T-Mobile is finally retiring its 2G network and urging the last stragglers to upgrade

A small number of T-Mobile customers may wake up on August 3 with no bars on their phones Phones – Unless they take action now.

After two years of reaching out to subscribers, T-Mobile is turning off its 2G network. Any T-Mobile subscriber with an old phone can get a free 5G-enabled replacement from the carrier through the mail or by bringing their old device, in any condition, to a T-Mobile store.

A T-Mobile representative wouldn’t comment on how many customers the change would affect, but Recon Analytics’ Roger Entner estimates it affects 1% to 2% of subscribers.

“These are low-usage, glove box case scenarios,” Entner said, adding that offering free device replacements is a customer-friendly move by T-Mobile.

For most people, shutting down the 2G network won’t cause much disruption, since modern smartphones mainly rely on 4G LTE and 5G. These newer standards have transformed cellular service from slow, text-only connections to fast digital networks that support cloud computing, high-definition streaming, and billions of connected devices.

According to the T-Mobile website Network evolution Page, customers migrating from older 2G devices will be able to take advantage of faster data speeds and advanced features such as T-Satellite Satellite data service and improved 911 location accuracy.

Isn’t 2G retired now?

When 2G networks came online in the 1990s, smartphones weren’t just a glimmer in anyone’s eye. 2G technology brought digital signaling, encrypted voice calls, and SMS text messaging to the mobile experience.

You will have to go back to Original iPhone in 2007 to find a smartphone that only worked on 2G and was only available on AT&T’s network (launched as a Cingular exclusive, which was later rebranded as AT&T Wireless). The first Android phones didn’t hit the market until 2008, and were 3G compatible at launch.

AT&T retired its 2G network in 2017, and Verizon followed suit in 2020. Shut down its 3G network in 2022, along with Verizon and Sprint.

However, for its 2G network, T-Mobile has kept it going longer than its competitors. According to the company, one of the reasons was to support some international roaming customers whose home providers did not support using Voice over LTE or VoLTE for phone calls. (LTE is a 4G technology.) The shutdown follows a move in April that killed legacy network security standards.

If you have an older 2G phone, you may also fall into the category of customers whose cell phone plans change. Starting this month, T-Mobile is forcibly moving people With many retiring existing 5G plans to simplify their operations. In some cases, these customers will see a price increase of up to $6 per line.