Dish said the deal would allow Boost to take a larger market share in the provision of low-cost mobile services, while continuing its mass market expansion.
"Gen Mobile has an established brand, a proven team and an unwavering commitment to connect the underserved," said Stephen Stokols, who heads Boost and will oversee the Gen Mobile brand. "The brand is a natural addition as we look to reach all segments of the mobile market."
After the acquisition closes, CEO and co-founder of Gen Mobile Robert Yap will continue to lead the Gen Mobile business reporting to Stokols. Gen Mobile will remain headquartered in Los Angeles, providing the deal receives regulatory approval.
Yap said: "We founded Gen Mobile to help bridge the digital divide and ensure all Americans have basic affordable wireless access. Joining forces with Boost allows us to broaden our customer reach, magnify our impact and ultimately connect more Americans."
In July, Dish confirmed it would lean on AT&T's network for its services, signing a 10-year strategic network services agreement (NSA) that will cost it "at least $5 billion". Although it still has an agreement in place with T-Mobile, it means AT&T will become "the primary network services partner for Dish MVNO customers".
As announced in June and in collaboration with Dell, Dish is also building out the first cloud-native, OpenRAN-based 5G network in the US, reaching more than 70% of the population by 2023.
