Dish Faces Midnight Deadline on First Step of National Network

Dish Network Corp. has until the end of the day Tuesday to launch service on the first part of a new nationwide 5G network in what is expected to be a new fourth competitor in the US wireless phone market.

The deadline was imposed by the Federal Communications Commission, which told Dish to offer service to at least 20% of the US population by June 14. Dish agreed to start a new wireless service when it acquired airwaves as part of T-Mobile US Inc.’s 2020 purchase of Sprint Corp.

Tuesday’s initial buildout milestone was set by regulators ...