AT&T completed its $23 billion acquisition of wireless spectrum licenses from EchoStar on 28 July, a deal first announced in August 2025. The transaction adds roughly 50 MHz of low-band and mid-band spectrum covering more than 400 markets across the US. The newly acquired spectrum includes 30 MHz of nationwide 3.45 GHz mid-band and 20 MHz of nationwide 600 MHz low-band, designed to boost 5G capacity and download speeds. AT&T also extended its wholesale network partnership with EchoStar, which will continue operating under the Boost Mobile brand. Second-quarter revenue rose 2% to $31.6 billion, with diluted earnings per share climbing to $0.66 from $0.62 year-on-year. The stock has climbed 18% since early July after falling more than 12% following SpaceX's public trading debut in June.

Maker of Narcan will lay off 34 at its Gaithersburg headquarters. 8/6/2026 12:35 p.m. EDT Emergent BioSolutions closed manufacturing facilities in Baltimore and Rockville in 2024. Emergent BioSolutions is laying off 34 employees at its Gaithersburg headquarters. The cuts are part of the company's restructuring, which includes laying off about 90 people across its locations. The Gaithersburg layoffs will take effect on Oct. 4, according to a notice filed with the state labor department Wednesday. Emergent BioSolutions develops and manufactures products to treat opioid overdoses, including Narcan Nasal Spray. It's also produced vaccines and other products to address public health threats, including Ebola and COVID-19. The company estimates that the restructuring will save close to $40 million per year, its leaders wrote in a news release. It is also eliminating vacant roles, closing two Maryland laboratories and selling an office building. In addition, it's creating a new organization focused on growth that consolidates research, business development and strategy. A majority of the eliminated roles in Gaithersburg were research and development positions, Assal Hellmer, the company's vice president of communications, wrote in a statement to The Banner. "These decisions are difficult, and not a reflection of the talent, dedication or contributions of our colleagues," Hellmer wrote. "The restructuring is intended to improve our overall cost structure, to drive more streamlined efficiencies, and to align resourcing to the current needs of the organization." Jul 31, 2026 Jul 16, 2026 As of January 2026, the company employed about 900 people in North America and Europe, according to its website. This is not the first round of layoffs at Emergent BioSolutions in the last few years. In the spring of 2024, the company eliminated about 300 jobs and closed manufacturing facilities in Baltimore and Rockville. The company also cut 132 positions in early 2023 and another 400 workers later that year. The 2023 layoffs came as the company shifted away from contract drug manufacturing in order to focus on expanding access to Narcan nasal spray and medical countermeasures. Three other companies have announced mass layoffs in Montgomery County this summer. General Dynamics Information Technology is laying off 32 people in Germantown, and Microsoft's ZeniMax Media is cutting more than 350 jobs across Maryland, including 166 roles in Rockville. And EchoStar, a telecommunications firm, recently filed notice that it will soon lay off 330 people across three facilities in Gaithersburg and Germantown. Marijke Friedman is a recent graduate of the University of Maryland. She was born and raised in Silver Spring. During her time at UMD, she studied journalism and government and served as the news editor of The Diamondback. She will report to the Capital Region desk at The Banner through a partnership with the MDDC Press Association. Sep 3, 2026 Sep 2, 2026 Welcome to The Banner's subscriber-only commenting community. Please review our community guidelines.

SpaceX plans to build a terrestrial mobile service using spectrum acquired from EchoStar, aiming to compete with major US carriers. President Gwynne Shotwell said the company will create a "true mobile service" using lower-cost base stations paired with Starlink dishes rather than traditional cell towers. SpaceX agreed to pay $19.6 billion for 65 MHz of wireless spectrum licenses from EchoStar in 2025. The company plans to launch next-generation Starlink Mobile satellites in 2027, with upgraded service targeted for late that year. Analysts expressed scepticism about SpaceX's ability to compete without an MVNO agreement, noting its 65 MHz spectrum is small compared to what major carriers own. Shares of AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon fell 2 to 4 percent following the announcement.