In brief: For the quarter ending June 30, 2019, Dish reported a total revenue of $3.21 billion, down from $3.46 billion in the year-ago quarter. Net income checked in at $317 million, again down from the $439 million the company brought home during the same period in 2018. Diluted earnings per share were $0.60 versus $0.83 a year ago.
Dish Network this week reported second quarter earnings, highlighting exactly why the company has made the bold decision to charge head-first into the wireless industry.
In terms of subscribers, Dish lost approximately 79,000 net Dish TV subscribers during the second quarter but added roughly 48,000 Sling TV subscribers. All said and told, Dish realized a net loss of approximately 31,000 pay TV subscribers which furthers the narrative that traditional pay TV is on the decline.
The Justice Department last week approved the mega merger between Sprint and T-Mobile albeit with provisions that they help a fourth competitor - Dish Network - enter the market. Sprint and T-Mobile are having to give up several key assets to get the merger pushed through including Sprint's prepaid business, wireless spectrum and access to T-Mobile's network for up to seven years.
Assuming the merger actually happens, the wireless landscape in the US could look vastly different in just a few years with the New T-Mobile, the emergence of Dish Network and the advent of 5G driving it all.
Masthead credit: satellite dish by Think A