We’ve seen everyone from T-Mobile to AT&T and even Verizon launch some impressively affordable 5G handsets in recent months, but Dish Network is taking things to a whole new level today with the introduction of its first-ever “proprietary 5G phone.”
Priced at $279, the mid-range device is technically costlier than something like T-Mobile’s jumbo-sized 6.8-inch
REVVL V+ 5G, but new and existing Boost customers will get an outstanding deal sweetener through October 31. Without having to trade anything in or port in a number from a different carrier, everyone is looking at 12 full months of unlimited talk, text, and data at no extra charge.
Said “unlimited” service, of course, does come with certain restrictions, caps, and well, limitations, with data speeds reduced after using 35 gigs during a monthly billing cycle, for instance, but the value of this truly unique freebie in today’s US wireless landscape is still an absolute knockout, exceeding the actual value (and price) of the Celero5G phone.
The lowest you can currently get unlimited talk, text, and data from Boost Mobile outside of this incredible promotion is for $40 a month when you bring your own phone, so if you decide to pre-order Dish’s first proprietary 5G handset, you can save a whopping $480 or so on the cost of the service alone.
The device, meanwhile, doesn’t look like a pushover on paper either, packing a large 4,000mAh battery supposedly capable of keeping the lights on for up to 36 hours on a single charge, as well as a grand total of four cameras. The 4,000mAh cell also comes with respectable 15W charging support, while the three imaging sensors on the back of the Celero5G and the single front-facing shooter are unfortunately undetailed for the time being.
In fact, the only other confirmed specs are a 4GB RAM count paired with 64 gigs of internal storage space, which doesn’t feel particularly encouraging for things like processing power, screen resolution, or photographic prowess. But even if the device will not crack our list of the
best budget 5G phones by the end of the year, it’s hard to argue with its literally unrivaled value proposition. Unfortunately, the exact release date is another key detail that Dish continues to keep under wraps.