The FCC Should Make Sure EchoStar Creditors Are Paid Back Billions Owed
Somewhere between the marble halls of Washington and the steel skeletons of America’s cell towers, a very old story is playing out: a well-connected corporation makes promises to the government, ordinary Americans do the work, and when the bill comes due, a billionaire suddenly decides the rules don’t apply.
That is exactly what is happening with EchoStar and its subsidiary DISH Wireless - and why the Federal Communications Commission now finds itself at a crossroads that could shape the future of U.S. wireless infrastructure.
A few years ago, regulators blessed the blockbuster merger of T-Mobile and Sprint on one crucial condition: DISH would step up as a real, infrastructure-based fourth wireless carrier. In exchange, Washington handed DISH access to valuable wireless spectrum, along with clear buildout requirements meant to ensure competition, innovation, and jobs.
