They need tremendous connectivity at airports and their hangers. They need connectivity when planes are circling and when they’re on the ground. And so they’re all going to have private networks. Well, that’s an interesting play because EchoStar is already dealing with some major airlines as an example. So I think you’re going to see real progress there. I don’t think you’ll see progress next quarter per se. I think you’ll see it in 2024, and you’ll see it because of the integration of our teams, and that’s probably one where the — that you’re going to see that kind of jumpstarts that business for us. And I know EchoStar has a pretty big backlog as an example of enterprise customer business already. And this is just, I think my discussions with the EchoStar folks on the enterprise side is they’re excited because they get something else to sell.
And in fact, for the most part, some of the enterprise customers are international, but all the domestic customers are certainly people that I’m sure we are in discussion or will have discussions.
Operator: We will now take questions from members of the media. [Operator Instructions] Our first media question comes from Todd Shields with Bloomberg News.
Todd Shields: Charlie, you said we just don’t have any plans for DIRECTV. Is that forever or just based on right now while you’re busy absorbing EchoStar? Thank you.
Charles Ergen: Well, that’s certainly for now. I don’t know how to answer that, but our focus is elsewhere.
Operator: Our next question comes from John Celentano with Inside Towers. Please go ahead.
John Celentano: Infrastructure question. Last figure I heard or saw about the number of cell sites deployed is around 16,000. I know you’ve progressed since then. But to reach the 75% of PEAs nationwide, what do you think you’re going to need in terms of cell sites?
John Swieringa: So this is John, thanks for the question. So the top level, we’re focused on 73% VoNR footprint, which is most major cities, most NFL markets. We’ll have about 20,000 sites on air by the end of this year for macro coverage. And we’re in the process now of doing all the RF designs and plans for the 2025 build-out. It’s a slightly different kind of build in terms of morality and other factors, but we’re probably not in a position to give any more guidance on that right now. But we’re hard to work to put those plans together.
Operator: Our next question comes from Jimmy Schaeffler with The Carmel Group. Please go ahead.
Jimmy Schaeffler: You’ve highlighted the 21st century quality of your new network architecture. Do you have any data or material analysis that begins to prove that out? In other words, how much better than current cell service will DISH wireless be?
Charles Ergen: Yes. This is Charlie, Jimmy. I’d say it this way. From a consumer point of view, the incumbents do a great job. Their networks work extremely well, and I don’t expect that we’re going to see, while VoNR voice is on the margin a little better, it’s not something that would make you rush out, say I have to have VoNR voice over 4G voice or whatever. So I don’t think there’s going to be a huge difference in the short term. I think from the consumer point of view, it’s a little bit how the architecture of everything goes together, including OSS, BSS and how we might be able to change the customer experience long-term. It’s no different and you lived through this, Jimmy. When we launched digital DBS along with DIRECTV, the ESPN was ESPN.
It wasn’t really that much different when it started. But we made that when it came to digitizing an interactive guide and making commercials less obtrusive and other things, lockout and things like that, we actually made the experience better. We’ll have to do the same thing here. But I think in the short-term, there’s not a big difference to differentiate our network for the consumer. That’s much different when it comes to the enterprise business, where the enterprise business is about controlling your data, making sure you get your data so you can improve your product, make it safer, make it cheaper, make it more innovative, gain market share of the competition, make sure that you’re taking by reducing climate change and sensors and all kind of things that you might need where you have control of your data.
And that’s very difficult to do with incumbent networks. And so that’s why I’m bullish on that side of our business because I think we have strategic advantages. And that’s why I’m excited about bringing the EchoStar team or working with the EchoStar team who’s already down that path with satellite and now we’re going to add one more tool to that. So I’m not saying we won’t have differentiation for the consumers. I think we will in a number of ways. But realistically, you’re not going to see too much difference. Now on the network side, realize our OpEx and CapEx and actual cost of constructed network is much less. So we’re getting a lot more bang for our money, which ultimately can lead to lower cost for consumers.
Jimmy Schaeffler: And Charlie, one more quick question. Do you see anything on the fixed wireless access side that entices you or interests you right now?
Charles Ergen: Yes. There’s a bunch of stuff that I think is interesting. Obviously, we’ve been disappointed that the SEC hasn’t ruled on our 12-gig fixed wireless. They ruled for 12-gig for satellite in a matter of months and we’ve been at it for 5 years on the terrestrial side. The only interference from it is with ourself, right, is to DBS. And so we’ve said we’re not obviously going to interfere it ourselves. So we’re hopeful that’s a place that fixed wireless can go. The other part of it, the reason I’m a little cautious is the government is going to spend somewhere between $40 billion and $100 billion on broadband. And they set rules and it’s even state by state now. And the economics of fixed wireless now are being decided by government agencies.
