DISH Wireless launches 5G network site powered by Samsung Electronics

A Samsung Electronics engineer runs a test for DISH Wireless' 5G network deployment. [SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS]

DISH Wireless launched virtual RAN-supported 5G network sites powered by Samsung Electronics' equipment, the local electronics maker said Thursday.

It is one of the final steps before deploying and switching on the 5G network for commercial operation, Samsung Electronics explained.

In May last year, Samsung Electronics signed a 1-trillion-won ($769 million) deal to supply 5G network equipment to DISH Wireless, the fourth-largest wireless carrier in the United States.

It was Samsung’s second-biggest network equipment contract with a U.S. company.

Samsung said that it supplied an initial shipment of 24,000 OpenRAN-compliant radios and 5G virtualized RAN software to the U.S. company.

BY SHIN HA-NEE [shin.hanee@joongang.co.kr]