Dish Taking Mobile Slooooooow

Even though Dish Network is testing mobile TV transmission equipment this summer, don’t hold your breath for the service to arrive any time soon. On its earnings call today, Dish chairman Charlie Ergen and vice chairman Carl Vogel made it abundantly clear they are in no rush — and they want to enlist some partners before they do anything.

According to Mutichannel News, Vogel said:

“We’re a long, long, long way from building anything out. We’re a long, long, long way from deciding who our partners will be and when, but we do think it is a valuable piece of spectrum that gives us an opportunity to have numerous strategic discussions that will provide an asset that’s additive to the business we already have.”

Dish is right to proceed cautiously, as people don’t seem to care about mobile TV. But if it wades in carefuly, Dish thinks that the 700 MHz spectrum it bought, combined with its satellite and Sling products could offer an interesting combo for consumers.

In other news from the call, Dish said it’s getting roughed up by telcos launching video services and lagging behind rival DirecTV in HD offerings. First quarter subscriber growth was down 88.7 percent compared with last year with just 35,000 new subscribers.