Google has held talks with satellite-TV provider Dish Network in recent weeks to partner on a new mobile service, people familiar with the discussions told the Wall Street Journal. They noted the talks aren't advanced and could amount to nothing. Google is just one of several companies that Dish has held talks with recently, and the discussions with other potential partners are also at an exploratory stage, according to the report. Dish Chairman Charlie Ergen declined to comment on Google specifically, but said some of the potential partners he has considered include companies "who would like to be in the industry" and currently don't have a mobile business. He added that it would be easier for Dish to partner with a company that already has wireless towers and related infrastructure for transmitting data, among other expertise in the business. While Google doesn't have expertise in wireless infrastructure and doesn't control spectrum, the company has cash—more than USD 45 billion at the end of September—which could be used to help build a new network. Dish is still awaiting regulatory approval to use its spectrum to launch a cellular service.
