AT&T Aquires some DISH Spectrum

[Scott Greczkowski]

https://about.att.com/story/2025/echostar.html

 

[Yespage]

Investment in critical U.S. communications infrastructure supercharges AT&T's converged connectivity leadership strategy and furthers goal of becoming the best connectivity provider in America

So a manager wrote that?

$23 billion? That knocks Echostar's +/- down to $7 billion in debt. I also thought Dish couldn't sell the spectrum. I assume that means Echostar's stock will pop.

*looks*

WOW! It popped, up nearly 100%.

 

[navychop]

Again, "subject to regulatory approval."

 

[MikeD-C05]

Again, "subject to regulatory approval."

Considering the FCC chairman Carr is trying to force Charlie into giving up spectrum willingly, it should go right through. Regardless of what ever the administration rule was prior to this year.

 

[navychop]

To AT&T? Or to LEO and MEO communications satellites?

 

[Juan]

Considering the FCC chairman Carr is trying to force Charlie into giving up spectrum willingly, it should go right through. Regardless of what ever the administration rule was prior to this year.

Ehhh..no

 

[nelson61]

Current licenses values as carried on the books. The 6 and 3 MHz licences are involved in the AT&T deal

 

[EarDemon]

Well, that came sooner than I expected, it was inevitable, but I thought it would be another year or two.

And here I was about to go back to the Boost Store this weekend, to attempt the activate service on an eSIM of my unlocked Pixel 10 XL that will be arriving in a day or two. Since they carry Pixel phones now, I was going to give it another shot. Guess I won't be doing that now.

I'm never in favor of less competition, but T-Mobile and Sprint needed to combine forces and the thought of a fourth nationwide provider was a pipe dream. While each provider seems to count their number of subscribers differently, when you have three big players with well over 100 million each, and #4 with less than 10 million, there is no reality where that 4th​ provider will survive.

The market has decided. There was never going to be anymore more than 2 DBS providers, there was never going to be more than 2 mobile operating systems, there was never going to be more than two GPU manufacturers, there's never going to be more than 3 nationwide MNOs.

Turning an MVNO into a semi MNO and losing subscribers in the process takes a special kind of stupid. I am a firm believer in you miss 100% of the shot you don't take, but this whole Dish Wireless was halfa$$ed from day one. It was nothing more than Charlie inflating his own Rocky Mountain sized ego wanting to become the king of wireless.

For all of Charlie's war cries about 'caring for the rural subscriber', he didn't seem to do a very good job of selling to Boost to rural subscribers. Boost Stores remained in the ghetto behind windows with bars on them, no one and I mean no one in the rural communities in my neck of the woods has even heard of Boost, some don't even realize Dish is even still in business.

The additional DoD will be huge for AT&T, not sure what to make of the n71 part of the deal. Between this, the ripping out of all of the Nokia crap and 4.9, AT&T is going to be a force to be reckoned within a few years.

 

[rocatman]

https://about.att.com/story/2025/echostar.html

https://about.att.com/story/2025/echostar.html

Will this deal make it more likely that Dish will acquire DirecTV or at least their satellite assets?

 

[HipKat]

Well, that came sooner than I expected, it was inevitable, but I thought it would be another year or two.

And here I was about to go back to the Boost Store this weekend, to attempt the activate service on an eSIM of my unlocked Pixel 10 XL that will be arriving in a day or two. Since they carry Pixel phones now, I was going to give it another shot. Guess I won't be doing that now.

I'm never in favor of less competition, but T-Mobile and Sprint needed to combine forces and the thought of a fourth nationwide provider was a pipe dream. While each provider seems to count their number of subscribers differently, when you have three big players with well over 100 million each, and #4 with less than 10 million, there is no reality where that 4th​ provider will survive.

The market has decided. There was never going to be anymore more than 2 DBS providers, there was never going to be more than 2 mobile operating systems, there was never going to be more than two GPU manufacturers, there's never going to be more than 3 nationwide MNOs.

Turning an MVNO into a semi MNO and losing subscribers in the process takes a special kind of stupid. I am a firm believer in you miss 100% of the shot you don't take, but this whole Dish Wireless was halfa$$ed from day one. It was nothing more than Charlie inflating his own Rocky Mountain sized ego wanting to become the king of wireless.

For all of Charlie's war cries about 'caring for the rural subscriber', he didn't seem to do a very good job of selling to Boost to rural subscribers. Boost Stores remained in the ghetto behind windows with bars on them, no one and I mean no one in the rural communities in my neck of the woods has even heard of Boost, some don't even realize Dish is even still in business.

The additional DoD will be huge for AT&T, not sure what to make of the n71 part of the deal. Between this, the ripping out of all of the Nokia crap and 4.9, AT&T is going to be a force to be reckoned within a few years.

It doesn't really look like much is changing with Boost, if I'm reading it right, which already runs on AT&T Towers

https://ir.echostar.com/news-releases/news-release-details/echostar-announces-spectrum-sale-and-hybrid-mobile-network

 

[EarDemon]

Ditching their low band spectrum and their mid band DoD sure sounds like a lot is changing to me. Their best spectrum for range and their best best spectrum for capacity are both going to AT&T, that leaves n66 and n70 and some other scraps.

From what has been going around, the Dish native network will either be fully decommissioned at some point in 2026 or Boost will become a hybrid provider similar to what US Cellular was, very little native coverage, with AT&T roaming. There will be no more new sites being deployed.

When it's all said and done, in all likelihood Dish Wireless will cease to exist as it is now and Boost will be an MVNO for AT&T with T-Mobile has back up. If you have your heart set on access to the AT&T network, there are better ways than dealing with the second rate jokers at Dish, If you want an AT&T MVNO, you are probably better off going to US Mobile's Darkstar instead of Boost. If you qualify for FirstNet, you are much better off with that versus Boost.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Will this deal make it more likely that Dish will acquire DirecTV or at least their satellite assets?

AT&T no longer has anything to do with DIRECTV.

 

[Yespage]

It is odd (fishy?) that Dish launches the Boost promotion right before they sell the spectrum licenses. But it isn't like they sign you into a contract. So Boost is now the nation's fourth or fifth largest kind of cell company, when it was supposed to provide competition to allow a merger of two other cell companies.

Dish was able to build out a 5G network, but in Dish fashion, their advertising for it was abysmal and their attempts to monetize their spectrum with private venture relationships appeared to not work, as 5G has become somewhat of a bust. So Dish sells the spectrum, of which it isn't certain that is even legal (but I don't think the FCC has said anything and the hens have long since been eaten), to demote a service that'll likely be absorbed by AT&T down the road.

This appears to leave Echostar with their antiquated Dish Network and underperforming Sling service. So, they are back to much less debt, but future options appear to be limited.

They still looking at the celestial low-orbit internet?

 

[Radioguy41]

Ditching their low band spectrum and their mid band DoD sure sounds like a lot is changing to me. Their best spectrum for range and their best best spectrum for capacity are both going to AT&T, that leaves n66 and n70 and some other scraps.

From what has been going around, the Dish native network will either be fully decommissioned at some point in 2026 or Boost will become a hybrid provider similar to what US Cellular was, very little native coverage, with AT&T roaming. There will be no more new sites being deployed.

When it's all said and done, in all likelihood Dish Wireless will cease to exist as it is now and Boost will be an MVNO for AT&T with T-Mobile has back up. If you have your heart set on access to the AT&T network, there are better ways than dealing with the second rate jokers at Dish, If you want an AT&T MVNO, you are probably better off going to US Mobile's Darkstar instead of Boost. If you qualify for FirstNet, you are much better off with that versus Boost.

Wow, talk about fairytale logic! Decomissioned by 2026!? I've read some nonsense by Dish haters before but this one takes the cake. I'm not going to waste time picking it all apart, that would take too long, but it once again begs the question, what compels you Dish haters to constantly rant about a network you don't use? I have a Farmall tractor but I don't feel compelled to join the John Deere forum so I can rant about their tractors. Sheesh.

Linked below is a map based on FCC data showing Boosts native tower coverage. Be aware the data it's based on is from Dec 2024 so it's nearly a year old. The network has grown since then. Note virtually every major city (highest concentration of population) is fully covered. That's how you build out a brand new from the ground up network.

The fact that Echostar's stock jumped 74% after the announcement should be a clue to how wrong you are. Just to dot the i, the spectrum is being sold for $9B more than Dish paid for it. Remind me again how Charley doesn't know what he's doing?

Dish Cell Coverage Map - Signal Strength & Availability

 

[Yespage]

Wow, talk about fairytale logic! Decomissioned by 2026!? I've read some nonsense by Dish haters before but this one takes the cake. I'm not going to waste time picking it all apart, that would take too long, but it once again begs the question, what compels you Dish haters to constantly rant about a network you don't use? I have a Farmall tractor but I don't feel compelled to join the John Deere forum so I can rant about their tractors. Sheesh.

Linked below is a map based on FCC data showing Boosts native tower coverage. Be aware the data it's based on is from Dec 2024 so it's nearly a year old. The network has grown since then. Note virtually every major city (highest concentration of population) is fully covered. That's how you build out a brand new from the ground up network.

But if Boost has no spectrum in 5G to broadcast, aren't they just using AT&T's signal network, whether Boost owns the cell tower or not? All Boost seems to have now is a telecommunications protocol that works on a 5G signal network (and a built out cell tower system).

Initially, I was under the impression they sold a portion of their spectrum. It seems like they sold all the meat... and bones.

The fact that Echostar's stock jumped 74% after the announcement should be a clue to how wrong you are. Just to dot the i, the spectrum is being sold for $9B more than Dish paid for it. Remind me again how Charley doesn't know what he's doing?

If this flies, it is a coup of sorts. But I'm not certain what Echostar is left with here... and the prospect of companies selling licenses at a mark up seems against the spirit of the auction.

 

[EarDemon]

I think you are in denial.

Without the two biggest assets of the network, low band and high quality midband, what is left for the native Boost network? Realistically what will the network be like? It will be severely gimped and the remaining spectrum will most likely be sold off.

On the Sneed Mobile Tech live show last night, this was the entire topic of discussion. I believe there was someone who was involved in network buildout in the chat and confirmed there will be no more sites coming online

Dish Wireless is done, the Boost name will live on as an AT&T MVNO. Whether you care to accept that as the most likely end result is up to you.

 

[Nebugeater]

It is odd (fishy?) that Dish launches the Boost promotion right before they sell the spectrum licenses.

It is almost guaranteed that the team putting the promo together did not know the details of the sale negotiation. Also, why would you not move forward with the promo plan with no guarantee that a sale would be completed, even if some did know about the negotiation?