Englewood, Colo. - EchoStar Communications (NASD: DISH), operator of the DISH Network satellite TV service, announced this week in an SEC filing that the company will change its name to DISH Network Corporation, in connection with an anticipated spin-off of its set-top box-related businesses to a new company called EchoStar Holding Company.

DISH Network will comprise the company's satellite TV service, while EchoStar Holding will include the company's EchoStar-branded set-tops and Slingboxes, the place-shifting set-top device business it acquired through its recent $380 million purchase of Sling Media.

AT&T is considering a multi-billion dollar deal to acquire the DISH Network satellite service, according to reports, while EchoStar recently suffered a setback in its ongoing patent dispute with TiVo (NASD: TIVO) when the U.S. Patent Office validated TiVo's digital video recorder patent on re-examination.

EchoStar's appeal of a $73 million patent infringement ruling in favor of TiVo is still pending.

Related Links:
http://snipurl.com/1uxgs (SEC filing)

http://snipurl.com/1uxhn (TheStreet.com)

http://snipurl.com/1uxhu (DMW previous coverage)

http://www.dishnetwork.com