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Dish Network and EchoStar Corporation have announced their agreement to combine operations. The boards of directors of both companies have unanimously approved the decision. The founder of both companies, Charlie Ergen, stated that by integrating Dish spectrum with EchoStar’s technological capabilities, they will be able to amplify 5G private networks. The combined company will be headed by EchoStar CEO Hamid Akhavan. It will be headquartered in Colorado and have a total of 18 million subscribers across various customer brands. Akhavan mentioned that combining satellite and telecom is challenging, but the company was designed to incorporate a satellite component into it. The goal of the merger is to provide a more attractive and higher-quality offering for the 5G private network opportunity.

Ergen founded EchoStar in 1980 as a satellite TV distributor, which later developed into the Dish Network brand. In 2008, Dish was spun out as a separate entity. EchoStar sold its satellite broadcast business to Dish in 2019. Ergen emphasized that this merger is strategically and financially compelling, focused on long-term sustainable growth.

Over Half of Rural Telecoms Receive Broadband Grants

According to a benchmark study by accounting firm Forvis, over half of rural telecoms in the United States received broadband grants in 2022. Out of the 167 rural internet providers surveyed, 85 received broadband grants amounting to approximately 0 million. This signifies a significant increase compared to the previous year, where 69 companies received grants totaling 6 million. The grants were obtained from various programs, including state-administered broadband grant programs and federal programs like the CARES Act funds and the American Rescue Plan Act funds.

The study also revealed that the median grant size is .7 million, with some companies receiving grants worth more than million. Additionally, companies that received grants had higher operating income as a percentage of revenue compared to those that did not receive grants. However, operating expenses increased by 5.1 percent between 2021 and 2022, indicating a rise in expenses for broadband projects.

FEC Considers New Rules for AI in Campaigns

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) has unanimously voted to seek comments on a potential rule clarification regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in political campaigns. Consumer advocacy group Public Citizen requested that the FEC address the application of its law against “fraudulent misrepresentation” to deceptive AI campaign communications. Generative AI, a tool capable of creating new content, has already been used to produce campaign content for the 2024 presidential election.

The vote follows a previous attempt in June where three Republican commissioners blocked the petition. Republican Commissioner Allen Dickerson expressed concerns about the FEC’s authority to regulate AI in campaigns. However, the recent vote sets a timeline that could lead to a possible rule change for the 2024 election. Lawmakers like Rep. Adam Schiff, Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Ben Lujan, have expressed support for the FEC’s move, emphasizing the need for safeguards as AI capabilities continue to advance. Klobuchar plans to introduce bipartisan legislation to clarify the FEC’s authority in dealing with AI in campaigns.

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