Here are Sprint's Samsung, LG and OnePlus 5G phones that will and won't work on T-Mobile

While we knew that the unlocked Samsung Galaxies were prime candidates, most folks buy their phones from a carrier, and 5G is currently deployed on widely different bands of spectrum, so it is often not financially feasible for carriers to integrate support for all of those it wouldn't use.

T-Mobile swooped in this week to clarify the matter, touting that Sprint's Samsung Galaxy S20 5G owners will be the lucky devils that will be able to access both carriers' 5G networks first, as soon as the end of April.

Where does that leave the rest of the 5G warriors, however, including those who got the 2019 5G flagships at a grand and above? Well, in the doldrums, of course, as Sprint's Galaxy S10 5G, for instance, will sooner or later be incompatible with the New T-Mobile's 5G connectivity. 

Here's what Sprint has to say on current phones' 5G compatibility with T-Mobile post-merger:

Make sure to install the latest device software updates so that we can bring you the first, largest and only nationwide 5G network that is bigger, better and goes farther – covering more people and places with incredible radial reliability indoors and out.


That's that, and you catch the drift. Since T-Mobile is mainly using the low-band 600Mhz spectrum for its "nationwide" 5G network, Sprint’s current 5G network (Band 41) will be redeployed to expand T-Mobile's coverage to the mid-band, shutting down access to Sprint's 2019 5G phones in the process.

So, which Sprint phones won't be compatible with the new T-Mobile's 5G network after the merger?

Fret not, however, as the new T-Mobile will be offering deals on all of the oldies above that will be incompatible both on the new T-Mobile 5G network, or for a fallback on Sprint's current 5G network at some point in time (4G LTE will be a go, of course):

Way to turn a crisis into an opportunity, T-Mo, and to soothe the worries of all those who may be wondering why are the phones they just paid a premium for a few months ago, now going in the dustbin of 5G history. You basically will be able to keep your payments, and get a Galaxy S20 5G for either free, or for $10 a month as an upgrade, which is a great deal no matter how you slice it.