Dish Network today shared more details about its plan to deploy its first trial market for 5G wireless service next year. The operator, which has vast amounts of unused spectrum and is slated to gain more, including prepaid customers, if T-Mobile US’ proposed merger with Sprint goes through, intends to launch commercial 5G service in an undetermined number of markets by the end of 2020.

Moreover, nationwide deployment of 5G wireless service that will reach at least 70% of the U.S. population will be completed during the first half of 2023, according to Dish. To reach that goal the company will begin soliciting proposals from vendors, systems integrators, and other companies that want to bid for contracts to acquire, construct, and install equipment for what it describes as a “greenfield, standalone, and cloud-native 5G network.”

The request for proposal (RFP) for end-to-end deployment services vendors follow two previous RFPs for network elements and system architecture, including software for project management, workflows, reporting, and other tools to assist network deployment.

Earlier this month, a Dish executive described it as a fortuitous time to enter the 5G mobile telecom space. Tom Cullen, EVP of sales, programming, and marketing at Dish, explained that the company’s ability to launch a greenfield network near the beginning of a technology cycle provides the carrier with a significant advantage against its legacy — and substantially larger — rivals.

“We’re building a first-of-its kind standalone 5G network and want to employ a diversity of expertise from partners large and small,” said Jeff McSchooler, executive vice president of Dish’s wireless operations, in a prepared statement. “We’ll build upon the existing relationships we have with deployment vendors from our NB-IoT buildout, while seeking local, regional, and national vendors that can apply their strengths to increase the speed and efficiency of our 5G network.”

The deployment services RFP involves pre-construction services and strategies for site acquisition, architecture and engineering, utility coordination, and regulatory compliance. The construction services up for bid include procurement, staging, quality and safety management, civil engineering, network element installation, and tower climbing.

As with the previous RFPs, Dish reiterated that its deployment plans and entry into the wireless market could be materially impacted depending on the outcome of a series of agreements it reached with the U.S. government, T-Mobile US, and Sprint. The Department of Justice and Federal Communications Commission have both approved the transaction, but the deal is being held up by a lawsuit filed by a group of state attorneys general that want to block it. The lawsuit is scheduled to reach trial on Dec. 9.