By the way, I believe strongly that Dish could of easily outlasted DirecTV, even bought them, if they did not have their 5G Money Pit, which is still not generating income, but it did add over $20 Billion of debt to the money.

Taking over Boost was a mistake also, no one considered it to be a top service, even before Dish took it over.

If they were going down the 5G path, they should have offered 5G home internet option as they started bringing towers online, it would have really helped with the cashflow.

 

[jannah]

DirecTV’s streaming service is not setting the world on fire with subscribers.

DirecTV, for all the company, has under 11 Million, it still has 7-8 Million Satellite Subscribers, 2 Million for Uverse ( mostly in multi-dwellings), so that leaves only 1-2 million for the streaming services.

In comparison, YouTube TV already has 8 Million subs.

Why, it is a great service and only $73 a month.

Except for the first two, I also have the Big Bang Theory, but via Vudu, so in the cloud, it was on sale for the complete series for $39.99 two years ago , so I click on Vudu, hit ok a couple of times, I can watch.

Also, for some reason, bought it on BR during Prime Day, on sale for $29.99, but still in the plastic.

Also own a bunch more on Vudu, have 2784 Movies, just bought The Beekeeper and it cost me $0, I use my Credit Card Points to buy Vudu gift cards ( and other streaming services’ cards).

Everyone has to adapt, change is part of life, I retired at 52, went back to work at 56 for what I thought was my dream job ( get to write my reports from home), but I should of stayed retired, so retire again in May, age of 57.

Plenty of time to enjoy this new Golden age of TV we are having.

Does not matter if not enough subscribe, you can access all the other services the same.

As I explained above, nope.

No, good question, but as I written before in other threads, Television has been nothing but change since it started, from Antennas, to cable, to Satellite, now to streaming.

DVRs started in 1999, before that, we had VCRs to record, before that, had to wait for reruns if we missed something.

Change is a part of life.

Thanks for the reply.
I'll survive and adapt, not sure about the husband.

 

[Bruce]

If they were going down the 5G path, they should have offered 5G home internet option as they started bringing towers online, it would have really helped with the cashflow.

I 100% agree, but even today, I do wonder what their plan with the spectrum was, since they started acquiring spectrum in 2004, many, many years before taking over Boost.

Now they are not buying the T-Mobile spectrum, since no one will loan them the money, which would of been good to have if they were going to offer a service.

Dish Wireless | About Us

America's First Smart Network

www.dishwireless.com

 

[dishdude]

I 100% agree, but even today, I do wonder what their plan with the spectrum was, since they started acquiring spectrum in 2004, many, many years before taking over Boost.

Now they are not buying the T-Mobile spectrum, since no one will loan them the money, which would of been good to have if they were going to offer a service.

Dish Wireless | About Us

America's First Smart Network

www.dishwireless.com

They never seemed to have a clear plan on how they were going to use the spectrum and I never understood it. The T-Mo/Sprint merger gave them a reason to offer mobile service.

I remember scratching my head every time I heard this plan.

Dish says its IoT network is real and will be a first for U.S.

DALLAS—While Dish Network’s intentions in the wireless industry have been the subject of scrutiny and skepticism for years, the company’s vice president of technology development reiterated the com | While Dish Network’s intentions in the wireless industry have been the subject of scrutiny and...

www.fiercewireless.com

 

[Juan]

If they were going down the 5G path, they should have offered 5G home internet option as they started bringing towers online, it would have really helped with the cashflow.

It has to work reliably first

 

[bookworm370]

I don't claim to have insider information...................but, I know for a fact that DISH will be up and running at least until December of 2025 because I just entered into a two year contract with them.

Sorry but in Chapter 11 or receivership contracts are null and void.

 

[bookworm370]

Well, if they go TU, as long as I can keep the Hopper and keep the 10+ TB of saved programs going back 15 years then at least it will be some consolation.

 

[MitchDeerfield]

Dish and DirecTV have no competitive advantage against YouTube when it comes to streaming video. Quite the opposite.

 

[Radioguy41]

God I hope they can hang on. I don't even want to think about trying to teach Grandma how to access a streaming service. She has trouble just remembering how to get to the guide. I'll end up in the psych ward!