Google Rumored to Partner with Dish on New Wireless Carrier
- Paul Thurrott
- Jul 08, 2019
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Citing multiple sources, The New York Post is reporting that Google is looking at creating a fourth U.S. wireless carrier with Dish Network in the wake of an expected $26 billion Sprint/T-Mobile merger.
That said, there are a few different opinions as to the truth of this rumor.
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“There’s no question they are talking,” one source told the publication.
“These claims are simply false,” a Google spokesperson told The New York Post. “Google is not having any conversations with Dish about creating a wireless network.”
That seems pretty clear-cut. But the Post says that with Dish set to acquire some T-Mobile assets as part of an agreement that should get the Sprint/T-Mobile merger past regulators, it is talking to Google about bringing in its Google Fi assets to create a new wireless carrier.
Microsoft fans may be interested to know that former Ford CEO Alan Mulally, who was once a front-runner for the Microsoft CEO position, is involved in the Google/Dish plans too.
The Post notes that these plans are only about “halfway there” and “are in flux and could still fall apart.” And that Deutsche Telekom, the T-Mobile parent company, is against the Google partnership. But the U.S. government is allegedly “not really concerned” about Google playing a role in a major wireless network.
“The cloud is becoming more reliant on the last-mile providers,” BTIG analyst Walter Piecyk told the publication. “It’s in Google’s interest to make sure the last-mile provider is inexpensive.”