DISH files evidence T-Mobile promised to shut down the Sprint 3G CDMA network in 2023

The broken phone game between DISH and T-Mobile is in full swing despite that the Un-carrier relented and postponed the shutdown of Sprint's CDMA network from January 1 to April 1, 2022.

DISH, however, still argues in a case before the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) that T-Mobile promised to close the network "in three years," or in July 2023. T-Mobile counters that it meant the legacy network would be shut down "within three years."

Potato, patato, but for DISH, which still has to migrate Boost customers from the legacy Sprint network, just filed a comment to the CPUC case that T-Mobile’s Chief of Technology cited the three year waiting period no less than 14 times on the runup to the merger approval.

The thing is, however, that the statements can be read both ways. One of those says: "I would also reiterate that T-Mobile intends to maintain the 800 MHz spectrum for three years to support CDMA service during our migration process and that we have an option to lease 4 MHz of spectrum for additional time if required." Another entry in the Mr Ray's comments list confirms that "T-Mobile expects that all Sprint customers are likely to be completely migrated within three years," though, or exactly what Big Magenta is claiming it meant at the time.

We'll follow this story, as whatever the CPUC decides in this case may have profound implications for those Boost customers who are waiting with bated breath on the will-they-won't-they extend the Sprint 3G network shutdown date further.