Dish Network/Boost Mobile cell/5G buildout thread

[mdob07]

Here's some pictures from a Dish install here in Louisville. Per the plans this is spec'd to have the JMA antennas but I believe these are something from Commscope. Its possible they can't get enough of the JMA antenna fast enough so they are subbing with these. This is what I've seen used in all the Dish sites I've found so far. I don't have an exact count but I'd say there are 20-30 around Louisville now. 

[dkyeager]

1 hour ago, mdob07 said:

Here's some pictures from a Dish install here in Louisville. Per the plans this is spec'd to have the JMA antennas but I believe these are something from Commscope. Its possible they can't get enough of the JMA antenna fast enough so they are subbing with these. This is what I've seen used in all the Dish sites I've found so far. I don't have an exact count but I'd say there are 20-30 around Louisville now. 

Site differences could also be regional or market.  The RRHs appear distinctive as well as the platform for the rack.

Have you managed to get any signal from them yet?

[dkyeager]

Found a couple more Dish sites in my immediate area, none with power from what I can tell:  https://imgur.com/a/MYGLozL.  Some pictures also of WISP Starry.com included -- if anyone wants to comment on those, we can setup a separate thread and I will move those photos to it.

I talked to the crew again.  They did admit the antennas were installed once I gently pushed them on it.  Gave me a few sites they had worked on.  They are using galvanized floor instead of concrete for the cabinets at Crown Castle's request.  Only one of the sites above was on their list. 

I will likely make a run out to a rural area where another source said Boost Mobile has its own 5g signal within the next two weeks.

[Paynefanbro]

Las Vegas leavings: Dish's first 5G network tests are in

https://www.lightreading.com/open-ran/las-vegas-leavings-dishs-first-5g-network-tests-are-in/d/d-id/774160

Quote

Olbrich said that SRG's early tests indicate that Dish operates more than 100 cell towers in Las Vegas. However, he said the firm's initial findings indicate Dish likely isn't providing the blazing-fast speeds that other 5G providers are.

"They have some work to do to catch up," summed Emil Olbrich, VP of networks with Signals Research Group (SRG), in comments to Light Reading. He said Dish's 5G network in Vegas isn't as good as T-Mobile's 5G network in the city, but he said it's still early days for Dish and the company likely will improve its offering.

-----

SRG's Olbrich said the firm picked up Dish's 5G transmissions in band 71 (600MHz), band 66 (AWS) and band 70 (AWS-4), which are the spectrum bands Dish is using for its initial 5G buildout. He said the firm recorded 284 unique cell site IDs in band 71 for Dish, and fewer for the company's other two spectrum bands.

However, he said that Dish is not employing much spectrum in its 5G network in the city. He said SRG's findings showed that Dish is employing 5MHz in band 66, 10MHz in band 71, and 25MHz in band 70. "Their bandwidths are relatively small," he explained.

 

[RAvirani]

56 minutes ago, Paynefanbro said:

Las Vegas leavings: Dish's first 5G network tests are in

https://www.lightreading.com/open-ran/las-vegas-leavings-dishs-first-5g-network-tests-are-in/d/d-id/774160

 

There have been issues with the virtualized 5GC too. Definitely a few bugs to sort out there still. 

Edited December 17, 2021 by RAvirani
Meant 5GC not EPC

[dkyeager]

19 hours ago, Paynefanbro said:

Las Vegas leavings: Dish's first 5G network tests are in

https://www.lightreading.com/open-ran/las-vegas-leavings-dishs-first-5g-network-tests-are-in/d/d-id/774160

 

"...Dish is not employing much spectrum in its 5G network in the city. He said SRG's findings showed that Dish is employing 5MHz in band 66, 10MHz in band 71, and 25MHz in band 70. "Their bandwidths are relatively small," he explained. "..."SRG wasn't able to conduct actual speed tests on Dish's network because the firm wasn't able to obtain any actual phones that can access the network."

"the company couldn't determine Dish's 5G equipment suppliers, though he believes Japan's Fujitsu is supplying the radios atop Dish's 5G cell towers in Vegas."

 

"During Dish's earnings call in early November, the company said it is offering a 5G beta service in Las Vegas with an unspecified number of employees and other "friendly" users."

 

I think we at S4Gru are doing pretty well so far in terms of identifying their equipment.  I have heard rumors of live service nearby that I intend to check out soon.

[wispiANt]

On 12/15/2021 at 1:35 PM, dkyeager said:

Some pictures also of WISP Starry.com included -- if anyone wants to comment on those, we can setup a separate thread and I will move those photos to it.

Nice shots! They're using similar-ish gear in NYC. Range seems to be super limited, I'm less than 1000 feet (as the crow flies) from this site and I can't sign up for service.

[dkyeager]

1 hour ago, thisischuck01 said:

Nice shots! They're using similar-ish gear in NYC. Range seems to be super limited, I'm less than 1000 feet (as the crow flies) from this site and I can't sign up for service.

All the sites I have seen so far don't have power.

[cooltech6597]

Map of Dish permits in Toledo. I wonder if they've completed their first towers in this area which they filed permits for back in June, will have to check that out sometime.

[PedroDaGr8]

On 10/1/2021 at 7:55 AM, iansltx said:

Yesterday Boost released the Celero 5G, made by WIngtech. Has a MTK Dimensity 700, a 6.5" screen, a big battery, and is $280 + tax including a year of unlimited Boost service. The current revision of the phone supports T-Mobile NR bands, precisely zero of which AT&T uses at the moment (unless AT&T is using n66 now and I missed it), and two of which (n66, n71) DishNet will use. There will be AT&T and DishNet specific versions of the Celero later.

I took this opportunity to grab my dad a new phone...and this will move him back from US Mobile on VZW on a Moto e4+. If the phone works well, I'll get one for my brother before the intro deal expires, upgrading his Moto G fast. I'll grab the DishNet variant when it's available, assuming that'll be the first phone that can do n70 (I assume it'll be able to do n26 and n29 as well, but we shall see).

FYI, if I lock my phone to n66, I can see AT&T n66-SA (same with n5-SA) but can't roam on it.

[dkyeager]

8 hours ago, PedroDaGr8 said:

FYI, if I lock my phone to n66, I can see AT&T n66-SA (same with n5-SA) but can't roam on it.

I figure Dish will also use an esim when they launch. The Boost Mobile network discoveries so far have been with the T-Mobile sims, which allows you to see the Boost 313340 plmn.  The AT&T Boost sim does not allow you to change the carrier plmn. I have not yet seen that plmn around me yet, but the Boost sites are lacking power meters.

[PythonFanPA]

DISH names John Swieringa President and COO of DISH Wireless

https://ir.dish.com/news-releases/news-release-details/dish-names-john-swieringa-president-and-coo-dish-wireless

[red_dog007]

Is Dish still 100% MVNO or do customers now have the ability to use their towers?

[dkyeager]

1 hour ago, red_dog007 said:

Is Dish still 100% MVNO or do customers now have the ability to use their towers?

T-Mobile and AT&T MVNO (separate sims) with some Sprint holdouts.  Many Dish towers are going up (so far without power in Columbus, OH).  plmn 313340 will show mainly Las Vegas, which is in beta.  Rumor is big announcement in February.

[Trip]

I'm anxious for it to go live except that I don't have a 5G-capable phone that actually reports data to SignalCheck...

- Trip

 

[RAvirani]

9 hours ago, red_dog007 said:

Is Dish still 100% MVNO or do customers now have the ability to use their towers?

No user access to the native 5G RAN in the Washington, Montana or Alaska yet. 

[dkyeager]

5 hours ago, RAvirani said:

No user access to the native 5G RAN in the Washington, Montana or Alaska yet. 

 

13 hours ago, Trip said:

I'm anxious for it to go live except that I don't have a 5G-capable phone that actually reports data to SignalCheck...

- Trip

 

The T-Mobile and AT&T sims could also be basically generic MVNO sims. Hoping if they need a new sim, it's esim. I did hear that testers did get one. 

Analyzing cellmapper data appeared to show it was found by people using the T-Mobile sim.

[Trip]

Bleh, hope not.  The eSIM is a huge step backwards to the bad old days and I have no desire to encourage their use.

But in any event, maybe I should get Boost service, then, if people are already seeing it.  I can use it for AT&T until Dish native gear goes live in this area.  Have to ponder that a bit.

- Trip

[dkyeager]

1 hour ago, Trip said:

Bleh, hope not.  The eSIM is a huge step backwards to the bad old days and I have no desire to encourage their use.

But in any event, maybe I should get Boost service, then, if people are already seeing it.  I can use it for AT&T until Dish native gear goes live in this area.  Have to ponder that a bit.

- Trip

I think on esims it depends on how they implement it. If you can freely activate them on one phone while having it loaded on many that would be great.

 

I will let you know when I see Boost Mobile native 5g live here. So far no sign of even the plmn being active which I figure will be my first indicator. I look at changing networks with the TNX Sim and seem to get a full list of all carriers and their alternate plmns.

[Trip]

Or, more simply, have a physical SIM that I can just move from one device to another.  Problem [already] solved.  Carrier doesn't have to be involved at any point in the process.

I'll be among many (I'm sure) who will be glad to know if you see it.  Here in the DC area, Dish hasn't really done much yet.  I think I've seen some Dish gear around Richmond, but nothing here.

- Trip

[Trip]

Went out for a drive today around parts of Fairfax County west of Springfield that I don't often get to, and was shocked to find a Dish site, still rigged but apparently almost complete.

https://imgur.com/a/OAjo87A

QR code is a dead give-away.  What's odd is that there are no permits, whatsoever, for Dish anywhere in the county.  I expected to see some electrical permits, given that antenna structures like this one don't require antenna permits.  If they never file for electrical permits, then tracking this build-out is going to be a lot tougher than I had hoped.

- Trip

[red_dog007]

On 1/21/2022 at 8:56 PM, Trip said:

I'm anxious for it to go live except that I don't have a 5G-capable phone that actually reports data to SignalCheck...

- Trip

 

I don't have a 5G phone yet. Once Dish goes live for consumers I'd totally throw down for a phone and hop on Dish's network.  At least provided they allow access to towers even in unofficial markets.

[dkyeager]

49 minutes ago, red_dog007 said:

I don't have a 5G phone yet. Once Dish goes live for consumers I'd totally throw down for a phone and hop on Dish's network.  At least provided they allow access to towers even in unofficial markets.

It will be interesting to see how Dish handles this. They could go the TracFone route of using the carrier with the best service, or it could just be a standard roaming arrangement with AT&T outside of their native network.

 

The most investing comment from one of the Dish contractors was this network will also be used to replace home satellite dishes. I can see them going into the WISP business eventually.

[PythonFanPA]

DISH Sets Data in Motion with Confluent, Unlocking the Power of the First 5G Smart Network™

 

https://ir.dish.com/news-releases/news-release-details/dish-sets-data-motion-confluent-unlocking-power-first-5g-smart

[dkyeager]

Some more interesting articles on Dish:

https://www.fiercewireless.com/5g/dish-wireless-bakes-core-principles-infrastructure-chua

https://www.fiercewireless.com/tech/dish-eyes-5g-network-reliability-vericas-chaos-engineering-platform