• by Wayne Friedman , June 17, 2019

Dish Network is looking to acquire more wireless assets -- from a possible T-Mobile/Sprint merger -- in an effort to become a bigger U.S. wireless competitor, according to a report.

The news lifted the company’s stock 4.8% to $39.34 in mid-day Monday trading.

Reports say private-equity group Apollo Global Management is in talks with Dish to finance a bid for wireless assets, sold from a proposed $26 billion merger between T-Mobile and Sprint to get U.S. regulatory approval, according CNBC.

A Dish deal would include Sprint’s Boost Mobile business. At the same time, the U.S. Department of Justice is said to have had discussions with cable/broadband companies Altice USA and Charter Communications for purchase of T-Mobile/Sprint wireless assets.

For many years, Dish has bought up wireless airwaves but has yet to start a business around these spectrum deals.  

Next year, Dish has a federal deadline to build a wireless communication network or risk losing the license.

At the same time, reports have circulated in recent weeks that Dish’s satellite TV business and AT&T’s DirecTV -- another big satellite TV operator -- were rumored to be considering a merger.

In recent years, both Dish and DirecTV have lost significant number of subscribers for their respective satellite TV businesses.