American company EchoStar has announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, DISH Network (Dish), has achieved a significant milestone in its 5G network deployment efforts. The company said it filed a letter with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) certifying that its nationwide 5G network delivers download speeds of over 35 Mbps to more than 70 percent of the US population. This certification follows the successful completion of a nationwide drive test, fulfilling EchoStar's commitments to the FCC for its 2023 deployment goals, EchoStar said Thursday.
Also Read: Dish 5G Network Now Covers 70 Percent of the US Population
Certification of Nationwide 5G Network
In a statement, EchoStar said, "Today marks another milestone as we continue to build the world's first commercial-grade Open RAN 5G network and provide Americans with more options for wireless service. This drive test confirms the Boost Wireless Network is delivering high-quality service to our customers. It's a major achievement for our team who built our Open RAN network in record time."
The drive test, conducted using an FCC-approved methodology and overseen by an independent monitor, represents the final step in EchoStar's 2023 Nationwide 5G Deployment Commitment, the company said.
Also Read: DISH Expands VoNR Coverage to Over 200 Million Americans Nationwide
Milestones in 5G Deployment
EchoStar further said this certification follows other milestones for the Boost Wireless Network, including the recent rollout of Voice over New Radio (VoNR) service to over 200 million Americans nationwide, as reported by TelecomTalk. The company claims that this VoNR deployment is the largest commercial deployment of this technology to date.