Hughes Network is a subsidiary of EchoStar and thus could be protected by EchoStar’s financial strength. But there is no guarantee, and a statement from Hughes stresses “we currently do not have the necessary cash on hand” to pay off debts [and] “substantial doubt exists about our ability to continue as a going concern.” In Q1, Hughes reported a net loss of $7.6 million.

Hughes financial troubles come about because of major losses in subscribers who seem to be switching to Starlink. HughesNet reported that its subscribers were at 681,000, down from 1.56 million in December 2020, of which about 1.19 million were US customers, including retail and enterprise users.

HughesNet has lost about 100,000 subscribers each year since late 2020. The trend continued in Q1 2026, with the subscriber count decreasing by about 20 per cent year over year from 853,000. That’s a 57 per cent collapse in five and a half years — and the company is now openly questioning whether it can survive.

In a November 2025 SEC filing, HughesNet’s parent company EchoStar also admitted it lacked the cash or projected cash flows to meet obligations over the following twelve months — language that triggers a formal “substantial doubt” going-concern warning. The immediate pressure point: a $1.5 billion debt obligation maturing in August 2026.

That problem might be solved now that EchoStar’s capacity sale to AT&T and SpaceX has been approved by regulators.

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Categories: Articles, Business, Results

Tags: Echostar, Hughes