The latest move in the standoff between Softbank, Sprint, Dish Network and Clearwire has been made, as Dish stated today it will not submit another bid for Sprint. This comes after Sprint sued to stop Dish from buying Clearwire, which the satellite company called an attempt to deflect attention from its own unfair dealings. If you'll recall, Dish Network jumped in with a $25.5 billion offer to buy Sprint, but after Japanese carrier Softbank improved its proposal slightly, Sprint put Dish on a deadline to respond. That time limit expired today, and Dish is choosing to consider its options on Sprint, while focusing on completing the Clearwire deal. Dish cited some specific changes in the Softbank deal that made it impossible to meet the deadline, including higher break-up fees if the deal didn't go through. so what's next? Softbank's still waiting for FCC approval before it can go through with the acquisition, and reports it expects to close the deal in early July.

Filed under: Mobile, Sprint

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Source: Reuters, Bloomberg, Dish Network

In case it wasn't already obvious that Sprint sees Dish's attempt to buy Clearwire as rather rude, the carrier made its irritation perfectly clear today. Sprint just sent a letter to Clearwire's board of directors that claims the latest Dish buyout proposal violates Delaware laws relating to board control. Moreover, some of the proposal's terms would reportedly need Sprint's permission -- which, as you'd imagine, isn't exactly forthcoming. We've reached out to Dish for a response, although we're not expecting the satellite giant to simply accept Sprint's interpretation at face value. If Sprint is right, however, the objection could at least force Dish back to the drawing board.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Sprint

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Via: Wall Street Journal

Source: Sprint

Dish's interesting attempt to acquire its way into the wireless data business has taken another turn this evening, thanks to a new development in its bid for Clearwire. Dish upped its offer to $4.40 per share for all of the company's outstanding shares earlier this week, and the Clearwire board seems interested. Originally scheduled to take place Friday morning, the meeting is now set for June 13th so the board can discuss Dish's offer, and how it compares to Sprint's $2.2 billion / $3.40 per share bid for the 50 percent of Clearwire it does not yet own. The new bid is apparently more "actionable" than Dish's previous proposal, and could also complicate Softbank's attempt to acquire Sprint which Dish is also trying to intercept. Hit the links below for all the business details while we wait for the various bords and committees to figure out what happens to these companies next.

Filed under: Wireless, Mobile, Sprint

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While Dish Network's $25.5 billion bid for Sprint continues to wave in the breeze, the company has reported its earnings for the first quarter. Net subscriber growth only totaled 36,000 compared to 104,000 in the same period last year, as subscriber churn rose due to a price hike earlier this year. Its profits were lower in Q1 2013 than 2012 partially due to Blockbuster-related drops and a boost received last year from its DBSD purchase. (We're guessing higher content costs for things like AMC didn't help either.) A growing percentage of the 654,000 new customers it added got Hopper DVRs, which also raised costs a bit for the new set-top boxes and all those TV advertisements its been running. Even as it waits to add some terrestrial LTE to its "Seinfeld" wireless data strategy, the dishNET satellite broadband service added 66,000 customers in the quarter, up from from just 6,000 new customers in Q1 2012. We'll have to wait for the earnings call at noon to see if CEO Charlie Ergen has anything else to say about its battle with Softbank to buy Sprint, but all of the data is in the press release and slide below.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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Source: Dish Network Q1 2013 investor summary (PDF), Q1 Earnings

Dish rolled out a sizable update for its Anywhere iPad app today, allowing on the go socialites to share viewing habits with friends via Facebook and Twitter. Less socially-connected couch potatoes will see new features as well, like the ability to remotely reset their receiver whenever they find themselves in a pinch. Version 4.0.3 also ushers in an updated DVR schedule that includes Skipped and Conflicts, along with an Audio Only mode for Hopper users. Finally, Dish customers rocking unsupported satellite receivers now have access to On Demand programming. Looking for more information? Head on over to the source link below for all the details.

Filed under: Software, HD

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Source: iTunes

In the battle for Sprint's heart, Dish Network always seemed to be stuck in the "friend zone". That's not the case anymore, however, now that Dish has quietly lobbed an informal $25.5 billion offer to purchase the carrier. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that after Dish was knocked-back in its attempts to buy Clearwire, the satellite TV company scrounged together the cash to beat Softbank's multi billion dollar deal. If the bid is made formal, then Sprint's board will have to decide if Softbank's massive size and buckets of cash can be trumped by Dish's spectrum reserves, pay-TV business and ability to skip commercials in a breeze.

Update: Dish clarified on a conference call that its bid for Clearwire is still on the table for the company to consider even if it was turned down, and that the Sprint offer is not contingent on the carrier closing out its Clearwire purchase. Should the deal go through, the plan is to target underserved and rural customers, rather than competing with inner-city fiber-based services. Softbank may find itself beaten by the higher offer, but if Dish succeeds, the Japanese company would still hold around 5% of Sprint's shares.

Filed under: Cellphones, Home Entertainment, Wireless, HD, Mobile, Sprint

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Via: The Wall Street Journal

Source: Dish

Who knew that the greatest love triangle of the decade would involve the mobile industry's own Bella Swan, Clearwire? The network provider has accepted an $80 million loan from nailed-on suitor and sparkly vampire, Sprint, but Clear is still pondering a buyout offer from Jacob, sorry, Dish Network. The scuttlebutt around Forks the industry is that Dish will withdraw its bid after spurned by Clearwire one too many times -- but you never can tell with true love, or multi-billion business deals.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Sprint

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Source: Reuters, WSJ

Charlie Ergen, chairman and co-founder of Dish Network, was the keynote speaker on the first night of the D:Dive Into Media conference in Dana Point, California., and without question, he's going to be a tough act to follow. The hour-long conversation touched on everything from Ergen's expertise at the blackjack table to his belief that there are just two kinds of people in the world -- "those who get results, and those who make excuses" -- but host Peter Kafka dove right into the major issue at hand: the Hopper. Head on past the break for a rundown of the interview.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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Dish didn't quite make the January release target for the Hopper with Sling, but we'll take a slight delay for such a tangible upgrade. As of today, subscribers across the US can pick up the remote streaming DVR if they're willing to pay the $10 monthly whole-home DVR fee; new subscribers who pick at least the $50 Top 120 channel bundle won't have to pay anything up front for the 2TB set-top box. Of course, the real savings theoretically come from skipping the need for a discrete Slingbox -- instead, viewers only need the Dish Anywhere app to stream live and recorded shows, and they can travel with offline copies of their recordings through Hopper Transfers. If you're the sort to see TV as a pay once and watch anywhere service, the Sling-equipped Hopper might justify the longer wait.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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Source: Dish

If you ran Dish, how would you get extra leverage when fighting Sprint for control of Clearwire? Try to put SoftBank's acquisition of Sprint on ice, that's how. The satellite TV provider has asked the FCC to pause its review process over "unresolved contingencies" with Sprint's proposed buyout of Clearwire. Among the concerns, Dish warns that Sprint might not get full control of Clearwire or its spectrum, skewing the final value of the takeover, and that approval of the SoftBank-Sprint union might give the combined entity an unfair edge. Dish also makes a case for preserving wireless competition, but the company is still fairly conspicuous in its ultimate aims -- it wants a better shot at buying Clearwire, or at least to eke some LTE-friendly spectrum out of Sprint before SoftBank can move in. Just filing a request isn't a guarantee of action, however, and it's likely that Sprint will push back against any attempts to derail what's likely its deal of the decade.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Sprint

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Via: Bloomberg

Source: FCC (PDF)

Surprise news this afternoon as Clearwire announced it's received an acquisition offer from Dish Network, even though Sprint was already on the hook to snap up the company for $2.2 billion. According to the press release (included after the break), a special committee of the Clearwire Board of Director's has decided to negotiate with dish based on its proposal, although it has not changed its recommendation of the current Sprint transaction.

Predictably, Sprint is not taking the news well, producing a series of bullet points (also in the release) about why Clearwire can't and / or shouldn't sell to Dish. Dish's statement is short and to the point, only saying it looks forward to working with the special committee as they evaluate its proposal. Of course, since Dish is offering $3.30 per share and Sprint is offering $2.97 one can see why the board is mulling it over, but all we know for now is that the "definitive agreement" with Sprint... wasn't.

Filed under: Wireless, HD, Mobile, Sprint

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Source: Clearwire, Dish Network, Sprint

There's really no way to encapsulate all of this awesomeness in a headline, so you're gonna want to read on. Sure, there's Dish Anywhere, for realtime streaming of live TV and DVR content, but Hopper with Sling owners will soon be able to take their content offline, for viewing on trains, planes and anywhere else where you don't have a connection (or don't want to burst your monthly bandwidth cap with hours of video). Assuming you have the necessary hardware, including Dish's latest DVR and an iPad, Hopper Transfers will let you offload any and all of your recorded movies and TV shows to the Apple tablet. The STB uses the Sling transcoder to convert your content to a compatible format, then the app wireless boots a sub-HD version to your portable device. Transcoding occurs at 1:1 speed, meaning an hour of footage will take an hour of processing, but you do have the option of converting your videos immediately after they're recorded, so they're prepped before you need to run out the door to catch a flight (the actual wireless transfer takes between five and eight minutes for each hour-long show).

Your iPad will need to be on your home network in order to receive files, so this isn't something you can handle remotely. The workflow also varies according to programming arrangements, so some shows and movies will need to be moved (erased from the DVR), while others can coexist on both devices, but can only be sent to one iPad. (Of course, there's no restriction on the number of times you can record a show to the Hopper, though.) You also don't own the content that you move over -- the app will need to connect to your DVR once each month to verify your subscription in order to remain active. We took a look at some flicks that had already made the jump, and playback worked well with the iPad in Airplane mode, so everything appears to be in order. Like the Anywhere app, content doesn't appear in HD, but the quality will almost surely beat your airline's in-flight entertainment system. Like Dish Anywhere, Hopper Transfers is free, and it's expected to hit the App Store in January. Sadly, there's no word on if or when it'll be available for Android.

Gallery: Dish Hopper Transfers hands-on

Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Software, HD

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Dish is further reinforcing its promise to deliver content even when you're not in front of the TV. The new Dish Anywhere app is your portal for live streaming, powered by Sling, along with on-demand content direct from the web. As one of three apps designed specifically with Hopper with Sling owners in mind, Anywhere is tasked with displaying movies and TV shows directly from your set-top box at home. You also have access to the programming guide, and a full remote control for familiar navigation.

We tried out the Anywhere app while connected to a Hopper on the same network. It took a few moments to connect, but once we were linked up, channel flips were speedy and content looked smooth, though it did appear to be a bit softer than HD. Naturally, the feed looked best on an iPhone, with the iPad only serving to magnify artifacts. In short, it's probably not yet time to retire your TV, but if you spend a lot of your time away from the living room and have the bandwidth to spare, the value proposition of a pricey satellite subscription just jumped up a tick.

Gallery: Dish Anywhere app hands-on

Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Software, HD

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We got a sneak peek at Dish's Explorer app earlier today, but now we're able to provide a closer look. This application serves as a "second screen" -- it's most useful when you're in front of the TV, and essentially replaces your standard remote control with a social media-enabled content-rich touchscreen experience. That means full Twitter and Facebook integration, with sidebars to outline what your friends or contacts are watching at that very moment, so you don't end up feeling left out when your office's favorite show is discussed at the water cooler the next day. The app also ranks current shows based on their popularity on Twitter, updated in realtime, and organizes programs by category, displaying movies sorted by genre, or current televised sporting events.

You can also search for films and television shows, and once you've come across one you'd like to watch, you can tap to watch it now (your linked TV will flip to that channel immediately), then tweet your impressions, complete with the proper (pre-loaded) hashtag. We spent a few minutes poking around Explorer, and the app seemed to work well, with an intuitive structure and useful added content, such as a Rotten Tomatoes rating atop each film's cover art. It's a useful way to discover more about whatever you happen to be watching currently, while also serving to help you locate interesting content amid a sea of programming garbage. Dish Explorer will be available beginning later this month.

Gallery: Dish Explorer app hands-on

Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Software, HD

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Dish was quick to take advantage of its Sling Media integration with remote live TV, but it hasn't put as much of an emphasis on what happens when we're still sitting comfortably in our living rooms. It's filling that hole with the launch of its Explorer app for the iPad. Viewers with a Hopper DVR can control their set-top box directly from the tablet, as you'd expect, but they'll also get a companion to whatever they're watching, whether it's live or recorded. Explorer catches the buzz around a show on Facebook and Twitter, including rankings if you'd like to see what shows are the hottest; it also builds in Thuuz sports stats and ratings to identify what's likely to be the big game for the day, even as it's happening. The app doesn't officially reach the App Store until Monday, and there's no word of an Android port, but we'll be sure to share our first-hand experiences as soon as possible.

Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Tablets, HD

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Source: Dish

The fellas at the FCC may have given Dish Network the green light to pilfer the AWS-4 spectrum for its upcoming LTE plans, but it didn't do so without leaving a few lingering strings. Dish is expected to build out the proposed network at a rate of ten percent per year, and faces serious consequences if it misses the proposed goals. If the company fails to make a 40 percent rollout in four years, for instance, Dish will be expected to polish off the remaining 30 percent in just two years instead of three. The company has seven trips around the sun to claim the entirety of its proposed market, too -- the FCC says Dish's license to uncovered areas will automatically expire if it doesn't have 70 percent of the network ready within the alloted timeframe.

Competing networks are concerned that Dish may intentionally fall short of this goal, covering the most profitable markets at the expense of losing coverage in less lucrative, rural areas. The feds put out some guidelines on power limitations too, and the fate of the contested H band is still up in the air. Eager to sift though the federal declarations? Skip on over to the source links below and jump in -- it's only a cumulative 216 pages of legalese.

Filed under: Cellphones, Misc, Mobile

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Via: Electronista

Source: FCC (Scribd) [1], [2]

After a lengthy review period, the FCC has finally voted in favor of Dish Network's request to use its AWS-4 wireless spectrum for 4G LTE data services. Now that the FCC removed regulatory barriers that previously restricted that 40 MHz of satellite spectrum from being used for land-based broadband, Dish says it "will consider its strategic options," whatever that means. Dish didn't get everything that it wanted however, as the FCC also approved a proposal that could lead to the auction of the H block of spectrum in 2013. Dish would prefer this spectrum go unused as a buffer for its own, but other wireless companies like Sprint are reportedly interested in it. Although rumors have circulated about partnerships with everyone from T-Mobile to Google, we'll have to wait and see what Dish Network actually does going forward, but avoiding the LightSquared treatment surely has the folks in Englewood, Colorado breathing easier.

Filed under: Wireless, HD, Mobile

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Source: Dish Network, FCC

Spectrum is a valuable and finite resource, but it seems that Sprint has an overabundance of the stuff. In addition to the capacity needed for its namesake operation, along with its Boost and Virgin Mobile properties, the Now Network is currently leasing its capacity to Ting, FreedomPop, Republic Wireless, Voyager Mobile, Elevate and pretty much any other company that's willing to ink a contract. Now, Bloomberg reports that Sprint's looking to bring a biggie on board. According to the outlet's anonymous sources, Sprint has approached Dish Network with an offer that would allow the satellite company to establish itself as a wireless provider by using the Now Network's airwaves. Curiously, a fee-based arrangement isn't the only topic of discussion, as it's also said that Sprint is exploring a spectrum sharing arrangement with Dish that would put the satellite company's unused spectrum licenses to use.

For all the potential that such an agreement could provide, talks between the companies are currently said to be in a holding pattern while the FCC completes its review of Dish's spectrum holdings. As proof that the duo aren't completely cozy, Sprint is currently lobbying the regulatory agency to impose rules that Dish insists would reduce the viability of its spectrum. Oh, the irony.

[Cell tower photo credit: Paul O'Keefe / Flickr]

Filed under: Wireless, Mobile, Sprint

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Source: Bloomberg

Dish has edged one step closer to its distant goal of having a 4G LTE network to call its own, receiving approval for its AWS-4 (40MHz) wireless spectrum standards by the 3GPP group. Dish used the announcement to air a few issues, including sending a plea to the FCC to get a move on and officially green light the frequency for use. The would-be wireless provider also sounded off on Sprint, which is asking the FCC to crop some of Dish's spectrum and add it to the H Block, making it a more attractive acquisition when auctioned off. If the FCC were to grant Sprint's request, Dish wouldn't just lose airwaves, but the slow approval process would start anew with altered specifications. Unfortunately for the satellite TV outfit, Sprint is far from the only potential competitor trying to delay Dish's network -- in fact, none seem particularly willing to welcome the new guy without some serious hazing.

Filed under: HD, Mobile, Sprint

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If recording satellite television using one of Dish Network's Hopper systems left you longing for something a little more terrestrial, there's good news: the firm just unveiled an off-air digital tuner that's compatible with its marsupial-themed hardware. For those eager to record broadcasts picked up with an antenna, the OTA dongle is already available for $30 from Dish's online store. A freshly released software update not only adds support for the hardware, but also brings a raft of new features to the Hopper. With the update, users can now pair Bluetooth audio devices with the DVR, gaze at album art on SiriusXM channels and recover deleted recordings from a recycle bin that saves nixed footage for 48 hours. The box's "Prime Time Anytime" feature now supports standard definition local channels, and a new "What's Hot" section clues users into what other folks are watching locally and nationwide. For nitty gritty details, screenshots and impressions of the OTA module, tap the source links below.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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Source: SatelliteGuys (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6)

Dish Network customers have been without AMC and its family of channels since July 1st, but thanks to a settlement between the satellite company and Cablevision's former Voom HD unit, AMC will be back on the air starting tonight. The possibility of a settlement leaked out late last week via a court filing, and it looks like Dish CEO Charlie Ergen will avoid taking the stand Monday after all. According to the terms, Dish will hand over $700 million in cash plus its 20 percent stake in Voom, and receive 500MHz of video and data spectrum licenses in 45 areas. In a separate deal, Dish and Cablevision spinoff AMC Networks have a new multiyear deal that should bring back AMC (on channel 131) in time for The Walking Dead to air tonight, and all of its other channels (IFC, WE tv, Sundance and for the first time, Fuse) starting November 1st. While Dish had previously claimed the channel deal was being held up by AMC's distribution of its shows via iTunes, Netflix and Amazon, now that lawsuit is over those concerns seem to have faded away.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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Source: AMC, Dish Network

If you're waiting for a sign that shows like The Walking Dead are coming back to Dish Network, a court document filed Thursday might be it. According to Reuters, the document was originally filed with the title "poss. settlement" (later changed to "adj. for briefing") and set a date for October 22nd. Additionally, the New York Post reports that on Wednesday the Judge adjourned proceedings for the week. As you'll recall, Cablevision sued the satellite company over its Voom HD channels being dropped back in 2008, and is asking for $2.4 billion in damages. If the two have found a resolution, the next question would be whether this affects Dish's negotiations with Cablevision spinoff AMC Networks, which the latter claims were derailed because of its connection to Voom. If the case proceeds, Bloomberg reports Dish CEO Charlie Ergen is set to take the stand Monday -- we'll see if this can get wrapped up before Mad Men and Breaking Bad return in 2013.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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Source: Reuters, Bloomberg, NY Post

It's been an especially bumpy road for the Blockbuster brand these past few years, and things just got a bit more rough. In an interview with Bloomberg, Dish Network founder and CEO Charlie Ergen confirmed that the company is abandoning its current efforts to challenge Netflix with Blockbuster, saying that it no longer plans to use the brand as a video streaming or DVD-by-mail service in the US. Ergen did say that Dish had other plans for Blockbuster, but he didn't elaborate on what those may be. He also seems to be fairly resigned to the whole matter, saying "worst case, we'll take our money after having wasted some time, not much money, and life goes on."

Filed under: Internet, HD

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Source: Bloomberg

Dish Network's long-gestating tie-up with ViaSat and Hughes has finally arrived under the name dishNET. Sounding like an implement you'd use to clean dirty dinner plates, the nationwide satellite broadband service launches from October 1st, targeting customers in rural areas that are underserved with fixed line gear. $40 a month gets you 5 Mbps down / 1Mbps up with a 10GB data cap, while subscribers can get a $10 discount if they pick up a TV package at the same time. We asked the company if this was related to the service based upon its spectrum purchases that was hinted at back in August, and it confirmed this is just leveraging ViaSat Exede and HughesNet.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Wireless, Internet, HD

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Xbox Live frontman Larry Hryb (aka Major Nelson) took to his blog on Tuesday to announce that Dish and Verizon FiOS customers can now download the Fox Broadcast app for Xbox 360 to stream next-day Fox programming. In order to use this free app, you'll need a paid Xbox Live Gold subscription. In addition to keeping you up to date with recent episodes of Fringe and Family Guy, this new app also includes access to legacy series such as House and 24. Like most things Xbox, the Fox Broadcasting app features Kinect integration, because everything is "better with Kinect," right?

Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD

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Source: Major Nelson