DENVER—EchoStar Communications Corp. said Thursday its second-quarter profit climbed 33 percent as subscribers paid more for programming and equipment rental fees for its satellite television service.
The Dish Network operator also noted that the 2006 second quarter included a $14.2 million expense stemming from a jury verdict in a patent dispute with Tivo Inc.
For the quarter ending June 30, EchoStar reported net income of $224.2 million, or 50 cents a share, compared with net income of $168.8 million, or 38 cents a share, in the year-ago quarter. Revenue totaled $2.8 million, up 12 percent from $2.5 million.
EchoStar said the number of overall subscribers climbed 9 percent to 13.6 million, although after it factored in those who stopped service, its net subscriber count dropped 13 percent.
The average monthly revenue per subscriber rose 5 percent to $66.06 from $62.91 in the 2006 second quarter, reflecting an increase in customers who bought high-definition products and paid higher programming and rental fees.
The results were filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission after the market closed. EchoStar’s stock dropped $1.52 a share to close at $38.30 a share Thursday.
The Englewood-based company is the second largest satellite TV provider behind DirecTV.
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