Crown Castle Inc. terminated its wireless infrastructure agreement with Dish Wireless, a subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation, after Dish defaulted on payments totaling more than $3.5 billion. The termination removes Dish’s access to Crown Castle’s tower and fiber assets, effectively crippling EchoStar’s hybrid 5G network that relies on AT&T’s core and Crown Castle’s infrastructure.
Dish notified Crown Castle and other partners in September 2025 that it was discontinuing its network buildout and stopped making payments, triggering the default. The $3.5 billion figure represents the remaining balance of the 10‑year lease and service agreements that Dish had committed to under the contract.
EchoStar’s hybrid network serves roughly 7.5 million retail wireless subscribers through Boost Mobile. The loss of tower capacity threatens service continuity and could accelerate EchoStar’s liquidity challenges, as the hybrid model has been operating at a significant operating loss since 2023.
Crown Castle has filed a lawsuit seeking to recover the unpaid balance and is pursuing new tenants for the freed capacity. The company says the termination will not materially affect its 2025 financial results, citing that the revenue from Dish was already at risk and that other tenants will offset the loss.
EchoStar has been selling spectrum licenses to AT&T and SpaceX to generate cash and has argued that FCC actions absolve it of contractual obligations. Management said the company is transitioning to a spectrum holding model, prioritizing asset monetization over network buildout.
Analysts note that the termination underscores the risks of Dish’s pivot away from network operations and the potential for further legal disputes. The event also highlights Crown Castle’s ability to protect its assets and pursue recovery, while EchoStar faces a narrowing operational footprint.
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