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EchoStar Corporation is an American company providing satellite communication, Wireless telecommunications, and Internet services. Its Hughes Network Systems and EchoStar Satellite Services business are operated from its headquarters in Arapahoe County, Colorado. The company also provides television services under the Dish and Sling brands as well as mobile services under the Boost Mobile brand.
 | This article needs to be updated. (November 2024) |
 | |
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| |
| Industry | Telecommunications Satellite television |
| Founded | January 1, 2008 |
| Headquarters | Englewood, Colorado, U.S. |
Key people |
|
| Products | Direct-broadcast satellite, pay television, pay-per-view, over-the-top media services, Mobile telephony, Wireless broadband |
| Revenue |  US$1.99 billion (2021) |
| US$217 million (2021) | |
| US$62.7 million (2021) | |
| Total assets |  US$6.05 billion (2021) |
| Total equity | US$3.41 billion (2021) |
Number of employees | c. 2,500 (2021) |
| Subsidiaries | |
| Website | echostar |
| Footnotes / references [1] | |
The company in its current form was founded in 2008 after the original EchoStar spun off its non-consumer assets while the original company was renamed to Dish Network Corporation. In an industry reverse, EchoStar proposed to buy Dish in 2023 with the acquisition being completed by the end of that year, as a result, Dish was absorbed into EchoStar as a whole.[2]
EchoStar made its debut on the Fortune 500 list in 2024, ranking #242.[3]
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EchoStar was originally formed in 1980 by its chairman Charles Ergen as a distributor of C band TV systems. In 1987, it applied for a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) license with the Federal Communications Commission and was granted access to orbital slot 119° west longitude in 1992.
On December 28, 1995, the firm successfully launched its first satellite, EchoStar I.[4] On March 4, 1996, it established the Dish Network brand name to market its home satellite TV system.[5]
On January 2, 2008, the Dish Network business was spun-off from the technology and infrastructure side of the business. A split in the shares created two companies; the former EchoStar Communications Corporation changed its name to Dish Network Corporation[6] which consisted mainly of the Dish Network business, and EchoStar Corporation, which retained ownership of the technology side including the satellites, Sling Media, and the set-top box development arm. Dish Network completed its distribution to EchoStar of its digital set-top box business, certain infrastructure, and other assets and related liabilities, including certain of their satellites, uplink and satellite transmission assets, and real estate. Following the spin-off, EchoStar and Dish Network operated as separate publicly traded companies, until they were reunited in 2023.[7]
On February 14, 2011, EchoStar announced that it would acquire Hughes Communications in a deal valued at US$1.3 billion.[8]
On January 31, 2017, EchoStar announced that it had reached an agreement with DISH to transfer the EchoStar Technologies businesses, which designed, developed and distributed digital set-top boxes, provided satellite uplinking and broadcast services and developed and supported streaming video technology back to DISH.[9] The transaction was completed on January 31, 2017,[10] substantially returning DISH to its pre-2008 status as a set-top-box hardware manufacturer.
In March 2017, after two delays caused by weather worries, SpaceX delivered EchoStar XXIII into orbit. The satellite was launched on a Falcon 9 Rocket and provides broadcast services for Brazil.[11] Because EchoStar XXIII is a heavy satellite, this mission did not include a rocket landing post-takeoff, as it would require too much fuel. This was the first time a purely commercial satellite was launched from a pad that once served as the base for Apollo moon trips and space shuttle flights.[12][13]
On May 20, 2019, EchoStar announced that it had reached an agreement with Dish Network Corporation to transfer the portion of the business which managed and provided broadcast satellite services, referred to as the BSS (Broadcast Satellite Services) business, to Dish in order to concentrate on broadband services and other initiatives.[9] The transaction was completed on September 10, 2019.[14]
On August 8, 2023, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Ergen was proposing a remerger between Dish and EchoStar.[15] Later that day, the acquisition was formally announced by both companies.[16] On January 2, 2024, it was announced that the transaction had been completed on December 31, 2023.[17][18]
In May 2024, EchoStar announced that it has been awarded a U.S. Navy wireless and telecommunications contract to provide 5G smart devices and services for the Department of Defense and federal agencies.[19]
In May 2024, Dish Network and Hughes Network Systems, both Echostar companies announced a new bundled service of Dish satellite TV with Hughesnet satellite internet.[20]
On September 30, 2024, EchoStar announced that it would divest its video distribution unit, Dish Network, to DirecTV in a debt exchange transaction that includes a payment of $1 and the assumption of approximately $9.8 billion in debt.[21] The deal also included $2.5 billion of financing from TPG Angelo Gordon and other co-investors to allow EchoStar to refinance the company's November 2024 debt maturity.[22] The deal will allow EchoStar to reduce its debt and refocus its resources toward its wireless Boost Mobile and satellite connectivity businesses. EchoStar and DirecTV expect the deal to close in the fourth quarter of 2025, contingent on regulatory approval and bondholders writing off nearly $1.6 billion in Dish-related debt.[23] In November, DirecTV abandoned the deal due to opposition from EchoStar bondholders.[24]
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- Orbital locations may change
Since EchoStar frequently moves satellites among its many orbiting slots this list is not necessarily up-to-date.
| Satellite | Location | Launch date | Launcher | Satellite bus | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EchoStar I | December 28, 1995 | Long March 2E/EPKM | Decommissioned | ||
| EchoStar II | September 11, 1996 | Ariane 42P H10-3 | Decommissioned | ||
| EchoStar III (DBSC 1) | October 05, 1997 | Atlas IIAS | Decommissioned | ||
| EchoStar IV | May 07, 1998 | Proton-K/DM-03 | Decommissioned | ||
| EchoStar V | September 23, 1999 | Atlas IIAS | Decommissioned | ||
| EchoStar VI | July 14, 2000 | Atlas IIAS | Decommissioned | ||
| EchoStar VII | February 21, 2002 | Atlas IIIB-DEC | Decommissioned | ||
| EchoStar VIII | August 22, 2002 | Proton-K/DM-03 | Decommissioned | ||
| EchoStar IX (Galaxy 23) | 121° W | August 8, 2003 | Zenit-3SL | FS-1300 | In Service |
| EchoStar X | 110° W | February 15, 2006 | Zenit-3SL | A2100AXS | In Service |
| EchoStar XI | July 16, 2008 | Zenit-3SL | In Service | ||
| EchoStar XII (Rainbow 1) | July 17, 2003 | Atlas V521 | In Service | ||
| EchoStar XIII (CMBstar 1) | - | Proton-M/Briz-M | Cancelled | ||
| EchoStar XIV | March 20, 2010 | Proton-M/Briz-M | In Service | ||
| EchoStar XV | 61.5° W | July 10, 2010 | Proton-M/Briz-M | LS-1300 | In Service |
| EchoStar XVI | 61.5° W | November 20, 2012 | Proton-M/Briz-M | LS-1300 | In Service |
| EchoStar XVII (Jupiter 1) | 107.0° W | July 5, 2012 | Ariane 5 | LS-1300 | In Service |
| EchoStar XVIII | June 18, 2016 | Ariane 5ECA | In Service | ||
| EchoStar XIX (Jupiter 2) | 97.1° W | December 18, 2016 | Atlas V431 | SSL 1300 | In Service |
| EchoStar XXIII | 109.9° W | March 16, 2017 | Falcon 9 | SSL 1300 | In Service |
| EchoStar XXIV (Jupiter 3) | 105.2° W | July 29, 2023 | Falcon Heavy | SSL 1300 | In Service |
| EchoStar XXV | TBA | TBA | Planned | ||
| EchoStar 105 (SES-11) | 105.0° W | October 11, 2017 | Falcon 9 | Eurostar E3000 | In Service |
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