The company was originally established as EchoStar Communications, and first launched its satellite television services under the DISH Network brand in 1996, utilizing its EchoStar I satellite. In 2007, EchoStar spun off its television business as DISH Network Corporation, with the satellite technology and infrastructural assets remaining under EchoStar. Both companies would remain under the control of EchoStar's co-founder Charlie Ergen.
After the spin-off, the company pursued further acquisitions and business initiatives, including acquiring video rental chain Blockbuster in an attempt to compete with Netflix, releasing a new set-topdigital video recorder (DVR) with the controversial ability to automatically skip commercials in recordings. In 2015, the company launched over-the-topIPTV services via the new subsidiary Sling TV. In 2020, the company acquired the mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) Boost Mobile from Sprint Corporation as part of its merger with T-Mobile US, announcing an intent to develop a national 5G network in order to supplant Sprint as a fourth major carrier.
In 2023, DISH Network was merged back into EchoStar in an all-stock transaction.
History
Original logo as EchoStar Communications used from 1980 to 2007.Dish Network brand logo used by EchoStar from 2000–2005.
Founding, early growth and launch of DBS services
The company was formed in 1980 as EchoStar Communications by Charlie Ergen, Candy Ergen, and Jim DeFranco, as a distributor of C-band satellite television systems.[2] In 1987, EchoStar applied for a satellite televisionbroadcast license with the FCC and was granted access to orbital slot 119° west longitude in 1992.[citation needed] A year after the launch of its first satellite, EchoStar I,[3] EchoStar launched its DBS broadcast services under the DISH Network name on March 4, 1996.[1] That launch marked the beginning of its television services under a subscription business model.[citation needed]
Spin-off of infrastructural assets
In January 2007, EchoStar Communications completed the corporate spin-off of its technology and infrastructure assets into a separate company under the EchoStar name, and the remainder of the company was renamed DISH Network Corporation.[4][5][6][7]
Acquisitions and expansion
Joseph Clayton became president and chief executive officer of the company in June 2011, while Charlie Ergen remained chairman.[8] Clayton remained in the position until March 31, 2015, when he retired, leaving Ergen to resume the post.[9][10] In December 2017, Ergen was replaced by Erik Carlson.[11] That same year, DISH Network spent over $3 billion in acquisitions of companies in bankruptcy,[12] This included the April 6, 2011, purchase of Blockbuster in a bankruptcy auction for $322 million in cash and the assumption of $87 million in liabilities.[13][14][15] DISH Network also acquired DBSD and TerreStar Corporation.[12]
In September 2011, DISH would leverage Blockbuster's existing video on-demand and DVD-by-mail services as part of a new offering known as "Blockbuster Movie Pass"—an add-on for DISH Network television service incorporating movie channels, access to Blockbuster On Demand, and DVD-by-mail with unlimited in-store exchanges. The offering was positioned as a competitor to Netflix, and Redbox, with Blockbuster having touted that it received new releases for rental sooner than its competitors due to agreements they had reached requiring a 28-day delay.[16][12][17] DISH Network also made a bid to purchase Hulu in October 2011, but Hulu's owners chose not to sell the company.[18]
At the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show, DISH Network announced it would shorten its trade name to "DISH", to emphasize new developments such as its Hopper DVR and broadband services.[27]
After changing the position of a satellite orbital position from being over Mexico to Brazil in 2011, DISH sought companies that could make a deal, among them Telefónica. However, nothing ever came of this, and DISH decided to enter the country itself. According to the Brazilian Agency of Telecommunications (Anatel), they awaited the authorization of the application.[28] In June 2019, nonetheless, DISH TV accepted to resign its satellite exploration rights assigned to EchoStar and thus ending the possibility of entering the Brazilian market.[29]
In 2019, EchoStar transferred the portion of its business which managed and provided broadcast satellite services, referred to as the BSS (Broadcast Satellite Services) business, to DISH to concentrate on broadband services and other initiatives.[31]
Logo used by DISH Wireless prior to its discontinuance as a distinct brand.
In 2019, as part of the merger of Sprint Corporation and T-Mobile US, DISH reached an agreement to acquire Sprint's prepaid wireless businesses, including Boost Mobile, in order to quell antitrust concerns. After the merger was approved by the Justice Department, DISH stated that it intended to supplant Sprint as a fourth major national wireless carrier, and had committed to building out a 5G network serving at least 70% of the U.S. population by June 2023. As part of the agreement, DISH would receive access to the T-Mobile network for seven years while it builds out its 5G-specific network.[32][33] The $1.4 billion sale was completed on July 1, 2020.[34]
With this purchase it officially launched its wireless business, DISH Wireless, offering prepaid service through the Boost brand as an MVNO on the T-Mobile network.[32] DISH stated intentions to offer branded postpaid service in the future with the build-out of their own network.[32]
DISH purchased Ting Mobile from Tucows on August 1, 2020,[35]Republic Wireless on March 8, 2021,[36][37] and Gen Mobile on September 1, 2021.[38] On July 19, 2021, DISH announced a 10-year, non-exclusive agreement with AT&T Mobility for 4G and 5G roaming on its network, accompanying the existing T-Mobile agreement. The $5 billion deal also includes sharing of DISH wireless spectrum with AT&T.[39]
In May 2022, DISH Wireless began to launch its self-developed 5G network, codenamed "Project Genesis", in Las Vegas; the company stated that it planned to serve at least 120 cities by the June 2023 deadline.[40] In June 2022, DISH announced it had met a milestone requiring it to provide coverage to 20% of the U.S. population by June 2022.[41] In December 2022, DISH Wireless launched a postpaid service under the spin-off brand Boost Infinite.[42] In June 2023, the company announced that it had met the requirement to provide coverage to 70% of the U.S. population by June 14, 2023.[43]
EchoStar merger
In August 2023, EchoStar announced that it would acquire DISH Network in an all-stock purchase, undoing their previous split. The acquisition, which was completed December 31, 2023, was part of an effort to bolster the company's wireless business, with Ergen stating that it would allow them to offer "an enhanced consumer connectivity business". As Ergen already held 90% of the voting stock in both companies, the FCC considered the "acquisition" to be a reorganization of assets with no change in effective control.[44][45]
In July 2024, amid declines in subscribers, Boost Mobile underwent a relaunch with an updated brand identity, and Boost Infinite merged into the Boost Mobile business as part of a new plan lineup.[46] EchoStar began referring to its 5G wireless network as the "Boost Mobile Network" and discontinued its usage of the DISH Wireless brand.[47]
Proposed acquisition by DirecTV
On September 30, 2024, DirecTV announced its intent to acquire DISH Network, under an arrangement under which TPG Inc. will acquire the remaining stake of DirecTV it does not already own from AT&T, and then acquire DISH Network's video business from Echostar for $1 while assuming its net debt. The combined company will have a total of approximately 20 million television subscribers. DirecTV stated that it had no plans for any changes to the DISH or SlingTV services following the purchase. The sale comes amid declines in both services' customer bases amid cord-cutting and other factors. EchoStar CEO Hamid Akhavan stated that the agreement would allow the company to place a larger focus on expanding its wireless Boost Mobile network.[48] In November, DirecTV abandoned the deal due to opposition from EchoStar's bondholders.[49]
DISH and its subsidiaries have faced legal action for some of its questionable practices, including fines for telemarketing tactics such as failure to disclose fees with full transparency.[50][51][52][53] In 2012, DISH and a group of the United States' major television networks filed lawsuits over "AutoHop", a feature in its recently-released Hopper set-top boxes that allowed users to detect and automatically skip commercials in their recordings.[54][55] DISH later reached agreements with ABC, CBS, and Fox, under which it agreed to disable the feature for a certain window of time after a program's first airing.[56][57][58]
In 2023 DISH was fined $150,000 by the FCC for failing to de-orbit its EchoStar VII satellite according to the terms of its license; this was the first fine ever issued to a company over the matter of "space debris".[59]
Removal of regional sports programming
Dish Network has always refused to carry some of the higher-priced regional sports networks, most notably AT&T SportsNet Southwest, YES Network, and Spectrum SportsNet, which have never been available on Dish. The contract of the entire MSG Network had ended on October 1, 2010, early; CSN New England was dropped on August 6, 2014.[60] In July 2019, Dish removed the entire slate of Fox Sports Networks channels (which have since been twice re-branded first as Bally Sports and then FanDuel Sports Network[61]).[62] This was the beginning of a trend with Altitude being removed in August and NBC Sports Chicago in October of that year.[63] On April 1, 2021, Dish removed the remaining NBC Sports Regional Networks and the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network. Dish Network president Brian Neylon commented that "The current RSN model is fundamentally broken,” stating that he was in favor of offering the networks as an a la carte service.[64] Six months later on October 1, 2021, Dish removed the entire AT&T SportsNet network of channels.[65][66] In 2022, Dish, alongside Sling made The Walt Disney Company pull their programming from the services. This was only temporary, as they got brought back later. They had previously been pulled from YouTube TV in 2021, and were pulled from Spectrum for ten days in early-September 2023.
The last remaining regional sports network, NESN, was removed from DISH on December 20, 2021.[67]
2023 ransomware attack
In February 2023, Dish Network suffered a major ransomware attack which resulted in internal outages, loss of service at subsidiary companies such as Boost Mobile, and data theft.[68] The company had to retain outside experts to resolve the issue, and the news caused a slide in the company's share price to a 14-year-low.[69][70] Service outages lasted for more than a month, with customers reporting wait times for customer service stretching to more than 14 hours.[71] In the aftermath of the ransomware attack, Dish Network was criticized for lack of transparency or communication with its customers.[72]
DISH's main service is satellite television and its offerings are comparable to other satellite and cable companies. Viewers can choose from a series of service bundles, paying more money for more channels. A la carte programming is available, however limited to premium channels such as HBO or Showtime. The company is currently working on diversifying its offerings. With its purchase of Blockbuster LLC, DISH owns the Blockbuster trademarks and has used its intellectual property agreement to offer streaming and mail-order video services.
On September 27, 2012, DISH Network announced a satellite broadband service called DishNET, aimed at rural areas where cable is often not available.[74]
OnTech Smart Services
DISH launched the direct-to-consumer smart home technology brand OnTech Smart Services in 2019; initially available in 11 metropolitan areas, the brand offers smart home devices and installation services.[75]
Blockchain and cryptocurrency
DISH has been described as the first large company to accept cryptocurrency and being “comfortable with cryptocurrency”. The company has accepted Bitcoin since 2014. Four years later it began accepting Bitcoin Cash. In September 2021, it announced a partnership with Input Output Global (formerly known as IOHK) to build subscription services based on the Cardano blockchain.[76] The following month it set up a system to expand 5G mobile network through customers using the Citizens Broadband Radio Service with rewards paid in cryptocurrency.[77]
Charitable causes
Falcon 9 Rocket Booster opened for general public at Dish Network's Littleton, CO office is a type of reusable rocket that SpaceX used for repeated launches[78]
Both a standard receiver and a receiver with built-in digital video recorder (DVR) were available to subscribers.[83] The DISH Network ViP722 HD DVR replacement for the ViP622 received generally positive reviews.[84] It could record up to 350 hours of standard-definition (SD) broadcasts, or 55 hours of high-definition (HD). These set-top boxes (STBs) allow for HD on the primary TV and SD on the secondary TV (TV2) without a secondary box on TV2.
Receivers and devices
Earlier satellite dishes
DISH Network's first satellite antenna was simply called the "DISH Network" dish. It was retroactively named the "DISH 300" when legal and satellite problems forced delays of the forthcoming DISH 500 systems. It uses one LNB to obtain signals from the 119°W orbital location,[85] and was commonly used as a second dish to receive additional high-definition or international programming from either the 148°W or 61.5°W orbital locations.[86][87] The 119°W slot is one of two primary orbital locations, the other being 110°W, that provide core services.[88][89]
Tailgater
The Tailgater is a portable satellite antenna; the tailgater can be purchased as a standalone device for $350. The Tailgater is compatible with the Wally and VIP211 receivers. Customers only need to pay for the period of time where the receiver is active on the account, the monthly cost for a Vip211 or Wally is $7 per month, if the receiver is the only one on the account, there is no charge.[90] It weighs ten pounds, is protected from weather, and automatically searches for a signal. The only satellites that are currently compatible with the Tailgater are at DISH's 119 (SD/HD TV), 110 (SD/HD TV), and 129 (SD/HD TV) orbital slots.[91]
DISH HD, newest version used with the Hopper and Joey system
Hopper is a line of multi-tuner set-top boxes first introduced in 2012; they are digital video recorders that can be networked with accompanying "Joey" set-top boxes for multi-room access to recordings. DISH Network subsequently introduced updated versions of the Hopper, including Hopper with Sling (which adds integrated placeshifting capabilities), the Hopper 3, and the Hopper Plus [92] which features 4K support and 16 tuners. Hopper supports a voice-activated remote,[93][94][95][96][97][98] as well as Amazon Echo and Google Home integration.[99][100]
Apps
DISH Anywhere
DISH Anywhere is DISH's subscriber-only streaming video service. The DISH Anywhere app combines Sling broadcast technology and internet to bring subscribers DISH content wherever they are.[101] It also pairs with DISH On Demand, a library that has over 80,000 movies and shows.[102]
As of late 2018, HBO and Cinemax were no longer available for DISH customers due to Contract disputes.[103] However, Dish returned HBO and Cinemax programming as of August 2021.[104]
In May 2012, DISH launched DISHWorld, a subscription-based over-the-topstreamingIPTV service, as an app on Roku devices, offering access to over 50 international television channels via broadband streaming.[105]
In 2014, DISH Network began to reach carriage deals with broadcasters for a new over-the-top service that would be aimed towards cord cutters as a low-cost alternative to traditional pay television.[106] On January 5, 2015, DISH Network officially unveiled Sling TV, an over-the-top IPTV service designed to complement subscription video on-demand services such as Hulu and Netflix.[107]
Some broadcasters have been hesitant about over-the-top services such as Sling TV, showing concern that they may undermine their carriage deals with larger conventional cable, satellite and Internet TV providers. Time Warner initially noted that the carriage of its channels on the service was only for a "trial" basis, while both Time Warner's CEO Jeffrey Bewkes and an analyst from the firm Macquarie Capital disclosed that current contract language in DISH's OTT carriage deals with the service's content distributors would cap the number of subscribers that the service is allowed to have at any given time to 5 million. Neither DISH Network or its content providers have confirmed any such cap.[108][109][110] As of January 2022, the service has reached 2.49 million subscribers.[111]
Satellite fleet
Until 2019, most of the satellites used by DISH Network were owned and operated by EchoStar Corporation. DISH frequently moves satellites among its many orbiting slots so this list may not be accurate. Refer to Lyngsat and DISH Channel Chart for detailed satellite information.
Can carry a limited number of services on odd numbered transponders. DISH is not licensed to serve CONUS customers in the United States from this location but may transmit local stations.
On 14 July 2008, EchoStar reported to the SEC that EchoStar II "experienced a substantial failure that appears to have rendered the satellite a total loss". Retired in mid-2008.
This satellite had a launch issue, is now in an inclined orbit and is not currently[when?] operational. It largely serves as a placeholder for EchoStar slots.
EchoStar V was moved from 110 to 129 and finally to 148. International programming at 148 has moved to Anik F3/118.75°. Locals have moved to spot beams at other locations. The satellite was to serve as a placeholder for EchoStar at the 148 slot. The satellite was experiencing stability issues that made signal levels unstable for the short time it was located at 148. On July 31, 2009, all remaining programming at 148 ceased. Factors now indicate discontinuation of the 148 slot, at least for the short term, 3–4 years.
Currently[when?] an on orbit spare. Provides DISH Network's spot beam services to the western United States, as well as Muzak programming to businesses on leased bandwidth.
Formerly at 110. On January 30, 2011, the satellite experienced a single event upset and drifted out of its intended orbit, this required all services to be relocated to other available satellite capacity in the Eastern Arc. One week later some services were restored, but the satellite is expected to be taken out of service again and replaced temporarily by EchoStar VI in order to conduct further testing.
Originally known as Rainbow 1, this satellite was launched by Cablevision/Rainbow DBS and used for the Voom DBS service at 61.5° W until the satellite and transponder licenses were sold to EchoStar in 2005. Renamed EchoStar 12 in March 2006. Currently only used for spot beam capabilities.
Replaced Echostar VII. EchoStar XIV launched on an International Launch Services Proton/Breeze M vehicle from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Resides at an altitude of 22,000 miles.
Customers use the 36 inch DISH 500+ or DISH 1000+ to receive this non-DBS, medium-powered signal. Anik F3 is leased by DISH from Telesat Canada to serve CONUS customers. It broadcasts on non-DBS FSS frequencies (~11.7–12.2 GHz) using circular polarity (the only satellite serving the United States in this mode). It permanently replaces AMC-16, which was temporarily placed at 118.75° W due to delays in Anik F3 production. AMC-16 moved back to 85° W when Anik F3 was fully operational. A primarily international satellite with international channels once on 61.5, 121, or 148.
Replaced EchoStar V at the 129°W orbital location. Owned by Canadian Ciel Satellite Group, DISH leases the entire bandwidth of the Ciel-2 satellite. Provides national HD programming and HD spot beam locals.
