DISH serves up 5G deal for MATRIXX

• DISH is building a cloud native 5G network
• Operator to use MATRIXX’s converged charging system 
• BSS specialist joins VMware, Mavenir and others in high-profile rollout

Business support systems (BSS) specialist MATRIXX Software is the latest vendor to be selected by DISH for its greenfield, cloud native Open RAN-compliant 5G network rollout.

MATRIXX is to supply its 5G 3GPP-compliant converged charging system (CCS), which will help DISH enable dynamic rating capabilities for its 5G services. 

“MATRIXX’s solution will help unlock the intrinsic value of our 5G network by scaling on demand and enabling dynamic pricing for network slices and other services," stated DISH Chief Information Officer Atilla Tinic in a prepared statement. “We are proud to have a partner with the proven ability to deliver a modern CCS solution for 5G that will give us the commercial and operational agility to constantly iterate our offerings and grow our wireless business.”

The vendor claims its system will enable DISH to “determine network availability and utilization, dynamically changing prices throughout the day” and “automate pricing updates.” 

“With our unique platform, MATRIXX will provide DISH with a powerful competitive advantage in both the offerings they bring to market and the superior experience they deliver to their customers,” claimed MATRIXX CEO Glo Gordon.

That DISH has selected MATRIXX for this role will likely not come as a major surprise to those who track the BSS sector, even though it would have been competing with the likes of Amdocs, Ericsson, Netcracker and Nokia for the deal. MATRIXX has landed a number of charging platform engagements with progressive, cloud-oriented service providers including Visible, the pure-play digital offshoot of Verizon, and Orange Poland, which has attracted industry praise for its Orange Flex service.

MATRIXX also counts Swisscom, StarHub, Telstra, Three UK, Vodafone New Zealand and Wind Tre among its customers. 

DISH, which is in the process of building out its 5G network, has previously announced Altiostar (virtual RAN software), Fujitsu (radio units), Mavenir (virtual RAN software) and VMware (telco cloud platform) as technology partners. It is committed to covering 70% of the US population by June 2023 with its standalone 5G network.

During the operator’s recent earnings call, DISH chairman Charlie Ergen noted that the operator was “making very steady progress” on the rollout of the network and that it was working with other radio vendors in addition to Fujitsu. “We're going to make it into a modern network… We don't spend a lot of time talking about it externally because everybody is going to be skeptical up until we light it up and then people will have their opinion about it,” he stated, referencing the doubts that exist about the ability of Open RAN technology to deliver a carrier-class service in high-demand urban as well as rural areas.

- Ray Le Maistre, Editorial Director, TelecomTV