EchoStar CORP: Form 10-Q for the period ended Mar 31, 2025

Pay-TV Subscribers

DISH TV subscribers. We lost approximately 183,000 net DISH TV subscribers during the three months ended March 31, 2025 compared to the loss of approximately 213,000 net DISH TV subscribers during the same period in 2024. This decrease in net DISH TV subscriber losses primarily resulted from a lower DISH TV churn rate, partially offset by lower gross new DISH TV subscriber activations.

SLING TV subscribers. We lost approximately 198,000 net SLING TV subscribers during the three months ended March 31, 2025 compared to the loss of approximately 135,000 net SLING TV subscribers during the same period in 2024. The increase in net SLING TV subscriber losses was primarily related to lower SLING TV subscriber activations due to our emphasis on acquiring higher quality subscribers and higher SLING TV subscriber disconnects in 2025. We continue to experience increased competition, including competition from other subscription video on-demand and live-linear OTT service providers, many of which are providers of our content and offer football and other seasonal sports programming direct to subscribers on an a la carte basis.

DISH TV subscribers, gross. During the three months ended March 31, 2025, we activated approximately 46,000 gross new DISH TV subscribers compared to approximately 79,000 gross new DISH TV subscribers during the same period in 2024, a decrease of 41.8%. This decrease in our gross new DISH TV subscriber activations was primarily related to lower marketing expenditures, the lack of demand and shifting consumer behavior, as well as increased competitive pressures, including, but not limited to, live-linear OTT service providers, aggressive short term introductory pricing and bundled offers combining broadband, video and/or wireless services and other discounted promotional offers and direct-to-consumer offerings by certain of our programmers. Our gross new DISH TV subscriber activations continue to be negatively impacted by an emphasis on acquiring higher quality subscribers.

DISH TV churn rate. Our DISH TV churn rate for the three months ended March 31, 2025 was 1.36% compared to 1.53% for the same period in 2024. Our DISH TV churn rate for the three months ended March 31, 2025 was positively impacted by our emphasis on acquiring and retaining higher quality subscribers. Our DISH TV churn rate continues to be adversely impacted by external factors, such as, among other things, cord cutting, shifting consumer behavior and increased competitive pressures, including, but not limited to, live-linear OTT service providers, aggressive marketing, bundled discount offers combining broadband, video and/or wireless services and other discounted promotional offers. Our DISH TV churn rate is also impacted by internal factors, such as, among other things, our ability to consistently provide outstanding customer service, price increases, our ability to control piracy and other forms of fraud and the level of our retention efforts.

Our net Pay-TV subscriber additions, gross new DISH TV subscriber activations and DISH TV churn rate have been negatively impacted as a result of programming interruptions and threatened programming interruptions in connection with the scheduled expiration of programming carriage contracts with content providers. We cannot predict with any certainty the impact to our net Pay-TV subscriber additions, gross new DISH TV subscriber activations and DISH TV subscriber churn rate resulting from programming interruptions or threatened programming interruptions that may occur in the future. As a result, we may at times suffer from periods of lower net Pay-TV subscriber additions or higher net Pay-TV subscriber losses.

We have not always met our own standards for performing high-quality installations, effectively resolving subscriber issues when they arise, answering subscriber calls in an acceptable timeframe, effectively communicating with our subscriber base, reducing calls driven by the complexity of our business, improving the reliability of certain systems and subscriber equipment and aligning the interests of certain independent third-party retailers and installers to provide high-quality service. Most of these factors have affected both gross new DISH TV subscriber activations as well as DISH TV subscriber churn rate. Our future gross new DISH TV subscriber activations and our DISH TV subscriber churn rate may be negatively impacted by these factors, which could in turn adversely affect our revenue.

There have been no material changes in our market risk during the three months ended March 31, 2025. For additional information, see Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk in Part II of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024.

Conclusion regarding disclosure controls and procedures

Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer, we evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) as of the end of the period covered by this report. Based upon that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of the end of the period covered by this report.

Changes in internal control over financial reporting

There has been no change in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) during our most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 includes a detailed discussion of our risk factors. The information presented below updates, and should be read in conjunction with, the risk factors and information disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024.

Changes in trade policies, including, but not limited to, tariffs and other restrictions, could increase, among other things, our costs, disrupt our supply chain and negatively affect our business, operations and financial condition.

We depend on suppliers, including suppliers with manufacturing in China and other countries, for various materials in our 5G Network, satellite and related infrastructure, Pay-TV and Wireless businesses. Changes in U.S. or foreign trade policies, including, but not limited to, new or increased tariffs, export controls, trade restrictions or sanctions, have resulted, and may continue to result, in higher costs for the wireless devices and other equipment we procure.

Supply chain disruptions, customs delays, new compliance requirements and other challenges may cause delays in deploying network infrastructure and customer equipment, increase our operational expenses, and impact our ability to meet customer demand. Although we attempt to mitigate these risks through alternative sourcing and operational efficiencies, these efforts may not be successful or sufficient.

If we are unable to pass increased costs to customers without negatively impacting demand, or offset them through other measures, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.