While Dish founder and chairman Charlie Ergen commands the room, especially with the US$25.5 billion bid for Sprint Nextel, an ubiquitous technology enthusiast is the driving force behind the network's wireless strategy.
Tom Cullen is Dish Network's vice president for corporate development. He has risen to become one of Ergen's most trusted confidante on wireless business as he sits in an office next door to Ergen on the fourth floor of the Dish Network's corporate headquarters.
According to an anonymous source familiar with the matter, "In terms of the wireless strategy, I would argue that's really Tom's baby. That's why he's been on all these calls with Charlie. He's the one who's certainly spearheaded this effort. But everyone likes to write about the billionaire. It's just more entertaining."
Cullen has been Ergen's right hand for many years now, since Ergen started serious consideration for wireless technology back in 2007. After the spectrum acquisitions amounting to US$3 billion in 2011. Cullen headed the Dish policy team that worked with the FCC to allow Dish to use the spectrum as it pleases.
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