Thursday, August 1, 2019

DISH Wireless Agreement with the FCC

This a condensed review of what Dish Network has agreed with the FCC to do in agreement with the T-Mobile - Sprint merger.

Dish has committed to the Federal Communications Commission that it will have deployed a core network and offer 5G broadband service to at least 20% of the U.S. population by June 2022. And by June 2023, Dish’s 5G network must cover at least 70% of the U.S. population with download speeds of at least 35 Mbps. In regards to Dish's AWS-4, 700 MHz, and H Block licenses, if Dish hits a 50% coverage threshold by the 2023 deadline it will be granted an automatic two-year buildout extension. In addition, by 2023, it must have at least 15,000 5G sites deployed and at least 30 megahertz of Dish’s downlink 5G spectrum averaged over all its deployed 5G sites nationwide.
Dish agrees not to sell its AWS-4 or 600 MHz licenses for six years without prior FCC and DOJ consent, unless that sale is part of a larger sale of Dish itself. 
In order to begin the process of setting up its wireless network, following the completion of the merger of Sprint and T-Mobile, Dish will:

  • Acquire Sprint's prepaid businesses and customers, including Boost Mobile, Virgin Mobile and the Sprint-branded prepaid service.
  • Acquire 14 MHz of Sprint's nationwide 800 MHz spectrum.
  • Access the New T-Mobile network for seven years, including the ability to serve Dish customers seamlessly between T-Mobile's nationwide network and Dish's new independent 5G broadband network.
Dish's purchase of Sprint's nationwide 800 MHz wireless spectrum is expected to be completed three years after the closing of the acquisition of the prepaid businesses.

We have posted the potential coverage for the new Dish Wireless network at CellularMaps.com.

No comments: