Dish Network is adding more wireless industry savvy to its ranks, with former T-Mobile executive Dave Mayo joining as EVP, Network Development
Dish Network is adding more wireless industry savvy to its ranks, with former T-Mobile executive Dave Mayo joining as EVP, Network Development.
Prior to joining Dish, Mayo most recently was senior vice president at T-Mobile USA, where he led T-Mobile’s IoT business and founded the company’s fixed wireless business.
At Dish, Mayo is responsible for Dish’s wireless buildout strategy and execution of the company’s deployment of a standalone (SA) 5G network.
Mayo’s career in wireless dates back to T-Mobile’s predecessor, Western Wireless, which was founded by John Stanton and Theresa Gillespie in 1994. That eventually led to VoiceStream Wireless, which was purchased by Deutsche Telekom and renamed T-Mobile USA.
During the course of his career, Mayo gained experience in a host of areas: network strategy, planning and implementation, development, financial analysis, operations, strategic transactions, vendor management and most recently, 5G, IoT and fixed wireless.
His hire comes after Dish last year added Nokia veteran Marc Rouanne as chief network officer and Stephen Bye as chief commercial officer.
Dish also announced several other executive changes. Jeff Blum, who oversees state and federal government relations from the company’s Washington, D.C. office, was promoted to EVP, External and Legislative Affairs.
Dish said Blum has played an “integral role” in Dish’s wireless journey, from spectrum acquisitions and regulatory affairs to his most recent work with the Department of Justice and FCC. That work, as part of the remedy to the T-Mobile/Sprint merger, set up Dish to be a fourth facilities-based carrier, as well as an MVNO agreement with T-Mobile.
The remedy also calls for Dish to acquire the Boost Mobile assets from Sprint, a deal that is due to close any day now.
In the retail space, John Swieringa, Dish’s COO since December 2017, will add to his responsibilities as the new Group President, Retail Wireless. Swieringa will be responsible for Dish’s retail wireless business, including strategy, operations and sales, in addition to his duties as COO. He will continue to report to Dish CEO Erik Carlson.
Dish’s ability to build a greenfield 5G network came into question when the COVID-19 crisis took hold and sent financial markets into a tailspin. But Ergen also addressed that question during the earnings call last month, saying the funding part is not the thing that’s keeping them up at night.
Dish has said it will build its 5G network on a city-by-city basis and it is aiming for a core and 5G trial service in one market by the end of 2020.