T-Mobile may wind down its 4G network earlier than expected, making LTE-only devices obsolete. The move won't just affect 4G devices but also those that only support 5G Non-Standalone (5G NSA).
T-Mobile's 4G network will mostly be gone by 2028
T-Mobile is gearing up for a 4G shutdown. | Image Credit - The Mobile Report
It was only in February this year that T-Mobileshut down its 2G network. The second-generation cellular technology was introduced in 1991 and outlived 3G because many IoT devices and legacy industrial applications relied on it.
T-Mobile has already started planning the dismantling of its 4G network, per The Mobile Report. Shutting down old networks allows carriers to put resources and spectrum toward the latest technology. Spectrum licenses are valuable resources that give carriers rights to slices of radio frequencies, which they use to transmit signals.
That's what will be happening with this phase-out as well, with T-Mobile noting in the alleged document that LTE spectrum will be reallocated over the next two years to support 5G Standalone (5G SA). 5G SA is thetrue version of 5G and it doesn't lean on 4G infrastructure.
T-Mobile primarily focuses on 600 MHz n71 (low-band 5G) and 2500 MHz n41 (mid-band 5G) frequencies. On its older 4G network, T-Mobile uses 2, 4/66, 12, and some 71 frequencies. The retirement of 4G will allow T-Mobile to transition Band 2 to 5G NR Band n2 and Band 4/66 to n66.
By 2028, 4G will mostly fade into history, except for a single 5 MHz LTE channel limping along, significantly affecting capacity and coverage. This is expected to impact LTE and 5G NSA devices.
LTE will continue to exist in a limited capacity until 2035 to support legacy devices, but performance will degrade substantially.
The transition will begin with business customers on January 1, 2026, which is when T-Mobile will stop approving most LTE and 5G NSA activations. Existing LTE contracts won't be renewed or extended beyond 2035.
The first 5G phone was released in 2019, and most handsets sold today are 5G-capable. That's why this move will probably not negatively affect most users. T-Mobile may also offer free compatible devices to those rocking 4G or 5G NSA phones, as it did when it announced the 2G kill-off.
Every hertz tied up in 4G could instead be used to make 5G faster
There was no indication that carriers would be pulling the plug on 4G networks this soon, especially because 5G could work in conjunction with 4G. That said, unlike AT&T and Verizon, T-Mobiledidn't use legacy 4G assets to deploy 5G, which might explain why it's the first one to let go.
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Other carriers' 5G networks were built upon LTE technology, so their 4G shutdown may take longer.
While the decommissioning of T-Mobile's LTE network may be an inconvenience for some customers initially, eventually 5G coverage and speeds will improve as 4G spectrum is repurposed. New network technologies offer better encryption and energy efficiency, so it's a promising sign that T-Mobile will be moving away from LTE over the next two years.
T-Mobile and other carriers have also activated 5G RedCap for smartwatches and other small devices, which is another reason they no longer need to keep legacy LTE modules around.
4G and 5G use very similar underlying technology, which will make it easier for T-Mobile to reuse 4G hardware and spectrum for 5G without disrupting service.
Is T-Mobile rushing its 4G shutdown?
Yes, I feel pressured to upgrade to a new phone.
36.92%
No, it's a sign 6G is on the way.
41.54%
Yes, it's disregarding LTE devices that aren't phones.
21.54%
This is a transition toward 6G
The first 6G standard is expected to be finalized in 2029, a year after T-Mobile shuts down 4G for most customers. 6G is expected to be here by 2030, which explains why T-Mobile is eager to retire 4G.
While there's no definite timeline for when T-Mobile will roll out 6G, the dismantling of 4G is a step toward modernising 5G, on top of which 6G will be built. T-Mobile has been ahead of its competitors in 5G rollout, and its eagerness to transition away from 4G suggests it could once again lead with 6G.
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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.
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