Dish Network Said To Plan Nationwide Satellite Broadband

Dish Network is preparing to introduce a nationwide broadband-Internet service using a satellite from sister company EchoStar, according to three people familiar with the situation.

The EchoStar 17 satellite, launched into orbit July 5, can support download speeds of 15 megabits per second, although introductory nationwide packages will probably offer rates of 5 megabits so the system can take on more capacity. Dish and EchoStar can handle about 2 million new Internet customers with the service. The move is the result of technological advancements for the U.S. satellite industry, which can now use higher-frequency bands to offer faster broadband to more people. The capacity for these kinds of services has climbed “by an order of magnitude,” said Deepak Dutt, vice president of investor relations at EchoStar. Dish expects to formally offer the service in late September or early October, mainly to subscribers in rural areas who may not have access to cable broadband.