With clearly stated goals of entering the wireless communications business, Dish Network (NASDAQ: DISH) has named former Qwest Communications President and COO Afshin Mohebbi to its board of directors.
Dish revealed the appointment in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday.
Mohebbi, whose appointment expands the Dish board from 10 to 11 members, is now a private investor, having served as a senior advisor to TPG Capital since March 2013.
More pertinent to Dish, Mohebbi's telecommunications career spans three decades, starting with a stint at Pacific Bell in 1983. He also served as president, managing director of U.K. markets and a board member for British Telecom from 1997 to 1999 before joining Qwest.
Dish is currently awaiting the outcome of the Federal Communications Commission's upcoming spectrum auction before it makes a significant move into the wireless industry, either by adding spectrum to existing inventory valued at nearly $17 billion, or through the acquisition of an existing wireless company, such as T-Mobile.
For more:
- read this Dish 8K SEC filing
- read this Multichannel News story
Related links:
Report: Dish's Ergen reached out to Deutsche Telekom about buying T-Mobile
Report: France's Iliad talking to Dish, Cox, Charter to help sweeten T-Mobile bid
Ergen: Video is vital to wireless industry Dish is determined to join