Dish Network Corp. says a number of factors have made it impracticable for it to submit another offer to buy Sprint Nextel Corp. in time to beat a deadline set by the phone company.

Sprint had given Dish until Tuesday to make its best and final offer. Sprint’s demand came after Softbank last week boosted its multibillion-dollar bid for the carrier.

Dish said Tuesday it continues to see strategic value in a merger with Sprint and is considering its options.

In the meantime, Dish is focusing on efforts to acquire wireless network operator Clearwire Corp., which is partly owned by Sprint. Sprint has made its own offer for the part of Clearwire that it doesn’t own.