Dish Network, T-Mobile in Merger Talks

Dish Network is reportedly in talks to merge with T-Mobile U.S., people familiar with the matter said Wednesday. The two companies are reportedly in close agreement on a vision of the combined company, that would see Dish Chief Executive Charlie Ergen becoming the combined company’s chairman and his T-Mobile counterpart John Legere as the CEO. Dish is the country’s second-largest satellite-TV operator with 13.million customers, and T-Mobile is the fourth-largest wireless carrier with 44.7 million retail customers. The potential deal is the latest in a wave of multibillion-dollar mergers of U.S. media and communications companies, including AT&T’s $49 billion deal for DirectTV that would create the nation’s largest pay-TV company.