FCC Approves EchoStar Spectrum Sales, With Escrow Requirement

WASHINGTON, May 12, 2026 – Federal regulators approved EchoStar’s $42.6 billion spectrum sales Tuesday, on the condition the company set aside $2.4 billion in case court rule in favor of several tower companies suing over contract disputes.

It’s a victory for the tower industry, which has pushed hard for the Federal Communications Commission to attach such a condition to its approval of the deal. They said the escrow was necessary to ensure they were paid if they prevailed in lawsuits tied to the spectrum sales.

EchoStar subsidiary Dish Wireless has been telling business partners that EchoStar was forced to sell its spectrum by FCC pressure, and that since Dish won’t receive its parent company’s proceeds it’s excused from its contractual commitments. The company entered into the sales after the FCC opened inquiries into its licneses, and told a federal court last month it was instructed to sell or face revocation.