Dish's AWS-4 Downlink Move Could Further Entice Verizon, Citi Says
Dish Network's move to use 2000-2020 MHz for downlink operations could make it, or at least its spectrum holdings, a more attractive Verizon takeover target, said analyst Michael Rollins of Citi in a note to investors Thursday. "Carriers will eventually…
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Timely, relevant coverage of court proceedings and agency rulings involving tariffs, classification, valuation, origin and antidumping and countervailing duties. Each day, Trade Law Daily subscribers receive a daily headline email, in-depth PDF edition and access to all relevant documents via our trade law source document library and website.
place greater value on downlink spectrum to meet data traffic demands." Rollins said Verizon has particularly pressing long-term spectrum needs and Dish's spectrum would complement the carrier's existing AWS holdings, and "the mix of downlink-centric spectrum could further fuel Verizon's mobile video ambitions." In a filing Wednesday in FCC docket 13-225, Dish said it was electing to reverse the 20 megahertz of AWS-4 uplink spectrum to downlink. In a news release, it also said the Third Generation Partnership Project's RAN4 working group had agreed on LTE Band 70 specifications -- Band 70 covering Dish's AWS-4 spectrum and its H block downlink spectrum at 1995-2000 MHz, plus unpaired AWS-3 uplink spectrum at 1695-1710 MHz, and said formal 3GPP approval will open the door to development of devices and infrastructure supporting Band 70. When asked Thursday about the Verizon speculation, Dish didn't comment.