If they need the customers
They can buy them later in the future when ATT is desperate to dump DirecTV.
Once DISH rolls out a 5G network, they can start transferring over their urban and suburban customers to their streaming product and keep their rural customers on satellite. That will free up a lot of their satellites' bandwidth that they can lease out.
The lifespan of one of their satellites is about 15 years, and their 6 satellites were launched in 06, 07, 08, 09, 14, and 2015. So 4 of their satellites will be at their "use by" date in 5 years, and they have no plans to launch any more. As a matter of fact, ATT is betting on streaming as the reason why.
And, so is DISH. Sling is a DISH product, and once they get their wireless network in place, Sling will be their big push as they retire their satellite fleet.
The problem with the satellites is if something goes wrong with one, they are screwed and probably will have to replace the whole satellite to get back on the air affecting millions of customers. If something goes wrong with one of the wireless stations, then they can send a tech out to fix it and they will only be affecting several hundred customers.
DISH and ATT are betting on becoming what the cableco's have been doing for the last about 15 years, providing internet, phone and tv through one company.
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In response to this post by Culpeper Hokie)
Link: ATT No More Satellites
Posted: 07/08/2019 at 6:34PM