Organization and Business Activities	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021
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 streaming over-the-top (“OTT”) Internet-based domestic, international and Latino video programming services (“SLING TV”). As of December 31, 2021, we had 10.707 million Pay-TV subscribers in the United States, including 8.221 million DISH TV subscribers and 2.486 million SLING TV subscribers. Wireless – Retail Wireless We entered the retail wireless business in 2020 as a result of the Boost Mobile Acquisition and the Ting Mobile Acquisition and we expanded the business in 2021 through the Republic Wireless Acquisition (each as defined below). See Note 6 for further information. 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”) while 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 MNSA (as defined below) and NSA, respectively. We acquired over 9 million subscribers as a result of the Boost Mobile Acquisition, acquired over 200,000 subscribers as a result of the Ting Mobile Acquisition and acquired over 200,000 subscribers as a result of the Republic Wireless Acquisition. Our Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 include the results of the Boost Mobile Acquisition from July 1, 2020, the Ting Mobile Acquisition from August 1, 2020 and the Republic Wireless Acquisition from May 1, 2021. As of December 31, 2021, we had 8.546 million retail Wireless subscribers. Wireless – 5G Network Deployment We have directly invested approximately $20 billion to acquire certain wireless spectrum licenses (including the 3.45-3.55 GHz band licenses purchased in the first quarter of 2022) 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 $6 billion of capitalized interest related to the carrying value of such licenses. See Note 2 and Note 16 for further information. DISH Network Spectrum We have directly invested approximately $20 billion to acquire certain wireless spectrum licenses (including the 3.45-3.55 GHz band licenses purchased in the first quarter of 2022). 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 50 markets under construction and completed a friendly user trial, drive testing and user equipment testing in Las Vegas during the fourth quarter of 2021. Our current construction is primarily focused on markets we intend to launch by June 2022 in conjunction with the 20% population coverage requirement. However, we have also began construction of markets we intend to launch by June of 2023 that support 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 will incur significant additional expenses related to, among other things, research and development, wireless testing and ongoing upgrades to the wireless network infrastructure. 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 2 and Note 16 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 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 16 for further information. Recent Developments Boost Mobile Acquisition Asset Purchase Agreement On July 26, 2019, we entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement (the “APA”) with T-Mobile and Sprint Corporation (“Sprint” and together with T-Mobile, the “Sellers” and given the consummation of the Sprint/T-Mobile merger, sometimes referred to as “NTM”) to acquire from NTM certain assets and liabilities associated with Sprint’s Boost Mobile and Sprint-branded prepaid mobile services businesses (the “Prepaid Business”) for an aggregate purchase price of $1.4 billion as adjusted for specific categories of net working capital on the closing date (the “Boost Mobile Acquisition”). Effective July 1, 2020 (the “Closing Date”), upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the APA and in accordance with the Final Judgment (as defined below), we and T-Mobile completed the Boost Mobile Acquisition. In connection with the Boost Mobile Acquisition and the consummation of the Sprint/T-Mobile merger, we, T-Mobile, Sprint, Deutsche Telekom AG (“DT”) and SoftBank Group Corporation (“SoftBank”) came to an agreement with the United States Department of Justice (the “DOJ”) on key terms and approval of the Transaction Agreements (as defined below) and our wireless service business and spectrum. On July 26, 2019, we, T-Mobile, Sprint, DT and SoftBank (collectively, the “Defendants”) entered into a Stipulation and Order (the “Stipulation and Order”) with the DOJ binding the Defendants to a Proposed Final Judgment (the “Proposed Final Judgment”) which memorialized the agreement between the DOJ and the Defendants. The Stipulation and Order and the Proposed Final Judgment were filed in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia (the “District Court”) on July 26, 2019 and on April 1, 2020, the Proposed Final Judgment was entered with the District Court (the Proposed Final Judgment as so entered with the District Court, the “Final Judgment”) and the Sellers consummated the Sprint/T-Mobile merger. The term of the Final Judgment is seven years from the date of its entry with the District Court or five years if the DOJ gives notice that the divestitures, build-outs and other requirements have been completed to its satisfaction. A Monitoring Trustee has been appointed by the District Court. The Monitoring Trustee has the power and authority to monitor the Defendants’ compliance with the Final Judgment and settle disputes among the Defendants regarding compliance with the provisions of the Final Judgment and may recommend action to the DOJ in the event a party fails to comply with the Final Judgment. See Note 6 for further information on the Stipulation and Order and the Final Judgment, including our build-out commitments. Also in connection with the closing of the Boost Mobile Acquisition, we and T-Mobile entered into a transition services agreement under which we will receive certain transitional services (the “TSA”), a master network services agreement for the provision of network services by T-Mobile to us (the “MNSA”), an option agreement entitling us to acquire certain decommissioned cell sites and retail stores of T-Mobile (the “Option Agreement”) and an agreement under which we would purchase all of Sprint’s 800 MHz spectrum licenses, totaling approximately 13.5 MHz of nationwide wireless spectrum for an additional approximately $3.59 billion (the “Spectrum Purchase Agreement” and together with the APA, the TSA, the MNSA and the Option Agreement, the “Transaction Agreements”). See Note 6 for further information on the Transaction Agreements. Ting Mobile Acquisition On August 1, 2020, we completed an asset purchase agreement with Tucows Inc. (“Tucows”) pursuant to which we purchased the assets of Ting Mobile, including over 200,000 Ting Mobile subscribers (the “Ting Mobile Acquisition”). In addition, we entered into a services agreement pursuant to which Tucows will act as a mobile virtual network enabler for certain of our retail Wireless subscribers. See Note 6 for further information. Republic Wireless Acquisition On May 1, 2021, we completed an asset purchase agreement with Republic Wireless Inc. (“Republic Wireless”) pursuant to which we purchased certain assets and assumed certain liabilities of Republic Wireless, including approximately 200,000 Wireless subscribers (the “Republic Wireless Acquisition”). See Note 6 for further information. We accounted for the Boost Mobile Acquisition, the Ting Mobile Acquisition and the Republic Wireless Acquisition as business combinations. The identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed were recorded at their estimated fair values as of the acquisition date and are consolidated into our financial statements. See Note 6 for further information.

Organization and Business Activities

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

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 streaming over-the-top (“OTT”) Internet-based domestic, international and Latino video programming services (“SLING TV”). As of December 31, 2021, we had 10.707 million Pay-TV subscribers in the United States, including 8.221 million DISH TV subscribers and 2.486 million SLING TV subscribers.

Wireless – Retail Wireless

We entered the retail wireless business in 2020 as a result of the Boost Mobile Acquisition and the Ting Mobile Acquisition and we expanded the business in 2021 through the Republic Wireless Acquisition (each as defined below). See Note 6 for further information. 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”) while 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 MNSA (as defined below) and NSA, respectively. We acquired over 9 million subscribers as a result of the Boost Mobile Acquisition, acquired over 200,000 subscribers as a result of the Ting Mobile Acquisition and acquired over 200,000 subscribers as a result of the Republic Wireless Acquisition. Our Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 include the results of the Boost Mobile Acquisition from July 1, 2020, the Ting Mobile Acquisition from August 1, 2020 and the Republic Wireless Acquisition from May 1, 2021. As of December 31, 2021, we had 8.546 million retail Wireless subscribers.

Wireless – 5G Network Deployment

We have directly invested approximately $20 billion to acquire certain wireless spectrum licenses (including the 3.45-3.55 GHz band licenses purchased in the first quarter of 2022) 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 $6 billion of capitalized interest related to the carrying value of such licenses. See Note 2 and Note 16 for further information.

DISH Network Spectrum

We have directly invested approximately $20 billion to acquire certain wireless spectrum licenses (including the 3.45-3.55 GHz band licenses purchased in the first quarter of 2022). 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 50 markets under construction and completed a friendly user trial, drive testing and user equipment testing in Las Vegas during the fourth quarter of 2021. Our current construction is primarily focused on markets we intend to launch by June 2022 in conjunction with the 20% population coverage requirement. However, we have also began construction of markets we intend to launch by June of 2023 that support 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 will incur significant additional expenses related to, among other things, research and development, wireless testing and ongoing upgrades to the wireless network infrastructure. 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 2 and Note 16 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 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 16 for further information.

Recent Developments

Boost Mobile Acquisition

Asset Purchase Agreement

On July 26, 2019, we entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement (the “APA”) with T-Mobile and Sprint Corporation (“Sprint” and together with T-Mobile, the “Sellers” and given the consummation of the Sprint/T-Mobile merger, sometimes referred to as “NTM”) to acquire from NTM certain assets and liabilities associated with Sprint’s Boost Mobile and Sprint-branded prepaid mobile services businesses (the “Prepaid Business”) for an aggregate purchase price of $1.4 billion as adjusted for specific categories of net working capital on the closing date (the “Boost Mobile Acquisition”). Effective July 1, 2020 (the “Closing Date”), upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the APA and in accordance with the Final Judgment (as defined below), we and T-Mobile completed the Boost Mobile Acquisition.

In connection with the Boost Mobile Acquisition and the consummation of the Sprint/T-Mobile merger, we, T-Mobile, Sprint, Deutsche Telekom AG (“DT”) and SoftBank Group Corporation (“SoftBank”) came to an agreement with the United States Department of Justice (the “DOJ”) on key terms and approval of the Transaction Agreements (as defined below) and our wireless service business and spectrum. On July 26, 2019, we, T-Mobile, Sprint, DT and SoftBank (collectively, the “Defendants”) entered into a Stipulation and Order (the “Stipulation and Order”) with the DOJ binding the Defendants to a Proposed Final Judgment (the “Proposed Final Judgment”) which memorialized the agreement between the DOJ and the Defendants. The Stipulation and Order and the Proposed Final Judgment were filed in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia (the “District Court”) on July 26, 2019 and on April 1, 2020, the Proposed Final Judgment was entered with the District Court (the Proposed Final Judgment as so entered with the District Court, the “Final Judgment”) and the Sellers consummated the Sprint/T-Mobile merger.

The term of the Final Judgment is seven years from the date of its entry with the District Court or five years if the DOJ gives notice that the divestitures, build-outs and other requirements have been completed to its satisfaction. A Monitoring Trustee has been appointed by the District Court. The Monitoring Trustee has the power and authority to monitor the Defendants’ compliance with the Final Judgment and settle disputes among the Defendants regarding compliance with the provisions of the Final Judgment and may recommend action to the DOJ in the event a party fails to comply with the Final Judgment. See Note 6 for further information on the Stipulation and Order and the Final Judgment, including our build-out commitments.

Also in connection with the closing of the Boost Mobile Acquisition, we and T-Mobile entered into a transition services agreement under which we will receive certain transitional services (the “TSA”), a master network services agreement for the provision of network services by T-Mobile to us (the “MNSA”), an option agreement entitling us to acquire certain decommissioned cell sites and retail stores of T-Mobile (the “Option Agreement”) and an agreement under which we would purchase all of Sprint’s 800 MHz spectrum licenses, totaling approximately 13.5 MHz of nationwide wireless spectrum for an additional approximately $3.59 billion (the “Spectrum Purchase Agreement” and together with the APA, the TSA, the MNSA and the Option Agreement, the “Transaction Agreements”). See Note 6 for further information on the Transaction Agreements.

Ting Mobile Acquisition

On August 1, 2020, we completed an asset purchase agreement with Tucows Inc. (“Tucows”) pursuant to which we purchased the assets of Ting Mobile, including over 200,000 Ting Mobile subscribers (the “Ting Mobile Acquisition”). In addition, we entered into a services agreement pursuant to which Tucows will act as a mobile virtual network enabler for certain of our retail Wireless subscribers. See Note 6 for further information.

Republic Wireless Acquisition

On May 1, 2021, we completed an asset purchase agreement with Republic Wireless Inc. (“Republic Wireless”) pursuant to which we purchased certain assets and assumed certain liabilities of Republic Wireless, including approximately 200,000 Wireless subscribers (the “Republic Wireless Acquisition”). See Note 6 for further information.

We accounted for the Boost Mobile Acquisition, the Ting Mobile Acquisition and the Republic Wireless Acquisition as business combinations. The identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed were recorded at their estimated fair values as of the acquisition date and are consolidated into our financial statements. See Note 6 for further information.