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Sprint, Dish to test wireless broadband offering

Sprint and Dish Network are collaborating on a wireless broadband service targeting underserved areas.

The trial in Corpus Christi, Texas, will involve Sprint Corp.'s 4G LTE network and will begin in mid-2014. Dish Network Corp. will install equipment for households to tap the cellular network for basic high-speed Internet services.

Many Americans have limited or no access to broadband service because it's expensive to extend cables to rural areas. Satellite is an option, but it works better for receiving data than sending. Cellular networks could address that limitation—so long as the service doesn't get too popular that the airwaves become congested.

For Dish, it paves the way for bundling broadband access with television services, something satellite companies haven't been able to do as well as cable providers.