Dish Considering Bidding in Broadcast Spectrum Auction

Dish Network is interested in taking part in the March broadcast spectrum auction, and said in an SEC filing Thursday it filed an application Feb. 10 "to potentially participate as a bidder." It didn't say what plans it had for any spectrum it might buy. The FCC Wireless Bureau earlier this month rejected a T-Mobile petition asking that Dish and designated entities SNR Wireless and Northstar Wireless be classified as "former defaulters" if they participate in the TV incentive auction because of alleged bidding abuses in the AWS-3 auction (see 1602040024). In a note to investors, UBS analyst John Hodulik said limits on discounts for very small companies and Dish's higher leverage likely will limit its bidding ability. The company, in announcing its fiscal 2015 results, said it finished the year with 13.9 million subscribers, vs. roughly 14 million pay-TV subscribers a year earlier. It also finished the year with 623,000 DishNet broadband subscribers, up from 577,000 a year earlier, and the company said it hopes to grow those broadband subscription rolls this year. It said satellite capacity has limited its ability to expand services in some geographic markets, but satellite launches by Hughes and ViaSat in the second half of this year should alleviate those constraints. The company also said its EchoStar XVIII satellite -- which is being built with spot beam technology allowing HD programming -- is to launch in Q2 2016. No satellites are scheduled to end operation this year, though EchoStar IX is operating "month to month," the company said.