Dish says it launched 5G service the day before it faces millions of dollars in fines

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

If Dish Network doesn't offer 5G service to at least 20 percent of the US population, it will be fined by the US government. There is an awful lot still up in the air, despite the fact that Dish appears to be lighting up its 5G service in the very near future.

The company has updated its website to state that it is live in 120 cities and can be ordered now. Until recently, the website only listed the 120 initial cities that the service would cover outside of its first test market in Las Vegas, Nevada, and it looked like it would not be able to meet its deadline.

It is not certain if Dish has met the requirements. The company hasn't responded to our request for more information about the service. If the service doesn't cover enough of the US population today, Dish faces fines starting at $16 million and increasing for every wireless band that isn't deployed.

The company wouldn't need an extension, according to the chairman. He told investors that they would get it done.

There is a splash page on the site that says Project Genesis is live in your area after filling out the form. The wireless service plan price was previously announced. A $20 per month data-only plan is available. Clicking through will take you to a page where you can choose between the two devices.

There is still a whiff of testing about the program, even though it appears to be a real commercial launch. In addition to the basic plan features, there is also mention of exclusive rewards, such as NFTs. The FAQ page on the website shows that the company means ground shipping.

If your address qualifies, you can go to the Project Genesis website. You can't bring your own device to the network right now, so let's hope that you like theGalaxy S22