Jump to content

Dish Network/Boost Mobile cell/5G buildout thread


PythonFanPA

Recommended Posts

I can't speak to the quality of Dish's network because I haven't tested it for myself but here in NYC they have a relatively mature buildout. I've seen their sites in every borough and it seems like they didn't cheap out and only collocate on sites that other carriers are already on, they are increasingly doing new builds in areas where even the Big 3 have weaker service. At this point they have hundreds of sites online here and some have posted speed tests online of up to 700Mbps in the city. That said, even if you're not on their own network, their MVNO is running on arguably the two best networks in the country, one being the fastest and the other having the most coverage.

That leads me to my next point which is, Dish could be gaining customers if they made a conscious effort to advertise their service as opposed to passively announcing deals via press release and then expecting word of mouth to do the heavy lifting. Boost as a brand was already suffering from negative mindshare due to it being connected to Sprint. A rebrand should've been step one but they doubled down on the Boost brand by launching a sub-brand called Boost Infinite specifically for postpaid service. At the very least they should've just launched it under the normal Boost Mobile brand for consistency's sake. And now they're relying on Amazon to sell Boost Infinite instead of using the existing retail network of Boost stores to sell it. It's a really confusing decision to me.

An easy win for Dish from the marketing perspective could've been on iPhone launch day just having their name listed in the buyflow alongside Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and "Unlocked". At least then people could've known that Boost is a serious brand in competition with them and that they had a competitive deal. On Samsung's website Boost should be where U.S. Cellular's name is listed but they aren't.

It just seems like Dish isn't actually trying to succeed or that they have trouble focusing on more than one thing at a time. Maybe their end goal is to get bought out by someone like Google and have Project Fi run on their network but they know the FCC, FTC, and DOJ are not going to ok something like that unless they're in dire financial circumstance.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Paynefanbro said:

I can't speak to the quality of Dish's network because I haven't tested it for myself but here in NYC they have a relatively mature buildout. I've seen their sites in every borough and it seems like they didn't cheap out and only collocate on sites that other carriers are already on, they are increasingly doing new builds in areas where even the Big 3 have weaker service.

Glad to hear they're doing it somewhere.  Because it's not in the DC area.  Very, very cheap build-out from what I can tell.  Around here it looks like they went with whatever dedicated antenna structures (monopoles, lattice towers, etc.) they could find that were covered by their master agreements with American/SBA/Crown Castle, and then filled in with a handful of building mounts where no such structures were available.  Service is very uneven.

- Trip

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
13 hours ago, RedSpark said:

Dish cites T-Mobile’s low-band spectrum stash in bid for new FCC policies

https://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/dish-cites-t-mobiles-low-band-spectrum-stash-bid-new-fcc-policies

Quote

T-Mobile has amassed significant holdings in the 600 MHz band, which would be even further enlarged by its acquisition of 600 MHz licenses from Columbia Capital and Comcast. According to Dish, T-Mobile’s 600 MHz spectrum holdings sit in the center of the band, leaving other carriers with sub-optimal, non-contiguous 600 MHz licenses that are more difficult to aggregate.

It's as if Dish has never heard about spectrum swaps before.

T-Mobile is fighting a war on two fronts with AT&T going after their midband spectrum and Dish going after their 600MHz. The end goal of both of those companies looks like they want stop T-Mobile from getting any more spectrum without some sort of divestiture. I get why they're doing this but I can't help but feel like both of them really are just sore losers that lacked foresight. 

What's even worse for Dish and AT&T is that T-Mobile has an extremely successful home internet product that justifies their need for so much capacity in the first place so they can't even say that T-Mobile doesn't need all of the spectrum they have. T-Mobile also doesn't have a history of hoarding spectrum without deploying it so they can't even point to past behavior to justify divestiture by saying they aren't going to use it. 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Paynefanbro said:

It's as if Dish has never heard about spectrum swaps before.

T-Mobile is fighting a war on two fronts with AT&T going after their midband spectrum and Dish going after their 600MHz. The end goal of both of those companies looks like they want stop T-Mobile from getting any more spectrum without some sort of divestiture. I get why they're doing this but I can't help but feel like both of them really are just sore losers that lacked foresight. 

What's even worse for Dish and AT&T is that T-Mobile has an extremely successful home internet product that justifies their need for so much capacity in the first place so they can't even say that T-Mobile doesn't need all of the spectrum they have. T-Mobile also doesn't have a history of hoarding spectrum without deploying it so they can't even point to past behavior to justify divestiture by saying they aren't going to use it. 

But Daddy, I WANT IT NOW!

SyF9yp.gif

 

  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, Paynefanbro said:

It's as if Dish has never heard about spectrum swaps before.

T-Mobile is fighting a war on two fronts with AT&T going after their midband spectrum and Dish going after their 600MHz. The end goal of both of those companies looks like they want stop T-Mobile from getting any more spectrum without some sort of divestiture. I get why they're doing this but I can't help but feel like both of them really are just sore losers that lacked foresight. 

What's even worse for Dish and AT&T is that T-Mobile has an extremely successful home internet product that justifies their need for so much capacity in the first place so they can't even say that T-Mobile doesn't need all of the spectrum they have. T-Mobile also doesn't have a history of hoarding spectrum without deploying it so they can't even point to past behavior to justify divestiture by saying they aren't going to use it. 

You could say T-Mobile is hoarding mmWave and C-band/DOD. Waiting for dual band C-Band/DOD is a reasonable defense.  mmWave's best current business case is home internet for high rise apartment buildings. It will be interesting to see how much mmWave license area is abandoned in the future.  MmWave use at busy intersections may prevent this loss.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

1 hour ago, dkyeager said:

You could say T-Mobile is hoarding mmWave and C-band/DOD.

While they purchased C-band a while back they only got access to their blocks of the spectrum a few months ago. And they've always made the claim that they would only begin deploying it once they got the combined C-band DoD antennas. They acknowledged as recently as a few weeks ago that they've finally started getting stock of these antennas and so far at least one site with it deployed has been found in Texas, replacing a C-band antenna they previously had installed.

I wouldn't even go as far as saying they're hoarding mmWave either. They have it deployed in quite a few cities even though it isn't nearly as widespread as Verizon or AT&T and they are (very slowly) deploying it in new places though they are mostly just high traffic venues. And while they've been alluding to it in interviews for about a year now, they finally made a public statement that they're likely going to us it for TMHI in that standalone mmWave press release they made recently.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Paynefanbro said:

While they purchased C-band a while back they only got access to their blocks of the spectrum a few months ago. And they've always made the claim that they would only begin deploying it once they got the combined C-band DoD antennas. They acknowledged as recently as a few weeks ago that they've finally started getting stock of these antennas and so far at least one site with it deployed has been found in Texas, replacing a C-band antenna they previously had installed.

I wouldn't even go as far as saying they're hoarding mmWave either. They have it deployed in quite a few cities even though it isn't nearly as widespread as Verizon or AT&T and they are (very slowly) deploying it in new places though they are mostly just high traffic venues. And while they've been alluding to it in interviews for about a year now, they finally made a public statement that they're likely going to us it for TMHI in that standalone mmWave press release they made recently.

We both agree on C-band/DOD. From a PR standpoint they appear to be slacking-off compared to the duo.

Some of their mmWave licenses have build-out requirements in the next 6 months.  Many in Ohio, here are two:

https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/license.jsp?licKey=4019733

https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/license.jsp?licKey=4019734

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

https://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/dish-cuts-more-jobs-amid-spectrum-reshuffle?itm_source=parsely-api

Dish is now viewed as unlikely to take band 26 according to Entner and NSR Analysts.  This could mean $172 million for this delay to T-Mobile, but I have my doubts. More likely to be an exchange not involving further cash, such as unused or very valuable spectrum such as some of their 600MHz spectrum.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

https://www.lightreading.com/finance/can-dish-raise-more-cash-

Dano takes a different view, but basically points to Dish not having enough money thus trying to position itself to raise more, with perhaps sales of spectrum in the summer of 2026.

To pull off being a national 4th carrier, Dish needed to execute almost perfectly.  Not having loans lined up for day 1 at much more favorable interest rates (T-Mobile did this) was the first of many mistakes. Being hacked was number 2.  So many others...

 

 

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

First ad I have seen referencing the iPhone that fell intacted from the plane in Portland OR:

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, dkyeager said:

First ad I have seen referencing the iPhone that fell intacted from the plane in Portland OR:

 

 

Makes me think of DB Cooper.  :hah:

Robert

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I ordered a Boost Infinite SIM a few days back, as the S24 now supports n70, and is being sold directly by Boost, though eSIM is not yet available.

Got a SIM via UPS last night...based on T-Mobile. Swung by a Boost store a few miles from me, was given a rainbow SIM, and activated it over the phone in the store.

Data speeds vary significantly depending on whether you can get n66/n70, but with those two bands available I saw peaks of nearly 600 Mbps, with comparable latency to what I've had on Project Genesis.

VoNR works fine, with 23.85 kbps AMR-WB used as the codec. Unfortunately neither Verizon nor T-Mobile have VoNR interconnection so all that extra voice bandwidth is going to waste.

Roaming is on T-Mobile, with ~80ms latency to Dish speedtest servers in Dallas/Houston, including 5G of course (NSA). Roaming speeds are great, and on both native and roaming there's no video speed cap. I was able to manually select the network I was on, but AT&T didn't show up.

We'll see whether I keep the service longer than a month since my Project Genesis line is better in every way except the whole "have to carry around two phones" part (due to the aforementioned lack of HD voice interconnection), but it'll be fun to play with on the drive between ABQ and AUS later this month.

Hopefully they sell enough of the service to keep the lights on and buy B26, as having basically a CricKet/MetroPCS-like challenger come back ten years later is good for competition, and while the network is a ghost town it's handy for e.g. livestreaming video reliably in places n41/n77 aren't as reliable (e.g. far indoors) and WiFi is flakey.

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, iansltx said:

I ordered a Boost Infinite SIM a few days back, as the S24 now supports n70, and is being sold directly by Boost, though eSIM is not yet available.

S24 BYOD?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 2/2/2024 at 11:05 AM, iansltx said:

I ordered a Boost Infinite SIM a few days back, as the S24 now supports n70, and is being sold directly by Boost, though eSIM is not yet available.

...

How is the transition between networks for real-time data use (streaming something) and most importantly phone calls? Have you been able to test VoNR to VoLTE and vice versa? I don't talk a lot on the phone so for me, it is no big deal.  But my SO is still the person that easily uses 1500 minutes a month, so would be negatively impacted if the transition isn't smooth.  But if VoNR/VoLTE is as smooth as VoLTE/WiFi transitions are these days, that will be fantastic. 

Also, just out of extra curiosity, does the Samsung denote a difference if you have a call over 5G.  On my Pixel I get a little symbol if the call is using WiFi or is HD.  Wondering if we may see a new one for VoNR. 

Oh also, does the phone make it easy to identify if you are on Dish or a non-Dish network? Or do you have to enter service mode or use an app to find out?

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 2/3/2024 at 1:42 PM, red_dog007 said:

How is the transition between networks for real-time data use (streaming something) and most importantly phone calls? Have you been able to test VoNR to VoLTE and vice versa? I don't talk a lot on the phone so for me, it is no big deal.  But my SO is still the person that easily uses 1500 minutes a month, so would be negatively impacted if the transition isn't smooth.  But if VoNR/VoLTE is as smooth as VoLTE/WiFi transitions are these days, that will be fantastic. 

Also, just out of extra curiosity, does the Samsung denote a difference if you have a call over 5G.  On my Pixel I get a little symbol if the call is using WiFi or is HD.  Wondering if we may see a new one for VoNR. 

Oh also, does the phone make it easy to identify if you are on Dish or a non-Dish network? Or do you have to enter service mode or use an app to find out?

NR to LTE would a switch from native to roaming, so 100% chance the call drops. This isn't some sort of Republic Wireless bonded calling magic. Not gonna even bother testing it :)

As for call symbols, easiest way is SignalCheck I think. But Dish is going to hold on super tightly to native if VoNR is set up in the market (and won't sit on native at all if VoNR isn't) so ..pretty easy to assume.

Likewise SignalCheck is going to be easier to spot for roaming vs. native, as IIRC T-Mobile roaming does *not* throw up the triangle as I guess Dish's rates are cheap enough to not care. As with the hotspot, they don't throttle, so roaming data experience may be better than native if you're picking between n71 and CA n41. Only caveat is latency.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So, not sure if it's just me or what.  My Boost Mobile phone with Rainbow SIM suddenly won't connect to the Dish 5G-NR.  I checked and I can force it onto T-Mobile or AT&T LTE (which are flagged as roaming), but it just sits on No Connection if I disable LTE. 

I went out today and passed at least half a dozen Dish sites, so it's not site-specific.  I can't figure out if it's the network is down in this area, or if there's something wrong with my account.

- Trip

  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


  • large.unreadcontent.png.6ef00db54e758d06

  • gallery_1_23_9202.png

  • Posts

    • Was at the Yankees vs Tigers game today and besides being a terrible day to have good seats, T-Mobile had great speeds via the stadium's DAS. I consistently saw 500-600Mbps on 5G and on LTE I got upwards of 200Mbps. I noticed that the stadiums DAS is broadcasting 140MHz n41 while macros that surround the stadium are at 80MHz. 
    • Throwed Roll Lambert's Cafe 
    • I've now seen how things work in Kobe, Hiroshima, and Osaka, as well as some areas south of Osaka (e.g. Wakayama, Kinokawa), and tried three more SIMs. The two physical SIMs (different branding for each) both use IIJ, which provides a Japanese IP address/routing on NTT, aleit LTE-only, so latency is ~45ms to Tokyo. The catch with NTT is that it uses two frequency bands (B42/3500 MHz LTE, n79/4900 MHz NR) that you're not going to get on an Android sold in the US, and I'm guessing that B42 would be helpful speed-wise on that network, as it doesn't have B41. I also found one place that doesn't have cell service: a vending machine in the back of the Osaka Castle tower. Or, rather, the B8/18/19 signal is weak enough there to be unusable. Going back to 5G for a moment, I saw a fair amount of Softbank n257 in Hiroshima, as well as in some train stations between Osaka and Kobe. 4x100 MHz bandwidth, anchored by B1/3/8, with speeds sometimes exceeding 400 Mbps on the US Mobile roaming eSIM. Not quite the speeds I've seen on mmW in the States, but I've probably been on mmW for more time over the past few days than I have in the US over the past year, so I'll take it. My fastest speed test was actually on SoftBank n77 though, with 100 MHz of that plus 10x10 B8 hitting ~700 Mbps down and ~80 Mbps up with ~100ms latency...on the roaming eSIM...on the 4th floor of the hotel near Shin-Kobe station. Guessing B8 was a DAS or small cell based on signal levels, and the n77 might have been (or was just a less-used sector of the site serving the train station). I'm now 99% sure that all three providers are running DSS on band 28, and I've seen 10x10 on similar frequencies from both NTT and SoftBank IIRC, on both LTE and 5G. I also picked up one more eSIM: my1010, which is different from 1010/csl used by US Mobile's eSIM unfortunately, as it's LTE-only. On the bright side, it's cheap (10GB/7 days is like $11, and 20GB for the same period would be around $15), and can use both KDDI and SoftBank LTE. It also egresses from Taiwan (Chunghwa Telecom), though latency isn't really any better than the Singapore based eSIMs. Tomorrow will include the most rural part of our journey, so we'll see how networks hold up there, and from tomorrow night on we'll be in Tokyo, so any further reports after that will be Tokyo-centric.
    • I think the push for them is adding US Mobile as a MVNO with a priority data plan.  Ultimately, making people more aware of priority would allow them (and other carriers) to differentiate themselves from MVNOs like Consumer Cellular that advertise the same coverage. n77 has dramatically reduced the need for priority service at Verizon where the mere functioning of your phone was in jeopardy a couple of years ago if you had a low priority plan like Red Pocket. Only have heard of problems with T-Mobile in parts of Los Angeles. AT&T fell in between. All had issues at large concerts and festivals, or sporting events if your carrier has no on-site rights. Edit: Dishes native 5g network has different issues: not enough sites, limited bandwidth. Higher priority would help a few. Truth is they can push phones to AT&T or T-Mobile.
  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...