Advanced Television

Echostar

Ergen explains “cash rich” future plans

EchoStar co-founder Charlie Ergen appeared at the Novaspace Paris World Space Business Week (WSBW) and, along with EchoStar CEO Hamid Akhavan, explained his strategy for delegates. “We are going to be an asset-light, growth company,” Akhavan told a press conference at WSBW. “That’s the forced pivot that we had to make by disposing of our […]

September 16, 2025By Chris Forrester

Can Starlink disrupt the US Cellular sector?

The US cellular businesses of AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile have had their market presence threatened if not actually dented by the recent moves by EchoStar and Musk’s Starlink. The move by EchoStar in selling off large chunks of spectrum to AT&T (for terrestrial) and Starlink (for satellite) has put the whole sector under the microscope. […]

September 15, 2025

Bank: “There could be more to come from EchoStar”

Analysts at investment bank TD Cowen have issued a note to clients saying that positive news from EchoStar could continue to flow. “EchoStar still owns the highly lucrative 700 and AWS-3 spectrum, in which we note that all three wireless carriers have a robust ecosystem,” TD Cowen analyst Gregory Williams wrote in a note for […]

September 15, 2025

FCC ends EchoStar investigation

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has been something of a thorn in the side of Charlie Ergen’s EchoStar, and frequently complaining that EchoStar’s use of its wholly-owned 5G cellular spectrum was inadequate. The past month has seen EchoStar agree a $17 billion deal to sell wireless spectrum to Elon Musk’s SpaceX as well as a […]

September 10, 2025By Chris Forrester

EchoStar sells spectrum to SpaceX; quits LEO plan

It seems that Charlie Ergen and EchoStar have decided to trim – if not exit – the satellite direct-to-consumer market. It is selling its AWS-4 and H-Block licences (c. 50MHz of spectrum) to SpaceX for $17 billion (€14.5bn), with up to $8.5 billion in cash and $8.5 billion in Starlink equity. SpaceX will also assume […]

September 8, 2025By Chris Forrester

EchoStar’s Boost Mobile lays off 500

EchoStar’s decision to sell capacity to cellular giant AT&T and its decision to become a virtual operator for its Boost Mobile 5G service has led to lay-offs for Boost staffers. An EchoStar spokesperson says there are no changes in store for the Boost Mobile brand, which will essentially become an MVNO using AT&T’s network. However, […]

September 4, 2025By Chris Forrester

Bank: Praises AT&T over spectrum deal

Analysts at investment bank BNP-Paribas have welcomed the $23 billion (€19.6bn) agreement from US cellular giant AT&T to acquire spectrum from EchoStar. But the bank says it is not the best news for cable operators. “Overall, we see this as a good deal for AT&T and the wireless industry in general, and a small negative […]

September 1, 2025

Could Musk or T-Mobile buy EchoStar spectrum?

The news that AT&T is paying some $23 billion (€19.8bn) for terrestrial cellular spectrum to EchoStar has alerted many analysts to the implied value of EchoStar’s remaining telephony spectrum. Reports are numerous that both Elon Musk – who has long coveted EchoStar satellite spectrum – and AT&T rival T-Mobile could be next in line for […]

August 28, 2025

EchoStar sells spectrum to AT&T for $23bn

Pay-TV operator EchoStar is selling $23 billions-worth (€19.8bn) of terrestrial spectrum designed to improve 5G and home Internet access. AT&T and EchoStar have also agreed to enhance their long-term wholesale network services agreement, enabling EchoStar to operate as a hybrid mobile network operator providing wireless service under EchoStar’s Boost Mobile brand. AT&T will be the […]

August 27, 2025By Chris Forrester

EchoStar needs to act swiftly on launch plans

Charlie Ergen’s EchoStar has signed a $1.3 billion (€1.1bn) initial contract with Canada-based MDA Space to build 100 or so low Earth orbiting ‘MDA Aurora’ satellites for its proposed global Direct-to-Device scheme, addressing a potential “350 million Americans” and “more than 7 billion additional people globally”. EchoStar says the total cost of its initial constellation […]

August 11, 2025