Dish Focus On Clearwire After Deadline Passes On Sprint Counteroffer

Charlie Ergen’s Dish Network has been playing two games at once with Sprint Nextel: a bidding war with SoftBank for the entire company, while also attempting to acquire Sprint’s stake in spectrum-holder Clearwire. Missing today’s Sprint-imposed deadline to counter SoftBank doesn’t mean Dish can’t still bid on the No. 2 mobile services provider, but the company says it will “focus our efforts and resources on completing the Clearwire tender offer.” Dish has offered $4.40 a share for Sprint’s Clearwire stake as the satellite provider seeks to amass spectrum rights to launch its own wireless broadband network.