The FCC formally approved on Friday that Dish Network has met its band-specific 5G build-out obligations, as well as two of three nationwide 5G obligations.
The first two commitments involved Dish deploying at least 15,000 5G sites and using at least 30 MHz of Dish’s downlink 5G spectrum on average across all 5G sites nationwide.
The third commitment is for Dish to verify that it meets 5G network requirements through drive testing. The FCC’s Bureau of Wireless Communications approved Dish’s proposed drive testing methodology to verify its compliance.
Dish has six months to complete the drive test and submit the results, which are intended to reflect the real-world user experience using Dish spectrum, where at least 70% of the U.S. population has access to average download speeds of 35 Mbps or more.
In a filing today with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Dish acknowledged the FCC’s approval and confirmed that its only remaining 5G commitment will use an FCC-agreed and approved drive test methodology.
“As we continue our work to deploy the nation’s first standalone open RAN 5G network, we look forward to expanding our coverage and service offerings to provide a competitive edge in the wireless market as the nation’s fourth facilities-based carrier,” Jeff Blum, Dish’s executive vice president of external and legislative affairs, said in a statement provided to Fiers.
In June, Dish announced that it now provides 5G broadband service to over 70% of the U.S. population, serving over 240 million people. This was made possible by a 5G Standalone (SA) network based on open Radio Access Network (RAN) technology. As part of the deal that enabled T-Mobile to acquire Sprint, Dish was required to meet certain 5G build-out requirements.
In a note to investors today, Blair Levin, a policy analyst at New Street Research (NSR), said the FCC was expected to reach a decision on Dish’s 5G build-out compliance, but that “this letter removes any doubts the FCC had about Dish’s performance to date.”
“Furthermore, this announcement makes clear, and in our view increases the likelihood, that Dish is likely to meet its third commitment and that the FCC is likely to approve Dish’s achievement of its third commitment,” he wrote, noting that Dish is also further committed to additional 2025 goals related to specific bands.
Dish’s Finances
In a separate note today, NSR analyst Jonathan Chaplin reiterated how important the EchoStar deal is for Dish because it gives it the resources it needs to meet its June 2025 requirement without needing additional funding from the capital markets.
Dish is fully funded through mid-2026, Chaplin said, giving it two years to make progress building out its market-funded business. If it can’t make it that far, it could still sell spectrum assets in 2026 because a consent decree that requires Department of Justice (DoJ) approval for some spectrum sales expires in April 2026, he said.
Of course, Chaplin noted that it’s debatable whether Dish will be able to raise capital through mid-2026. One point he made in last month’s report was that investors tend to underestimate the savings that can be made by shifting traffic from MVNOs to Dish’s own network.
NSR estimates that Dish could move 70% of Boost’s traffic onto its own network, saving $1.2 billion annually. To realize these savings, Dish had to get Apple’s certification, which it did on September 12, laying the groundwork for a more promising outcome.
A Dish spokesperson confirmed to Fierce that Grey New York’s first commercial for Dish will air on September 21 during Thursday Night Football and is the first in a series of spots to air for Boost Infinite throughout the fall and winter.
Dish declined to comment on how much it is spending on advertising and marketing for the iPhone 15 and Boost Infinite.
In a report last month analyzing iPhone 15 promotions from major U.S. carriers and cable companies, analysts at investment firm MoffettNathanson said Dish’s promotion, offering a free iPhone 15 Pro with no trade-in, was “the most generous (or at least the most costly) in the industry.”
Editor’s note: The story has been updated with additional comment from Dish.
