Dishing About The Future

View This Article in BOSS Magazine

DISH Network is on a mission to change the way the world communicates

DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) the renowned pioneer in affordable satellite television services, continues its mission as a disruptive force in the telecom marketplace with an audacious plan, entering the wireless market as a nationwide provider of wireless services by developing the first virtualized, standalone 5G broadband network in the country. Since 1980 DISH has brought their award-winning technology to millions of customers.

The Fortune 200 company’s portfolio includes DISH TV and the Sling TV streaming service. DISH, which is an acronym for Digital Sky Highway, is ranked No. 1 in customer satisfaction among national cable/satellite TV service providers for the fifth consecutive year by J.D. Power. DISH has earned more J.D. Power customer satisfaction awards than any other national cable/satellite television service.

Gus Barajas

As Senior Manager of the DISH Network Supply Chain Category, Gus Barajas, PMP, CSCP, CPIM is tasked with developing the relationships that will help propel the network to this exciting new vista. DISH is advancing their ambitious mission to change the way the world communicates: with any method and any technology.

Barajas’ role is to ensure that the organization has the ideal partnerships to support their initiatives. “While it’s always good to have one partner do everything, not all partners can do all things.” They are keen on working with new market entrants, smaller mom-and-pop shops, and minority-owned businesses that offer the unique skills to help DISH grow.

While their industry counterparts may have the resources to build the best communication tools, DISH takes a different approach. “We don’t do everything ourselves,” he said. In his role he identifies partners that can help them do a fair and equitable analysis of the market and bring that diverse talent and resources to the enterprise. “Because we’re spending a significant amount of money to grow an industry, we have to make sure that we have the right partner at the right place, at the right time, with the right services and products.”

Barajas is quick to point out that because 5G is the industry standard, other providers are using or building technologies to deliver wireless services. “For example, we’ve all been using the same towers and cable for quite some time and we keep using the same venue in order to communicate from one place to another.

“We’re not going to use the same interstate highway that everybody uses,” he said.

That independence will enable DISH to exert complete control of their custom-built network, unlike major carriers currently in operation that often use the same frequency bands and use the same network to access or provide their services.

“Via DISH and with our 5G design, we’re going to have our own network and make that vision happen.”

Over the past decade, vision, foresight, and great planning set the company on its unique course. Early in the process, the supply chain organization began looking for the equipment and service partners needed on their journey to 5G. “We’ve been establishing those partnerships this whole time,” he said.

As they continued to build out their 5G ecosystem, M&A activity increased to support the effort, and a host of new alliances were forged with companies they hadn’t worked with previously. “This is all part of growing,” Barajas pointed out, noting that their visionary decisions were designed to lead them to their current.

Given the massive changes in the company, Barajas likens DISH to an energetic, well-staffed startup. Their innovation department has been conceptualizing solutions for the past few years; as plans accelerate into fruition, new types of equipment and technologies have everyone on a fast learning curve as the supply chain organization cultivates fresh ideas, relationships, products, and technologies.

Boost Mobile, Boost Infinite, and Gen Mobile are a few of the wireless brands that are part of DISH. The company is in the process of meeting the U.S. government’s requirements that will propel them in the marketplace.

DISH is on the verge of becoming one of the four leading wireless mobile providers in the country. “We’re going to compete with our brand-new network and provide the excellent service we’re known for.”

Barajas is the president and originator of ADELANTE con DISH, an internal Hispanic/Latinx network whose mission is to help their members advance to next level positions, and to continuously help other members of diverse populations advance in their careers at every opportunity.

He also oversees MISSION: ADELANTE, DISH’s first Hispanic ERG Resource Group, a network for DISH employees excited about learning and enhancing their knowledge and experience of the Hispanic/Latinx culture.

Adelante, which is Spanish for “ahead,” perfectly captures the DISH culture, which is devoted to continued acceleration in every way; from innovation, partnership and audacious growth to a tangible commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, as well as a word close to his heart: belonging. For their customers and employees, that’s a truly meaningful reason to love DISH.