Organization and Business Activities	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2022
Organization and Business Activities
Organization and Business Activities	1.Organization and Business Activities Principal Business DISH Network Corporation is a holding company. Its subsidiaries (which together with DISH Network Corporation are referred to as “DISH Network,” the “Company,” “we,” “us” and/or “our,” unless otherwise required by the context) operate two primary business segments, Pay-TV and Wireless. Our Wireless business segment operates in two business units, Retail Wireless and 5G Network Deployment. Pay-TV We offer pay-TV services under the DISH® brand and the SLING® brand (collectively “Pay-TV” services). The DISH branded pay-TV service consists of, among other things, Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) licenses authorizing us to use direct broadcast satellite (“DBS”) and Fixed Satellite Service (“FSS”) spectrum, our owned and leased satellites, receiver systems, broadcast operations, a leased fiber optic network, in-home service and call center operations, and certain other assets utilized in our operations (“DISH TV”). We also design, develop and distribute receiver systems and provide digital broadcast operations, including satellite uplinking/downlinking, transmission and other services to third-party pay-TV providers. The SLING branded pay-TV services consist of, among other things, multichannel, live-linear and on demand streaming over-the-top (“OTT”) Internet-based domestic, international and Latino video programming services (“SLING TV”). As of March 31, 2022, we had 10.245 million Pay-TV subscribers in the United States, including 7.993 million DISH TV subscribers and 2.252 million SLING TV subscribers. Wireless – Retail Wireless We offer nationwide prepaid and postpaid retail wireless services to subscribers under our Boost Mobile, Ting Mobile, Republic Wireless and Gen Mobile brands, as well as a competitive portfolio of wireless devices. Prepaid wireless subscribers generally pay in advance for monthly access to wireless talk, text, and data services. Postpaid wireless subscribers are qualified to pay after receiving wireless talk, text, and data services. We are currently operating our Retail Wireless business unit as a mobile virtual network operator (“MVNO”) until we complete our 5G Network Deployment. On July 14, 2021, we entered into a ten-year Network Services Agreement (the “NSA”) with AT&T to provide us with network services. Under the NSA, we expect AT&T will become our primary network services provider. As an MVNO, today we primarily depend on T-Mobile as well as AT&T to provide us with network services under the master network services agreement (“MNSA”) and NSA, respectively. As of March 31, 2022, we had 8.203 million retail Wireless subscribers. Wireless – 5G Network Deployment We have directly invested approximately $20 billion to acquire certain wireless spectrum licenses and made over $10 billion in non-controlling investments in certain entities, for a total of approximately $30 billion. The $30 billion of investments related to wireless spectrum licenses does not include $7 billion of capitalized interest related to the carrying value of such licenses. See Note 2 and Note 10 for further information. DISH Network Spectrum We have directly invested approximately $20 billion to acquire certain wireless spectrum licenses. These wireless spectrum licenses are subject to certain interim and final build-out requirements, as well as certain renewal requirements. We plan to commercialize our wireless spectrum licenses through the completion of the nation’s first cloud-native, Open Radio Access Network (“O-RAN”) based 5G network (our “5G Network Deployment”). We have committed to deploy a facilities-based 5G broadband network capable of serving increasingly larger portions of the U.S. population at different deadlines, including 20% of the U.S. population by June 2022 and 70% by June 2023. We currently have over 60 market areas, representing approximately 260 cities with populations of at least 50,000, under construction. The volume of construction activities is beginning to shift from markets we intend to light up before June 14, 2022 (in conjunction with the 20% population coverage requirement) to market areas we intend to light up before June 14, 2023 (in conjunction with the 70% population coverage requirement). We will need to make significant additional investments or partner with others to, among other things, complete our 5G Network Deployment and further commercialize, build-out and integrate these licenses and related assets and any additional acquired licenses and related assets, as well as to comply with regulations applicable to such licenses. Depending on the nature and scope of such activities, any such investments or partnerships could vary significantly. In addition, as we complete our 5G Network Deployment we have and will continue to incur significant additional expenses related to, among other things, research and development, wireless testing and ongoing upgrades to the wireless network infrastructure. As a result of these investments, among other factors, we plan to raise additional capital, depending on market conditions, which may not be available on favorable terms. We may also determine that additional wireless spectrum licenses may be required to complete our 5G Network Deployment and to compete with other wireless service providers. See Note 9 and Note 10 for further information DISH Network Non-Controlling Investments in the Northstar Entities and the SNR Entities Related to AWS-3 Wireless Spectrum Licenses During 2015, through our wholly-owned subsidiaries American AWS-3 Wireless II L.L.C. (“American II”) and American AWS-3 Wireless III L.L.C. (“American III”), we initially made over $10 billion in certain non-controlling investments in Northstar Spectrum, LLC (“Northstar Spectrum”), the parent company of Northstar Wireless, L.L.C. (“Northstar Wireless,” and collectively with Northstar Spectrum, the “Northstar Entities”), and in SNR Wireless HoldCo, LLC (“SNR HoldCo”), the parent company of SNR Wireless LicenseCo, LLC (“SNR Wireless,” and collectively with SNR HoldCo, the “SNR Entities”), respectively. On October 27, 2015, the FCC granted certain AWS-3 wireless spectrum licenses (the “AWS-3 Licenses”) to Northstar Wireless and to SNR Wireless, respectively, which are recorded in “FCC authorizations” on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. Under the applicable accounting guidance in Accounting Standards Codification 810, Consolidation (“ASC 810”), Northstar Spectrum and SNR HoldCo are considered variable interest entities and, based on the characteristics of the structure of these entities and in accordance with the applicable accounting guidance, we consolidate these entities into our financial statements. See Note 2 for further information. The AWS-3 Licenses are subject to certain interim and final build-out requirements, as well as certain renewal requirements. The Northstar Entities and/or the SNR Entities may need to raise significant additional capital in the future, which may be obtained from third party sources or from us, so that the Northstar Entities and the SNR Entities may commercialize, build-out and integrate these AWS-3 Licenses, comply with regulations applicable to such AWS-3 Licenses, and make any potential Northstar Re-Auction Payment and SNR Re-Auction Payment for the AWS-3 licenses retained by the FCC. Depending upon the nature and scope of such commercialization, build-out and integration efforts, regulatory compliance, and potential Northstar Re-Auction Payment and SNR Re-Auction Payment, any loans, equity contributions or partnerships could vary significantly. There can be no assurance that we will be able to obtain a profitable return on our non-controlling investments in the Northstar Entities and the SNR Entities. See Note 10 for further information.

Organization and Business Activities

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

Organization and Business Activities

1.Organization and Business Activities

Principal Business

DISH Network Corporation is a holding company. Its subsidiaries (which together with DISH Network Corporation are referred to as “DISH Network,” the “Company,” “we,” “us” and/or “our,” unless otherwise required by the context) operate two primary business segments, Pay-TV and Wireless. Our Wireless business segment operates in two business units, Retail Wireless and 5G Network Deployment.

Pay-TV

We offer pay-TV services under the DISH® brand and the SLING® brand (collectively “Pay-TV” services). The DISH branded pay-TV service consists of, among other things, Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) licenses authorizing us to use direct broadcast satellite (“DBS”) and Fixed Satellite Service (“FSS”) spectrum, our owned and leased satellites, receiver systems, broadcast operations, a leased fiber optic network, in-home service and call center operations, and certain other assets utilized in our operations (“DISH TV”). We also design, develop and distribute receiver systems and provide digital broadcast operations, including satellite uplinking/downlinking, transmission and other services to third-party pay-TV providers. The SLING branded pay-TV services consist of, among other things, multichannel, live-linear and on demand streaming over-the-top (“OTT”) Internet-based domestic, international and Latino video programming services (“SLING TV”). As of March 31, 2022, we had 10.245 million Pay-TV subscribers in the United States, including 7.993 million DISH TV subscribers and 2.252 million SLING TV subscribers.

Wireless – Retail Wireless

We offer nationwide prepaid and postpaid retail wireless services to subscribers under our Boost Mobile, Ting Mobile, Republic Wireless and Gen Mobile brands, as well as a competitive portfolio of wireless devices. Prepaid wireless subscribers generally pay in advance for monthly access to wireless talk, text, and data services. Postpaid wireless subscribers are qualified to pay after receiving wireless talk, text, and data services. We are currently operating our Retail Wireless business unit as a mobile virtual network operator (“MVNO”) until we complete our 5G Network Deployment. On July 14, 2021, we entered into a ten-year Network Services Agreement (the “NSA”) with AT&T to provide us with network services. Under the NSA, we expect AT&T will become our primary network services provider. As an MVNO, today we primarily depend on T-Mobile as well as AT&T to provide us with network services under the master network services agreement (“MNSA”) and NSA, respectively. As of March 31, 2022, we had 8.203 million retail Wireless subscribers.

Wireless – 5G Network Deployment

We have directly invested approximately $20 billion to acquire certain wireless spectrum licenses and made over $10 billion in non-controlling investments in certain entities, for a total of approximately $30 billion. The $30 billion of investments related to wireless spectrum licenses does not include $7 billion of capitalized interest related to the carrying value of such licenses. See Note 2 and Note 10 for further information.

DISH Network Spectrum

We have directly invested approximately $20 billion to acquire certain wireless spectrum licenses. These wireless spectrum licenses are subject to certain interim and final build-out requirements, as well as certain renewal requirements. We plan to commercialize our wireless spectrum licenses through the completion of the nation’s first cloud-native, Open Radio Access Network (“O-RAN”) based 5G network (our “5G Network Deployment”). We have committed to deploy a facilities-based 5G broadband network capable of serving increasingly larger portions of the U.S. population at different deadlines, including 20% of the U.S. population by June 2022 and 70% by June 2023. We currently have over 60 market areas, representing approximately 260 cities with populations of at least 50,000, under construction. The volume of construction activities is beginning to shift from markets we intend to light up before June 14, 2022 (in conjunction with the 20% population coverage requirement) to market areas we intend to light up before June 14, 2023 (in conjunction with the 70% population coverage requirement).

We will need to make significant additional investments or partner with others to, among other things, complete our 5G Network Deployment and further commercialize, build-out and integrate these licenses and related assets and any additional acquired licenses and related assets, as well as to comply with regulations applicable to such licenses. Depending on the nature and scope of such activities, any such investments or partnerships could vary significantly. In addition, as we complete our 5G Network Deployment we have and will continue to incur significant additional expenses related to, among other things, research and development, wireless testing and ongoing upgrades to the wireless network infrastructure. As a result of these investments, among other factors, we plan to raise additional capital, depending on market conditions, which may not be available on favorable terms. We may also determine that additional wireless spectrum licenses may be required to complete our 5G Network Deployment and to compete with other wireless service providers. See Note 9 and Note 10 for further information

DISH Network Non-Controlling Investments in the Northstar Entities and the SNR Entities Related to AWS-3 Wireless Spectrum Licenses

During 2015, through our wholly-owned subsidiaries American AWS-3 Wireless II L.L.C. (“American II”) and American AWS-3 Wireless III L.L.C. (“American III”), we initially made over $10 billion in certain non-controlling investments in Northstar Spectrum, LLC (“Northstar Spectrum”), the parent company of Northstar Wireless, L.L.C. (“Northstar Wireless,” and collectively with Northstar Spectrum, the “Northstar Entities”), and in SNR Wireless HoldCo, LLC (“SNR HoldCo”), the parent company of SNR Wireless LicenseCo, LLC (“SNR Wireless,” and collectively with SNR HoldCo, the “SNR Entities”), respectively. On October 27, 2015, the FCC granted certain AWS-3 wireless spectrum licenses (the “AWS-3 Licenses”) to Northstar Wireless and to SNR Wireless, respectively, which are recorded in “FCC authorizations” on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Under the applicable accounting guidance in Accounting Standards Codification 810, Consolidation (“ASC 810”), Northstar Spectrum and SNR HoldCo are considered variable interest entities and, based on the characteristics of the structure of these entities and in accordance with the applicable accounting guidance, we consolidate these entities into our financial statements. See Note 2 for further information.

The AWS-3 Licenses are subject to certain interim and final build-out requirements, as well as certain renewal requirements. The Northstar Entities and/or the SNR Entities may need to raise significant additional capital in the future, which may be obtained from third party sources or from us, so that the Northstar Entities and the SNR Entities may commercialize, build-out and integrate these AWS-3 Licenses, comply with regulations applicable to such AWS-3 Licenses, and make any potential Northstar Re-Auction Payment and SNR Re-Auction Payment for the AWS-3 licenses retained by the FCC. Depending upon the nature and scope of such commercialization, build-out and integration efforts, regulatory compliance, and potential Northstar Re-Auction Payment and SNR Re-Auction Payment, any loans, equity contributions or partnerships could vary significantly. There can be no assurance that we will be able to obtain a profitable return on our non-controlling investments in the Northstar Entities and the SNR Entities. See Note 10 for further information.