Dish opens beta program to try out new 5G network

Dish Wireless is ready to start testing its postpaid Boost Infinite wireless service. The company launched a beta program on Wednesday and is taking new customer signups for the rest of the month, or until all beta spots are filled.

There’s only one price plan available at Boost Infinite. It’s $25 per month for unlimited calls, text messages, and data.

Even though the $25 cost doesn’t include local taxes or fees, it’s still cheaper than comparable plans from T-Mobile, AT&T, or Verizon.

Each customer will have access to 30GB of high-speed data, after which the connection’s speed may be throttled.

During the beta, customers will be using AT&T’s network for service. However, once the Boost Infinite is ready to fully launch in the first quarter of next year, customers will use Dish’s 5G network, while also having access to AT&T’s and T-Mobile’s networks.

Effectively, subscribers will have access to three different 5G networks, which, hopefully, will provide more reliable coverage and service.

Customers who sign up during the Boost Infinite beta can bring their own phone or purchase a phone from the post-paid carrier outright or on a financing plan. When the company fully launches its network next year, smartwatches and tablets will be supported.

I recently spoke with Jeremy McCarty, vice president and general manager at Dish Wireless, about the beta launch of Boost Infinite. McCarty’s excitement for the launch of Boost Infinite is contagious, I must admit.

McCarty expects that the launch of Boost Infinite will spur new innovation amongst post-paid carriers, or if nothing else, make Boost Infinite very competitive and attractive to customers.

You can sign up for the beta for Boost Infinite by visiting the beta website. If the beta fills up and you miss the window to sign up, the full launch isn’t far away. ZDNet