EchoStar Communications Corporation, the parent company of DISH Network, formed

in 1980 by CEO and Chairman Charles W. Ergen originally to distribute Television

EchoStar Systems is a public company with more than 21,000 employees and is headquartered

in Englewood, Colorado. On December 28, 1995, EchoStar successfully launched its first satellite, EchoStar I.

The successful launch of the EchoStar I came after several failed launch attempts.

That same year, EchoStar established the DISH Network brand to market its home satellite television system.

DISH Network is a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) service that provides

television and audio programming in the United States.

The company used “DISH” as an acronym for Digital Sky Highway.

In its 28-year history, EchoStar has been a pioneer in several industries, notably:

• First company to offer a satellite receiver for less than $200
• First to develop a UHF remote control
• First to offer an Integrated Receiver Decoder (IRD) for C-band satellite TV
• First nationwide installation network dedicated exclusively to satellite TV systems
• First to offer a satellite receiver with built-in digital video recording
• First satellite television company to offer local channels to local markets in all 50 states.
• First to offer a multi-room MPEG4 HD digital video recorder satellite receiver

In 1987, EchoStar applied for a DBS license with the Federal Communications Commission.

and was granted access to the geostationary orbital position of 119° west longitude. From

So DISH Network has launched a total of 10 communications satellites called

EchoStar I through EchoStar X, which was released on February 15, 2006.

These satellites give Dish Network the ability to offer more than 500 digital video,

programming audio and data channels, including local networks and HDTV.

In 2002, a merger proposal between the giants EchoStar and DIRECTV was rejected by

the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FCC cited the reason why such

a merger would constitute a monopoly of the satellite television business and that it would not

there would be no competition for the newly created company. In July 2006 rumors

resurfaced when Rupert Murdoch, the owner of DIRECTV, said it might be time

had a right to a merger and that he believed the FCC would give its

blessing this time.

On January 4, 2006, EchoStar announced that DISH Network had passed 12

million for US households served by DISH Network. In February

of 2007 DISH Network exceeded the figure of 13 million. Every month, DISH Network

airs a show titled “Charlie Chat”, which features news about upcoming hardware,

programming of events and new channels. The show is co-hosted by Charlie Ergen, CEO

of DISH Network and Jim DeFranco, Executive Vice President, as they handle email and

called in questions. Recently, DISH Network has gotten into High Speed ​​Internet

market and rumors persist that DISH Network and DIRECTV may still merge so that

could get a larger share of the broadband market.

Whether the FCC will give its blessing this time remains to be seen.

DISH is also a leader in the area of ​​offering HDTV channels.

with 70 channels currently offered in High Definition.

Since its inception in 1996, more than 30 million viewers have subscribed to the DISH Network satellite television service at one time or another in more than 13 million homes.