AT&T and Dish: Rumor or Cage Rattling?
Posted by Steve Fravel on Wednesday, February 1, 2012 · 
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According to Credit Suisse analyst Stefan Anninger, a seven-page FCC exparte AT&T penned may be a strong indicator of the carrier’s interest in buying up the 40Mhz S-band spectrum currently controlled by Dish Network.
After separate bankruptcy proceedings last year, Dish Network now holds DBSD North America, Inc. and TerreStar Networks, Inc. and their satellite spectrum licenses. Dish recently petitioned the FCC for an ancillary terrestrial component waiver that it says it will use to provide a wireless-hybrid 4G LTE network. Read more
The LightSquared Week in Review
Posted by Steve Fravel on Sunday, January 29, 2012 · ·
Early last week, LightSquared announced that it had signed its 39th wholesale agreement, welcoming Telcom Ventures to the 4G LTE service. Telcom Ventures operates two services, Assist Wireless and New-Talk. Both services carry the FCC certification of Eligible Telecommunications Carrier (ETC), which allows them to provide lifeline services to low-income subscribers.
LightSquared‘s plans are currently on hold, waiting for approval from the FCC before it can begin operations with its wholesale partners. Read more
Dish and T-Mobile?
Posted by Steve Fravel on Monday, December 19, 2011 · ·
According to Dish Network CEO Joseph Clayton, if the AT&T/T-Mobile takeover fails, Dish Network would be interested in exploring some partnering arrangements with T-Mobile.
Earlier this year Dish Network acquired two satellite companies and their spectrum out of bankruptcy. Dish has “hinted” strongly that it intends to provide a more diverse offering that will include video, broadband and voice services. T-Mobile is one possible partner. Early in the fall, Dish Network had openly talked about pursuing a deal with Sprint or Clearwire intending to provide a satellite-terrestrial hybrid service. Read more
Dish Settles Sprint Bill
Posted by Steve Fravel on Monday, November 7, 2011 · ·
In filings at the FCC, Sprint Nextel had moved to block Dish Network’s application to provide nationwide mobile wireless LTE service over a hybrid satellite-terrestrial and fixed-broadband network using spectrum obtained via its acquisitions of TerreStar and DBSD, satellite carriers that Dish had successfully bid out of bankruptcy. Sprint’s objection centered on approximately $104 million in outstanding bandwidth payments owed to Sprint by both TerreStar and DBSD.
On Friday November 4, Dish Network settled the amount owed. The total amount paid to Sprint Nextel was not disclosed. Sprint now has withdrawn its objections to Dish Network’s plan.
This is a positive move for the second place satellite video provider. Dish Network recently released its third quarter subscriber information, noting a loss of 111,ooo subscribers. Dish also noted that revenues were up 12%; better than this time one year ago.
Dish Answers
Posted by Steve Fravel on Monday, October 31, 2011 · ·
Answering its opponents as much as filing reply comments in IB dockets 11-149 and 11-150, Dish Network made its case with the FCC and asked that the concerns raised by the various parties who had filed in opposition to its LTE plans be dismissed.
Briefly, this is what Dish Network has filed applications to do. (1) Approve the company’s applications to transfer control of DBSD and Terrestar spectrum licenses to Dish Network. (2) Grant Dish’s requested waiver and allow the modified ancillary terrestrial component authority, which will allow the company to only provide terrestrial service. (3) Waive the integrated service requirement and allow single-mode terrestrial devices on its proposed network. (4) Waive the FCC’s spare satellite mandate. (5) ”Harmonize” the TerreStar and DBSD regime to extend to the 2MHz MSS allocations previously granted to DBSD — in other words transfer DBSD’s allocations to Dish Network.
Dish Network indicates that all of these elements will allow for efficient and consistent use of the spectrum involved in support of a next- generation mobile broadband service, i.e. Dish’s plans for a 4G LTE network. Read more
Competitors Express Concern with Dish’s LTE Plans
Posted by Steve Fravel on Saturday, October 22, 2011 · ·
On August 22, Dish Network filed an application with the FCC requesting a waiver of its integrated service requirement in order to introduce single mode terrestrial device support over re-purposed satellite spectrum.
Dish’s intent is to utilize 2 gigahertz S-band satellite frequency to deploy a nationwide hybrid satellite-terrestrial and fixed-broadband network utilizing LTE (long term evolution) as its technology. Comments filed this past week on the FCC’s IB 11-149 and 11-150 dockets were mixed with some broadband providers expressing concern over potential interference issues.
Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile USA, MetroPCS and Globalstar each expressed general support for competition and expansion of available spectrum to broadband use. However, each noted specific concerns with Dish Network’s plan, concerning an array of issues including potential interference with PCS, inadequate descriptions of specific detail in Dish’s proposed new service and the need to impose conditions similar to those that have been placed on LightSquared as it works its way through the regulatory maze. Read more
Update: Hulu Bids
Posted by Steve Fravel on Tuesday, September 27, 2011 · ·
If the list of bidders in the proposed sale of Hulu are Google, Yahoo, Dish Network and Amazon, which company would you likely pick to have made the highest bid? If you selected Google you’d be correct, although there is a “but” after the price pledged. Google has placed conditions on the bid that may make it less attractive than the next largest bid. Read more