EchoStar

DISH & Sling Q2 2026: Large Subscriber Losses

EchoStar Corporation reported second-quarter 2026 results showing continuing subscriber declines across its pay-TV, wireless and broadband businesses, while reported profitability was driven largely by a one-time accounting gain. Total revenue for Q2 was $3.58 billion. Net income attributable to EchoStar was $8.46 billion, primarily due to an approximate $9.73 billion non-cash gain on deconsolidation; adjusted net income would be about $49.46 million. Pay-TV net subscribers fell ~241,000 in the quarter (ending with 6.39 million pay-TV customers: 4.68M DISH TV and 1.71M Sling TV). Consolidated OIBDA rose to $683.5 million and capital expenditures dropped to $92.3 million. The report highlights ongoing cord-cutting pressures for traditional and hybrid pay-TV providers.

Hughes Subsidiaries File Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

Hughes Satellite Systems Corporation and several U.S. subsidiaries, including Hughes Network Systems, LLC, filed voluntary Chapter 11 petitions on 2026-08-03 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas (Houston Division). The filing seeks to facilitate financial and operational reorganization to address maturing secured and unsecured debt, strengthen capital structure, and accelerate a shift toward enterprise, government, and defense business. Hughes said it will continue serving customers, seek customary first-day orders to maintain ordinary-course operations, and use existing cash while negotiating with bondholders and stakeholders on a reorganization plan. EchoStar Corporation, Hughes’ international subsidiaries, and EchoStar’s non-Hughes businesses (including DISH TV, Sling TV, and Boost Mobile) are not part of the Chapter 11 proceedings. Legal counsel and advisors named include White & Case LLP, FTI Consulting, and claims agent Epiq Corporate Restructuring.

EchoStar Completes Spectrum Sale to AT&T

EchoStar, the parent company of DISH, has closed its sale of wireless spectrum licenses to AT&T. The transaction, first announced in August 2025 and approved by the FCC in May 2026, is valued at roughly $23 billion and transfers nationwide spectrum including about 30 MHz of 3.45 GHz mid-band and about 20 MHz of 600 MHz low-band to AT&T. EchoStar framed the deal as part of efforts to resolve FCC inquiries about its 5G rollout; chairman Charlie Ergen highlighted EchoStar’s Open RAN deployment and milestone compliance. AT&T said it will use the spectrum to boost 5G capacity, download speeds, and to support an "AI-ready" connected experience. AT&T also referenced the transaction in its Q2 earnings commentary and reiterated financial outlook and capital return plans through 2028.