KT vs SATS Comparison

KT is South Korea's largest fixed-line telecom operator, with around 9.0 million fixed-line broadband customers and 9.4 million IPTV customers, and is the second-largest wireless operator with 25 million subscribers. Additionally, it has a number of nontelecom businesses, including real estate, payment processing, artificial intelligence, and IDC/cloud services, many of which are the focus of its growth strategy. The company was formed from the previously government-owned, monopoly telecom business and was listed in 1998. After selling its mobile business in 1994 (forming its mobile competitor, SK Telecom) KT created its own mobile operator in 1997.

Satellite television provides the bulk of EchoStar's revenue. The firm serves about 6 million US customers, about 10% of the traditional television market. It launched an internet-based television offering under the Sling brand in 2015 and serves about 2 million customers on this platform. EchoStar has agreed to sell this business to television rival DirecTV. The firm's focus is now on the wireless market. EchoStar has amassed an extensive portfolio of spectrum licenses and is building a nationwide wireless network. It acquired Sprint's prepaid business and serves about 7 million customers, primarily under the Boost brand. EchoStar's legacy businesses provide satellite telecom services and equipment to businesses and consumers, including about 1 million internet customers.