New equipment if Dish absorbs them?
Think the merger talks has failed already, TPG started talking talking with Dish in January, nothing since, no rumors, nothing.
Dish would be smart to wait, DirecTV is losing about 1.6-2 million subs a year ( estimated) and that will get worse after Sunday Ticket is gone, get a much better deal if they wait.
Also ( and this is not political, just repeating what Dish has said) that they do not think it will get approved under the current administration, unless they can show the government that one will go out of business without a merger.
In about 2-3 years, it will be impossible for DirecTV to turn things around and who else would want to buy a failing Satellite Company that has maybe 2 years left.
Math-if they are losing 1.6 million a year and it does not increase ( it will), in 5 years, that is 8 million gone and they only have about 10 Million Satellite Subs left.
Dish does not lose as many subs, if DirecTV’s losses increase after Sunday Ticket is gone, Dish should have more Satellite Subs then DirecTV in about 2-3 years.