Dish Has Agreed To Buy Boost Mobile

Dish has reportedly struck a deal with T-Mobile, to divest some of its spectrum and Boost Mobile to the satellite provider Dish, in order for the Justice Department to approve of its merger with Sprint.

The Justice Department needs to sign off on this deal, before it can be approved and before the merger with Sprint can be approved. This report comes out of CNBC, who has a pretty good track record with telecommunications reports. 

The Justice Department still needs to decide on whether Dish would represent meaningful competition to T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T following the $26 billion merger between T-Mobile and Sprint.

Dish already has spectrum from different spectrum auctions over the past decade. If there is a company that could become a meaningful competitor to the existing wireless carriers, Dish would be the one in mind. T-Mobile and Sprint have already agreed to sell Boost Mobile to get this deal done, and the DOJ also wants it to sell some of its own spectrum.

T-Mobile wants to limit Dish's spectrum capacity to around 12.5 percent. Meanwhile, Deutsche Telekom wants to limit any strategic Dish investor to 5 percent.

This to make sure that T-Mobile and Deutsche Telekom aren't spending $26 billion to be left in the same spot they are in now. In distant third place behind the top two US carriers. The whole reason for the two to merge was to be able to better compete with top carriers, both of which are nearly three times the size of T-Mobile now. The combined T-Mobile and Sprint, would still be smaller than the top US carriers.

The Justice Department has a few things that it wants done before it can approve this merger between T-Mobile and Sprint. One major caveat is to make a fourth, viable, wireless carrier. Which would be the point of selling spectrum to Dish as well as selling Boost Mobile. 

Dish being the perfect buyer, giving it has spectrum that it needs to start deploying, before the FCC starts fining Dish and has been wanting to get into the wireless industry for many years.


Source: CNBC

T-Mobile And Sprint To Sell Off Boost Mobile

T-Mobile and Sprint are closer to merger approval, working with the Department of Justice to divest assets that would create a new fourth wireless carrier. The New York Times says the carriers are in discussions with Dish Network, Charter, and Altice to acquire Boost Mobile and some of Sprint's wireless spectrum.

The critical part of the structuring deal is that Sprint would be giving up spectrum holdings, not just the Boost Mobile brand that runs on Sprint's existing network. In order for a new carrier to be a true competitor it would need its own spectrum holdings. If the merger were to be structured with this sort of deal in place it would presumably ease pressure coming from lawsuits that's aiming to block the merger on the basis that it would reduce competition.

The question is why are we going through all of these hurdles to end up with four U.S. carriers once all is said and done. The combined T-Mobile and Sprint would have a large enough customer base and network infrastructure to compete with other major U.S. carriers. But the new smaller carrier would be starting from a disadvantaged position.


Source: The New York Times

Boost Mobile Announces The LG Venice

Boost Mobile today announced the LG Venice, an Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich smartphone that boasts a 4.3-inch display, 1GHz processor, and the latest user interface from LG. (U.S. Cellular sells the LG Venice as the Splendor.) Features of the Venice include a 5-megapixel main camera with 720p HD video capture and a VGA user-facing camera; LG's QuickMemo app; Wi-Fi, GPS, and stereo Bluetooth; and Corning Gorilla Glass protecting the display. The LG Venice will be available online and in Boost Mobile stores starting October 10, and other retailers by the end of the month. It will cost $219.99, and does not require a contract.

Check out Boost Mobile for more details.

Boost Mobile Will Begin Carrying The HTC EVO Design 4G Starting May 31st

Sprint's prepaid subsidiary Boost Mobile, will carry the HTC EVO Design 4G, like its counterpart on Virgin Mobile, the device will launch on May 31 with Ice Cream Sandwich and Sense 3.6, leading many to believe that Sprint's version of the EVO Design 4G will also receive this update before the end of the month. The device will operate on Sprint's 4G WiMAX network and will be compatible with Boost's $55 unlimited plan with shrinking payments. The plan provides unlimited talk, text, and web and lowers one's monthly payments by $5 after six monthly on-time payments, until hitting a bottom of $40/month.

The device will keep its WiFi hotspot capabilities for an additional plan add-on of only $10/month, although Boost plans to eventually throttle data speeds in the future once a customer hits 2.5GB. The EVO Design 4G will also come with visual voicemail, which is a first for Boost customers.

Sprint To Extend WiMax Device Roster To Boost And Virgin

Sprint said today during a call with reporters that it intends to offer its WiMax 4G network to its Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile USA pre-paid businesses. Sprint CEO Dan Hesse said that the service would launch for Boost and Virgin later this year, though he didn't provide specific details regarding timing nor the handsets involved. Sprint has a number of WiMax handsets still in service while it transitions to LTE 4G. Sprint has already made several LTE-capable handsets for sale, though its LTE network isn't expected to launch until mid-year. Sprint mentioned earlier this year that it will no longer sell WiMax handsets to its own customers.

PocketESN For Android Checks The Status Of A Phones ESN

The folks at Cunning Logic have released their latest Android application PocketESN. Cellular networks that utilize CDMA technology, such as Verizon, Sprint, Boost Mobile, Virgin Mobile, StraightTalk, Tracfone, and Cricket, all use ESN numbers to blacklist stolen or unpaid devices. For example, if you fail to keep your Sprint contract, your device’s ESN number will automatically be blacklisted by the company. If blacklisted, a device cannot be used on the network anymore.

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