Elon Musk, in a Tweet on X, says he will “blast away the dead [cellular] zones,” helped by a launch on August 31st which added 26 Starlink satellites suitable for handling calls direct–to–cellular (DTC). The latest batch takes the number of DTC satellites to 168, with another launch likely later this week. However, waiting in […]

US satellite operator EchoStar has not had the best of weeks. August 12th saw the company report revenue had fallen by 9.3 per cent and a net loss of $205.6 million (from a profit during the same period last year of $212.7 million). Its share price, already depressed, fell back by 6.1 per cent to […]

In reporting its Q2 results, EchoStar revealed its net pay-TV subscribers decreased by approximately 104,000 in the second quarter, compared to 294,000 in the year ago quarter. This included 6.07 million Dish TV subscribers (down from 6.26 million) and 2 million Sling TV subscribers (up from 1.92 million). The company posted a Q3 net loss […]

Dish Network, the troubled US satellite-TV provider with more than $20 billion (€18.3bn) in debt, is holding talks with some of its convertible holders about potential new financing, according to a Bloomberg report. Dish is said to have received financing offers from convertible noteholders to provide fresh capital tied to wireless spectrum held at a […]

DISH Network and Hughes Network Systems, both EchoStar companies, have unveiled a new bundled service offering that brings the power of DISH satellite TV together with Hughesnet satellite Internet to create what they describe as a superior solution in TV and Internet for rural America. With this bundle, they say that rural consumers – who […]

EchoStar, the Charlie Ergen-owned pay-TV and satellite operator, is struggling. CEO Hamid Akhavan told analysts in the company’s post-results call with analysts that the company has $1.98 billion (€1.84bn) of debt maturing in November 2024, and is forecasting negative cash flows for the remainder of the calendar year. Current trading is not helping. It reported […]

A report on EchoStar from analysts at Bond research specialist, Gimme Credit, looks at the newly-merged operation (with EchoStar absorbing DISH Network) and is blunt saying they expect the company to continue losing subscribers during 2024, which would lead to a decrease in revenue of around 6 per cent. The report expects EchoStar to be […]

James DeFranco, a co-founder with Charlie Ergen of the EchoStar/Dish satellite businesses, has paid $1.48 million buying shares in the company, and representing about 2.4 per cent of the share issue. DeFranco is a director of EchoStar, which now owns Dish Network. He paid an average of $13.48 per share. DeFranco bought 110,000 shares on […]

EchoStar-owned Hughes Network Systems has been selected by Cairo-based Nilesat for a local gateway which will use Nilesat’s 301 satellite. Hughes will supply one of its Jupiter Gateways and installation will begin shortly and be complete by the end of Q3. Commenting on the deal, Sameh Katta, Chairman/CEO of Nilesat, said: “The Nilesat vision is […]

EchoStar-owned Hughes Network Systems is supplying Kazakhstan with satellite equipment to help connect more than 200 villages throughout the country, and help bridge the ‘digital divide’. Kazakhstan’s Republican Center of Space Communication (RCSC), via the Ministry of Digital Development, is placing the order which calls for Hughes Jupiter System ground platforms. The order is being […]