AT&T circling DISH

[legion125]

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 30 January 2012

 

Here's another move by AT&T showing its interest in DISH. Looks like a network hosting deal with Sprint is looking to be nonexistent.

 

http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/att-circling-dish-carrier-argues-against-restrictions-dishs-spectrum/2012-01-30

[ericdabbs]

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 30 January 2012

 

I hope this does not happen. I would love to have Sprint have some sort of network hosting revenue deal to take advantage of its new towers now that LS2 is most likely out of the picture. I would hate to have ATT benefit from getting additional spectrum. Their actions with the proposed Tmobile merger have rubbed me the wrong way and the fact that ATT was the first carrier to go to tiered data plans and eliminate all texting options except for $20 unlimited texting for single lines.

[pyroscott]

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 30 January 2012

 

Looks like posturing by ATT. They are trying to make Dish want to sell them the spectrum.

 

"We suspect that [AT&T's] interest in seeing the FCC impose LightSquared-like buildout requirements on Dish has little to do with the public interest, and much more to do with [AT&T's] interest increasing its negotiating leverage, when it comes to a potential transaction negotiation with Dish," Credit Suisse analyst Jonathan Chaplin wrote in a research note. "Why? Because onerous buildout requirements could increase Dish's interest in selling/dealing its spectrum."

 

Looks like ATT are trying to get the FCC to put requirements on building out the network at a minimum pace, which would give Dish additional incentive to sell the spectrum to ATT. I hope Dish tells ATT to pound sand for trying to push them into a sale.

[S4GRU]

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 30 January 2012

 

Another Dish/AT&T article is on my To Do List. Thanks for getting the conversation started here in the forums!

[legion125]

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 31 January 2012

 

It will be interesting to see how Ergan plays this, he's a shrewd dealer. If he wants out of the business, I could see him making DISH a part of the deal, which may include the Echostar hardware component. I don't think he just wants to sell the spectrum so either way, he will drive a hard bargain and AT&T will pay dearly for whatever it gets.