Technologies

Dish Says It Has Hit Its Latest FCC Deadline for 5G Network Buildout

Dish says it now covers 70% of Americans with its new 5G network.

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Dish Network’s long road to becoming a fourth major wireless carrier hit a notable milestone on Thursday, with the company announcing that it now covers 70% of the US population, or over 240 million Americans, with its new 5G network. The news comes as Dish was facing a June 14 deadline by the Federal Communications Commission.

Per a press release, the company says it has «satisfied» all of its June 14 FCC obligations «including launching over 15,000 5G sites.»

Dish offers access to its network in a few ways. It owns a number of wireless brands including prepaid option Boost Mobile as well as its postpaid sibling Boost Infinite. It also has Project Genesis, another postpaid brand aimed towards early adopters that allows users to give feedback on Dish’s network.

Postpaid plans, where users pay their phone bill at the end of the month, are the common format of wireless plans offered by larger networks AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon.

In addition to being able to connect to Dish’s own 5G network, the Boost brands also are capable of tapping into AT&T and T-Mobile’s respective coverage when Dish’s service isn’t available or if a user’s device doesn’t have the right network support. The Genesis brand can also roam on AT&T’s network in areas where Dish’s network isn’t available.

For now, Project Genesis users will be able to connect to the new network whenever they are in the coverage area. Boost users are able to tap into Dish’s network in «over 50 markets,» with the company promising additional markets coming «throughout the year.»

While the network milestone is noteworthy, it is just another step in what remains a long road for the satellite TV provider. Dish still needs to get device manufacturers to include the proper bands that would allow phones, tablets and other devices to connect to its 5G offering.

As of today, only a handful of phones have proper support for Dish’s spectrum (with the primary band known as Band 70) including the 2022 and 2023 Moto Edge Plus, Samsung’s A23 and Boost’s own Celero 5G Plus. The iPhone 14 line technically has the hardware support for Dish’s 5G spectrum, but Band 70 has yet to be activated inside Apple’s phones.

Dish says in its press release that more devices with proper network support are also coming this year.

With this milestone reached Dish now faces its next FCC deadline of covering 75% of the US population with 5G service by June 2025. As Light Reading has reported, this may require another 15,000 cell sites to expand its network with the outlet saying that analysts expect Dish to also need to spend another $2 billion or $3 billion. The money could become a challenge for the company, which has seen its share price fall over 55% this year.

Technologies

iPhone 17 Preorders Spike and Overall Phone Sales Aren’t Slowing Down Despite Tariffs

Global smartphone shipments saw a notable increase in the third quarter of 2025. Plus, preorders for Apple’s new iPhone 17 beat out the iPhone 16.

Despite tariffs and market uncertainty, global smartphone shipments increased 2.6% in the third quarter of 2025, compared to the same time last year, according to the International Data Corporation. Additionally, preorders for the iPhone 17, which launched last month, outpaced last year’s iPhone 16.

These increased sales include premium phones like the latest iPhones and Samsung foldables, suggesting yet again that pricier phones still sell in periods of economic strain. It’s a remarkable achievement, says IDC senior research director Nabila Popal, citing shrewd financing options as the reason people keep buying these high-end phones, which cost anywhere from $800 to nearly $2,000.

«[Phone makers] have mastered the art of innovation not only in hardware and software to entice upgrades but also in removing purchase friction. They have flawlessly combined cutting-edge devices with innovative financing models and aggressive trade-in programs that make the upgrading decision a ‘no-brainer’ for consumers,» Popal said in an IDC press release.

Apple sold 58.6 million iPhones this quarter, an increase of 2.9% over the same period in 2024, with more preorders for the iPhone 17 series than its predecessor. But Samsung wasn’t far behind, with its Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 selling better than all of the company’s prior foldables. The company still reigns atop the phone market with 61.4 million phones sold, representing 19% of the market in the third quarter of this year — an increase of 6.3% from the same period last year. Meanwhile, Apple lands slightly behind Samsung with 18.2% market share this quarter.

The other phone makers trailing Apple and Samsung are, in order: Xiaomi, with 13.5% of the market; Transsion, with 9%; and Vivo with 8.9%. The remaining companies in the phones industry, from Chinese stalwarts like Oppo and Honor to Motorola and Google, make up the remaining 31.4% of the market for the quarter. All told, 322.7 million phones were sold, up from 314.6 million in the third quarter of 2024, according to IDC.

IDC’s findings for the third quarter continue the small but steady growth of phone sales over the year, including a modest 1% increase in the preceding three months — which includes the April deadline when President Donald Trump unveiled sweeping tariffs. In the second quarter, IDC cited midrange devices like Samsung’s Galaxy A36 and other phones that started incorporating AI. But even persistent tariffs haven’t slowed down people’s appetites for pricier phones in the third quarter.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Tuesday, Oct. 14

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Oct. 14.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s Mini Crossword has an odd vertical shape, with an extra Across clue, and only four Down clues. The clues are not terribly difficult, but one or two could be tricky. Read on if you need the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.