Dish Network/Boost Mobile cell/5G buildout thread

[dkyeager]

https://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/boost-mobile-offers-sim-kits-7-eleven-stores-nationwide?itm_source=parsely-api

This could mean an upgrade of Boost Mobiles lowest locations.

[Paynefanbro]

The Boost Infinite beta launched today. 

Looks like it’s $25/month for unlimited talk, text, and data. You’ll get deprioritized over 30GB though. 

https://beta.boostinfinite.com/#

[RedSpark]

3 hours ago, Paynefanbro said:

The Boost Infinite beta launched today. 

Looks like it’s $25/month for unlimited talk, text, and data. You’ll get deprioritized over $30GB though. 

https://beta.boostinfinite.com/#

According to Boost, they'll be offering an "expanded high-speed data" option with pricing TBA:

https://www.lightreading.com/open-ran/dish-unveils-boost-infinite-pricing-$25month-for-30gb-of-speedy-data/d/d-id/782181?

"We've found that an overwhelming majority of wireless customers in the US won't exceed that data threshold," Dish officials said. "For heavy data users, we will offer an option for expanded high-speed data at the lowest price in the industry. More to come on that with our upcoming Q1 2023 launch."

[dkyeager]

13 hours ago, Paynefanbro said:

The Boost Infinite beta launched today. 

Looks like it’s $25/month for unlimited talk, text, and data. You’ll get deprioritized over 30GB though. 

https://beta.boostinfinite.com/#

Strange that they require a credit check before they will tell you if your BYOD phone is acceptable.

None of the phones they sell appears to support n70.

[dkyeager]

On 12/7/2022 at 8:18 AM, Paynefanbro said:

The Boost Infinite beta launched today. 

Looks like it’s $25/month for unlimited talk, text, and data. You’ll get deprioritized over 30GB though. 

https://beta.boostinfinite.com/#

They demand an e-mail address that you don't use with an existing Boost Mobile account.

They look at Experian credit, which you must unlock if you locked it because of T-Mobile negligence or any one of several other large Corp security breaches.

[Paynefanbro]

3 hours ago, dkyeager said:

They demand an e-mail address that you don't use with an existing Boost Mobile account.

This was the part that annoyed me the most. They likely launched an entirely different site and the email restriction so that they don't poach higher paying prepaid subs from themself with the launch of this but it's pretty easy to get around using a forwarding email.

On 12/7/2022 at 9:51 PM, dkyeager said:

None of the phones they sell appears to support n70.

None of the Samsung phones do but the moto g stylus 5G and all of the iPhone 14's have hardware support at the very least. A software update should be enable it at some point in the future.

Do we know if Boost Infinite actually includes access to Dish's own network? Band 70 support is a weird omission given that it'll provide a much needed boost in speeds and capacity to their own network, making it much more comparable to the Big 3. In the case of NYC, that's the difference between 50MHz of spectrum and 90MHz of spectrum (up to 100MHz if they choose not to renew T-Mobile's lease of the 600MHz D-block). Aggregating n66+n70+n71 would give them theoretical peak speeds of ~980/130, more than adequate for a company of their size.

[Yuhfhrh]

1 hour ago, Paynefanbro said:

Do we know if Boost Infinite actually includes access to Dish's own network? 

Currently it does not. It's AT&T only, with an option of switching to a T-Mobile sim/esim instead through customer service.

They still have a lot of work ahead of them to get devices onboard their own network. I mentioned some of their current challenges here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Dish5G/comments/zf3iqn/signed_up_for_boost_infinite_disappointed_the/izashn6/

[dkyeager]

6 hours ago, Paynefanbro said:

None of the Samsung phones do but the moto g stylus 5G and all of the iPhone 14's have hardware support at the very least. A software update should be enable it at some point in the future.

https://www.motorola.com/us/smartphones-moto-g-stylus-5g-gen-2/p?ds_rl=1288503&ds_rl=1242193&ds_rl=1260444&ds_rl=1260444&ds_rl=1288503&gclid=Cj0KCQiA1sucBhDgARIsAFoytUtwUjIWW5MB2dIqYYjPGR7oEGK6QleFyUSWsdIynrQlPbw3SSJGbMcaAklgEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&skuId=781

This 2022 phone has some weird issues. Actually bought the 2021 version a few months ago for T-Mobile network use because it has n25 which the 2022 lacks. 2022 has reported issues with T-Mobile LTE. Lacks band 14 support for AT&T (has n14). Boost is listed as not supported. VoNR support is not listed. https://www.reddit.com/r/motorola/comments/yx2nwl/does_the_moto_stylus_5g_2022_support_vonr/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button 

The Samsung s23 has not listed n70 support so far in the FCC filings but should support two active esims plus a psim.  Project Genesis reportedly uses an esim and a psim in the s22.

In the last quarterly q & a, there were comments about upselling phones to support their new network in 2023. Perhaps this is what this new service is really all about.

 

[red_dog007]

What are the taxes like on this? Im currently on the $300/yr plan but my taxes were only $3.11. The added plan benefits, the big one would just be upgrading off 12GB hotspot.

[red_dog007]

On 12/8/2022 at 10:31 PM, dkyeager said:

They demand an e-mail address that you don't use with an existing Boost Mobile account.

They look at Experian credit, which you must unlock if you locked it because of T-Mobile negligence or any one of several other large Corp security breaches.

With gmail, they ignore the period so you can possibly make a new account on Infinite and just toss a period or remove a period in your username. 

The other one, if the input field accepts a + (some sites don't allow it), just append a + to the end of your email username and add something to it like johndoe+boost@gmail.com. Gmail ignores the + and everything after it.

[dkyeager]

Samsung tweet today:

.@Samsung welcomed @dishwireless to its Headquarters in Suwon 🇰🇷 to discuss its #5G partnership providing cloud-native #vRAN and #OpenRAN radio solutions for #DISHwireless’ nationwide #5Gnetwork rollout. #CloudRAN

Dosh followed up with a picture and list of all their people there.  It would be lovely if they could get Samsung to support n70 in their phones as part of an antenna MIMO deal.

[dkyeager]

Hearing rumors of a Rainbow SIM:

Any confirmations?

[Yuhfhrh]

On 1/12/2023 at 4:46 PM, dkyeager said:

Hearing rumors of a Rainbow SIM:

Any confirmations?

That's the sim card that comes with the project Genesis hotspot. Dish Wireless 313 340 HPLMN.

[dkyeager]

https://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/dish-raise-another-500m-pay-5g-network

Wonder what their burn rate is.

[red_dog007]

If that sim comes to BM and BI, I wonder if there will be device restrictions or some such.

Where I am at, lacking n70 on your device is pretty big deal.  Dish does not own any n66 here and only 5x5 of n71. 

I am also assuming that Dish needs to do a second tower climb to add their 3.45GHz.  I have not seen any Dish sites get a second antenna added here yet.

I'd still likely give it a go on my Pixel 7.

[dkyeager]

3 hours ago, red_dog007 said:

If that sim comes to BM and BI, I wonder if there will be device restrictions or some such.

Where I am at, lacking n70 on your device is pretty big deal.  Dish does not own any n66 here and only 5x5 of n71. 

I am also assuming that Dish needs to do a second tower climb to add their 3.45GHz.  I have not seen any Dish sites get a second antenna added here yet.

I'd still likely give it a go on my Pixel 7.

I think the whole phone issue has them flummoxed. VoNR likely still not working properly and almost zero interest by phone makers to add n70.  Would have thought a lower tier phone brand would have a phone with all their bands and VoNR. Hopefully they will shed some light in their next quarterly report.

All focus might just be on their n71 rollout. 70% of the population must be covered by June 14.

Edit: US Cellular puts reliable VoNR at two years away. https://www.fiercewireless.com/tech/uscellular-sees-no-rush-deploy-5g-voice

Edited January 17, 2023 by dkyeager

[dkyeager]

For SEC filing for raising funds:

 

DISH Network also announced that, as of December 31, 2022, it had started construction on over 15,000 5G sites, which, if completed, are capable of providing broadband coverage to over 60% of the U.S. population. Construction starts are continuing at a rate of approximately 1,000 5G sites per month

[dkyeager]

https://www.fiercewireless.com/5g/dishs-prepaid-losses-grow-q4-ahead-infinite-postpaid-launch

Personally not certain about postpaid for Dish.  They have not shown they can execute prepaid yet. Postpaid customers typically have high expectations.

[red_dog007]

I wonder what Boost niche was to of had like 9M customers originally.  BM seems to be picking up in populatrity at places like Slickdeals and even Reddit.  Though, even with a uptick in popularity, it seems like they could still loss many more customers. 

The article mentions Consumer Cellular but they have like 4~5M customers.  And a brand like Mint Mobile that is super popular is estimated to only have 2~3M customers.

It will be interesting to see how things shape up for Dish.  How they end up organically growing their customer base.  Maybe additional acquisitions in the future.  Selling phones also seems like it has been and expensive operation.  Just sounds like a lot of cash up front is required to do that kind of stuff, they may be more focused on spending their money to hit their deadlines. 

[iansltx]

On 1/17/2023 at 2:02 PM, red_dog007 said:

If that sim comes to BM and BI, I wonder if there will be device restrictions or some such.

Where I am at, lacking n70 on your device is pretty big deal.  Dish does not own any n66 here and only 5x5 of n71. 

I am also assuming that Dish needs to do a second tower climb to add their 3.45GHz.  I have not seen any Dish sites get a second antenna added here yet.

I'd still likely give it a go on my Pixel 7.

Remember, they have n66 nationwide as 20 MHz SDL. 5 Mhz uplink is tight but they have n26 as well.

FWIW the iPhone 14 supports n70 so that takes care of a lot of the phone issue in one fell swoop.

[red_dog007]

On 1/23/2023 at 7:37 AM, iansltx said:

Remember, they have n66 nationwide as 20 MHz SDL. 5 Mhz uplink is tight but they have n26 as well.

FWIW the iPhone 14 supports n70 so that takes care of a lot of the phone issue in one fell swoop.

Ah yes. I keep forgetting. I keep thinking that the 20MHz SDL is part of n70. Do that's good.

For the 800MHz, I did not think Dish had access to that yet. And from articles, it would suggest that Dish may not acquire it either. Which I think would be a mistake and kneecap them similar to how Sprint was with lowband. They have too much area where they only have 5x5 n71.

 

[PedroDaGr8]

New Dish permit plans showing them using Samsung Radios for n26, n29, n66, n70, and n71:
 

 

[dkyeager]

https://www.sdxcentral.com/articles/analysis/dish-5g-plans-score-big-interest-literally/2023/01/

Have not seen interest rates this high since Sprint/Clearwire. Their feet will be to the fire. Instead of $500 million, they got $1.5 billion. Hopefully enough to get to 70%.

[red_dog007]

Dang.  Is there I way we can directly get in on that for the next one if Dish is gonna be paying 11.75%?

[dkyeager]

1 hour ago, red_dog007 said:

Dang.  Is there I way we can directly get in on that for the next one if Dish is gonna be paying 11.75%?

This means a significant number of people feel Dish will never pay them back.

Dish should have borrowed more money sooner at lower rates.  T-Mobile has been much smarter at this during this merger period.