Dish Network has launched its 5G service to consumers in Las Vegas after several months of delays as the telecom firm tries to build out a nationwide 5G network and reduce its reliance on T-Mobile.
Dish Network Chairman Charlie Ergen in February said unexpected technical issues have delayed the rollout of 5G network.
DISH Network earlier selected Samsung Electronics for the deployment of 5G Open Radio Access Network solutions across DISH Wireless’ SMART 5G network.
The service – dubbed Project Genesis – was initially supposed to launch in Las Vegas in September and cut dependence on the T-Mobile network that powers Dish’s Boost prepaid wireless service.
T-Mobile sold Boost prepaid business to Dish as part of the merger between T-Mobile and Sprint. T-Mobile received antitrust approval in 2020 after the companies agreed to divest some assets including some wireless spectrum to create a new wireless competitor.
T-Mobile has since then allowed Dish to use its network but the relationship between the companies soured after T-Mobile announced plans to shut down its older CDMA wireless network – a service still used by a significant number of Boost customers.
That has prompted Dish to create its own cellular network, which it plans to make available in 120 markets by June.
Smartphone customers signing up for the service will have to pay $30 per month and Dish is selling its first smartphone – the Motorola Edge+ – loaded with the service for about $900, the company said in a statement.
Dish Network earlier revealed that its wireless subscribers decreased by approximately 245,000 in the fourth quarter, compared to a decrease of 363,000 in the year-ago quarter. Dish Network closed the quarter with 8.55 million retail wireless subscribers.
