WNA

Dish Network is scheduled for a commercial launch of fixed wireless service this July, reports CED. Dish is using nTelos’ 2.5 GHz wireless spectrum.

Dish and nTelos last year announced a trial network in Virginia, pulling speeds of 20-50 Mbps.

The companies activated two wireless tower test sites in the Blue Ridge Mountains using Alcatel-Lucent and Ericsson equipment. The broadband antenna used by Dish can be installed directly next to Dish’s TV satellite.

Dish also announced in December plans to enter into a fixed mobile broadband trial with Sprint. It’s similar to Dish’s deal with nTelos. The Sprint trial network is expected to start by mid-2014 in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Dish is still looking for a partner to host its AWS spectrum. It also has cleared deals with Disney for a streaming video service that could cost $20-$30/month.

Perhaps a spectrum swap is in order.

How about this; Sprint trades 40 MHz of 2.5 GHz spectrum for 20 MHz of Dish’s H Block/AWS-4 spectrum. Each side could maintain their independence.

Then Dish could partner with whomever — Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, or Google for their AWS wireless service. Rooftop fixed/small cells could use some backhaul — and 2.5 GHz might be just the ticket.

Just idle spectulation.