Verizon is reportedly in talks to acquire spectrum assets from EchoStar in a deal worth close to $10 billion.

As reported by Bloomberg, Verizon wants to buy EchoStar’s AWS-3 licenses, which would be used to further expand Verizon's deployment of 5G.

EchoStar's regulatory filings value this spectrum at $9.8bn.

EchoStar recently agreed to sell certain wireless spectrum licenses to Verizon's rival AT&T for approximately $23bn, before also striking a deal with Elon Musk's SpaceX to sell AWS-4 (Advanced Wireless Spectrum) and H-block spectrum licenses for $17bn.

EchoStar's decision to sell off significant spectrum to SpaceX and its wireless assets to AT&T came after Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr said that the agency would investigate EchoStar's use of 5G spectrum as the company continues its 5G build-out across the US.

During SCTE Expo this week, Carr referred to the EchoStar spectrum sales as being in the "public interest."

The company noted this in its announcement today again, saying that it anticipates the sale "will resolve the FCC inquiries."

For EchoStar, the spectrum sales have ended the company's plans to effectively become the country's fourth mobile carrier.

As part of its deal with AT&T, both companies agreed to expand their long-term wholesale network services agreement, enabling EchoStar to operate as a hybrid mobile network operator as it provides wireless services under its Boost Mobile brand.

Instead of becoming a carrier, the move is more akin to that of an MVNO.

In 2023, Dish Network merged with EchoStar, leading to Boost Mobile becoming the brand name of the company's mobile network.

EchoStar was spun out from Dish back in 2008, as Dish held onto the TV business while shedding the satellite infrastructure that beamed content into them.

The re-merger between the two combined Dish's Pay-TV business and its 5G wireless network with EchoStar's satellite communications solutions.