AMC Returns To DISH Network After $700m Settlement

DISH Network has announced it has reached a settlement with AMC subsidiary Voom, splashing out $700m in cash and getting a variety of channels and a chunk of wireless spectrum in return. The agreement will see AMC content – as well as other channels – rejoin DISH's service immediately, though DISH will have to pass back the 20-percent share in Voom it currently holds.

AMC content was pulled from DISH boxes back in July, after the two companies failed to reach a satisfactory renegotiation of their contract. That meant no more Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, or Mad Men, something which unsurprisingly didn't leave subscribers feeling too great.

However, as of Sunday, AMC returned to DISH channel 131, while the Sundance Channel, Fuse, WE tv, and IFC will show up again on November 1.

As for the wireless spectrum, DISH now has the use of 500MHz of wireless multichannel video distribution and data service (MVDDS) spectrum licenses, previously held by Voom. They apparently service a population of around 150m, spread across 45 markets including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco and Philadelphia.

DISH hasn't said exactly what it plans to do with the new spectrum access, though promises "digital expansion opportunities" for AMC and other content.