I think it’s likely that regulators will extend the deadlines. Whether that will be enough to save Dish remains unclear.
Dish just doubled the price of their add-ons for Boost Infinite from $5 to $10/mo. I don’t know if the $5 was just a teaser rate that they were planning to increase all along or if they are just now desperate for cash. The base rate is guaranteed not to increase. I don’t plan on adding anything.
I see Boost has launched “Infinite Unlimited+” for those who want a premium device and don’t mind paying $50/month (includes device cost spread over 36 months).* Infinite Unlimited+ gets you access to exclusive discounts on iPhone 14 (and other premium phones) and expanded features with unlimited wireless, and both North America and International Connect included.
Members who sign up for Infinite Unlimited+ are eligible for an iPhone 14 on us (e.g. $830 via 36 monthly bill credits when you trade in an eligible device). If you cancel wireless service before receiving all credits, credits stop and remaining balance on required finance agreement is due.
Thanks for posting this. I’m still using RW… for now.
Dish met their June deadline to cover 70 percent of the U.S. population with their 5G network:
Well, kinda sorta. My understanding is VoNR (5G voice) is available in only 30% of the 50 markets currently available and said to cover 70% of the U.S. population. So; until VoNR is up and running (projected to be year-end 2023) across the network, a dual SIM via eSIM kludge (an AT&T or TMO network SIM for voice paired with a hidden DISH eSIM for data) remains necessary.
For a reasonably balanced view of the challenges facing DISH (and they’re big), this is worth a listen:
While it may be less balanced, I found the following article of interest:
I’ve always found the author of that article Karl Bode to be thought provoking albeit he does have a definite point of view.
My opinion on the prospects for DISH successfully transitioning into a competitive 4th national carrier is it’s unlikely. DISH has yet to demonstrate competence in operating as a wireless carrier. Building a somewhat functioning greenfield network while technically impressive (it hasn’t been done in the U.S. in 20 years) is only a part of that. Building the network and hoping someone will come is not a serious business strategy.
Add to the above the difficulty DISH faces in raising the cash necessary to complete the network and I just don’t see it happening.
I tend to think that Dish will be sold to Amazon or a big cable company like Comcast who would love to be an MNO.
To date, I’ve seen no convincing evidence Amazon, Comcast or anyone else is interested in acquiring DISH. Unsubstantiated rumors floated by conveniently unidentified sources won’t convince me otherwise.
Rumors so far. But Comcast is consistently losing cable TV customers and few want home phone service anymore. Owning a MNO could at least allow them to offer competitive “double plays” instead of just being an MVNO who sells internet access. And Amazon is now in the streaming business, the grocery store business, the pharmacy business, and health care. I wouldn’t be surprised if they decided to expand further into mobile.
I still don’t see Amazon as an MNO as it does nothing to enhance the sales side of the business. AWS would be a more logical fit but even there I don’t see them as an MNO offering retail phone service. Instead I could see AWS offering business phone services using their backbone for VoIP and then offering a cell service that integrates seamlessly with it. However it still makes more sense to provide the cell service as an MVNO than own the cell network.
Those expecting a white knight to ride in and save DISH including DISH itself shouldn’t count on it:
Rumors and innuendo seemingly intended to prop up the stock value won’t be enough. DISH needs customers both retail and wholesale on its network. That requires marketing and distribution (two things DISH has managed abysmally to date). The competition is not standing still and has a significant head start in that they have built out networks and customers already using those networks.
DISH still has a chance, however, on balance failure looks more likely than success. Time will tell…
Another Dish executive has resigned. On June 19, 2023, Mr. Narayan R. Iyengar notified DISH Network Corporation that he was resigning as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer effective June 23, 2023. Mr. Iyengar will continue to provide transition support for a brief period of time.
I noticed that they waited toward the end-of-the day, on a Friday, to make the announcement.
Also conspicuously absent is any acknowledgement of Mr. Iyengar’s accomplishments or any thanks for his contributions. No press release at all. Just a cold 8k filing and a scrubbing of his bio from the Dish website.
@cbwahlstrom, much like the exit that the very supportive community received. At least they seem to get high marks for consistency 
There are now reports Charlie Ergen wishes to merge DISH and EchoStar. Today’s DISH originated as EchoStar. At some point, EchoStar rebranded as DISH then DISH spun out the hardware assets (the satellites, set top box technology, etc.) to a new EchoStar. Both companies are publicly traded and both are majority owned by Charlie Ergen and the Ergen family.
These reports strike me as far more realistic than the overheated Amazon white knight rumors. Merging DISH and EchoStar would improve DISH’s balance sheet, at least, for now. Whether that would buy DISH enough time to complete and monetize its 5G SA network remains to be seen?