Part of the concessions made by Sprint and T-Mobile last year in a bid to win regulatory approval for their merger was the promise to sell Boost Mobile (then a subsidiary of Sprint). Three months after completion of that merger, Boost is now transitioning to a new management through its acquisition by Dish Network.
The TV network company announced today that it has acquired Boost from T-Mobile for $1.4 billion, marking its entry to the wireless market. Erik Carlson, president and CEO of Dish, said:
"Today, we are proud to welcome hundreds of employees, thousands of independent retailers, and millions of customers to the Dish family. This marks an important milestone in Dish"s evolution as a connectivity company. It positions us well as we continue to build out the first virtualized, standalone 5G network in America."
As part of the deal, Dish gains access to T-Mobile’s network for seven years. That means it will provide T-Mobile"s nationwide network to its customers alongside its upcoming standalone 5G network. Dish claims that Boost has more than 9 million subscribers.
Boost will also retain its brand, although it has introduced a new logo as well. John Swieringa, Dish Group President for Retail Wireless and Chief Operating Officer, will oversee the wireless firm. Alongside today"s announcement, Dish also unveiled Boost"s new $hrink-It! plan at a starting price of $45 for 15GB and a 10GB plan for $35.