Will AT&T Keep Fighting for 12 GHz Spectrum?

 Throughout this spring and summer, AT&T has been selling assets to raise money to pay down debt and fund its network. Planned asset sales include the spinoff of WarnerMedia to Discovery, the sale of a 30 percent interest in DirecTV, and the purchase of Vrio by Grupo Werthein. In addition, AT&T is selling CNN Center in Atlanta, game studio Playdemic, a Pittsburgh office building, and a stake in the San Antonio Spurs basketball team. 

Last week, AT&T sold something different: access to its network. AT&T is replacing T-Mobile US as DISH’s primary network services partner in a deal that will net AT&T at least $5 billion over 10 years.

The deal has positive and negative aspects for the tower industry. It absolves DISH of the obligation to deploy its spectrum in costly rural markets, meaning there may be less demand for tower assets there. But it also gives AT&T an “avenue” to use DISH’s spectrum in select markets, according to an 8K filed by the companies. Continue Reading