AT&T to spend $23bn on EchoStar spectrum licences
By Benjamin Chiou
Date: Tuesday 26 Aug 2025
(Sharecast News) - American telecoms giant AT&T announced on Tuesday that it is paying $23bn for certain wireless spectrum licenses from Nasdaq-listed EchoStar, causing shares in the latter to nearly double in pre-market trading.
The deal will add an average of 50 MHz of low-band and mid-band spectrum to AT&T's holdings - comprising 30 MHz of nationwide 3.45 GHz mid-band spectrum and 20 MHz of nationwide 600 MHz low-band spectrum.
AT&T said the acquired licences cover "virtually every market across the US" - over 400 in total - with deployment will begin "as soon as possible".
"This acquisition bolsters and expands our spectrum portfolio while enhancing customers' 5G wireless and home internet experience in even more markets," said John Stankey, AT&T's chair and chief executive.
"No one brings wireless and fiber internet to more places or does it better than AT&T - and we do it with the industry's first and only guarantee for both wireless and fiber. We're adding fuel to our winning strategy of investing in valuable wireless and broadband assets to become America's best connectivity provider."
The companies also announced that they have agreed to expand their long-term wholesale network services agreement, with AT&T being the primary network services partner to EchoStar, which provides wireless services under the Boost Mobile brand.
AT&T futures were up 0.5% before markets opened in New York, while EchoStar was trading up 83%.
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