Dish Network is quietly starting to take customer signups for its homegrown 5G service. The company launched a new website today that allows people to get notified when service is available in their area.

Why it matters: Dish bought Sprint's Boost Mobile business as part of a deal that allowed T-Mobile's acquisition of Sprint to pass legal muster. Dish has been reselling T-Mobile service to customers while it begins the years-long effort to build out its own nationwide 5G network.

A new report makes the case that closing the gap in broadband access could add hundreds of thousands of jobs and tens of billions of dollars in economic output.

Why it matters: As both education and work shift online, those who don't have reliable internet access will be left behind, which hurts them and the country as a whole.

Dish Network says that T-Mobile has gone back on promises it made in order to win permission to buy Sprint and is asking the California Public Utilities Commission to enforce the company's pre-merger commitments.

Why it matters: The effort, which follows a complaint to the FCC, centers around T-Mobile's decision to end support for Sprint's older CDMA network at the beginning of next year — a network still used by the majority of Dish's customers.

T-Mobile made a series of moves Wednesday aiming to show both the strength of its 5G network and that it hasn't lost its competitive spirit. Specifically, the carrier announced the launch of its home broadband replacement service as well as offers to lure new and existing customers with free and discounted 5G phones.

Why it matters: T-Mobile has some key advantages in 5G, thanks in large part to the 2.5 GHz spectrum it acquired with its Sprint purchase. That mid-band spectrum offers a mix of high speeds and decent coverage that, at least for now, AT&T and Verizon can't match.

After years of trying to turn its fortunes around, Korea's LG said it would exit the mobile phone business globally.

Between the lines: The phone business is a hard one to make profitable for all but the largest players. LG was once one of those, but hasn't been for many years, and had no clear path to change that.

John Deere is planning on introducing 5G technology into its factories, including in Iowa.

Why it matters: 5G is expected to streamline operations, ranging from automated parts delivery to even how employees move in the assembly line.

T-Mobile on Thursday pledged that 200 million people in the U.S. will have access to a fast version of 5G wireless service by the end of the year, a far larger number than can be expected from AT&T or Verizon.

Why it matters: Long the upstart challenger, T-Mobile has a strong network story when it comes to 5G, thanks to its possession of a key swath of mid-band spectrum —which offers a good balance of faster speed and decent coverage compared to other chunks of airwaves.

Native American tribes are pulling off many of the most successful coronavirus vaccination campaigns in the U.S., bucking stereotypes about tribal governments.

The big picture: Despite severe technological barriers, some tribes are vaccinating their members so efficiently, and at such high rates, that they've been able to branch out and offer coronavirus vaccines to people outside of their tribes.

Qualcomm CEO Steve Mollenkopf will step down from his position in June, after more than 26 years with the company, according to a press release out Tuesday.

The big picture: Cristiano Amon, the company president who headed its 5G strategy, received unanimous support from the board of directors to replace Mollenkopf. The shift comes as the company has greatly increased its focus on the development of 5G technology.

Even budget smartphones will start getting 5G support this year, with Qualcomm announcing today that devices running its new Snapdragon 480 chip will soon hit the market.

Why it matters: The 400 series is the company's lowest-end chip family and the inclusion of 5G is a sign that the technology will become the norm for new devices.