T-Mobile is improving a lot of users' 5G speeds with a swift (and totally free) upgrade
Because 4G LTE is about to become a thing of the past at the nation-leading "Un-carrier", an outdated 5G device some of you might still be using is now being replaced at no cost.
If you've been feeling like your trusty old Nokia 5G home internet gateway has slowed down or generally started to show its age of late, all you need to do is ask Magenta for a newer and faster replacement, and that's exactly what you'll receive with minimal effort on your part.
Don't put the "trash can" in the garbage bin!
Affectionately nicknamed the "Nokia trash can" by many of its longtime users, the 5G21 Gateway released in the US back in 2020 is now going the way of the dodo... and 4G LTE connectivity.
But you're obviously not advised to simply dispose of the discontinued device on your own and buy a new one, as T-Mobile will help you make the switch without charging anything.
If you still use this device, you should look to replace it ASAP. | Image Credit -- T-Mobile
Consequently, you're all recommended to do the same thing if you've recently gotten a text message or email proposing a gateway upgrade "On Us." If you haven't just yet, but you know you're still rocking a Nokia 5G21, you can give it a few more days or reach out to T-Mobile customer support to straight-up ask for a speed-improving freebie.
Are you satisfied with your 5G speeds on T-Mobile (mobile or home)?
Absolutely
41.25%
More or less
30%
Not at all
15%
They're okay, but they could be better
13.75%
Worst case scenario, you'll be denied the upgrade if you're (somehow) not eligible. Best (and most frequent) scenario, you'll be sent a zippy new gateway at home and asked to return your "trash can" by mail or in a nearby physical store. Yes, it's that simple!
Double the speeds with no strings attached
At the risk of annoying you by saying this again, T-Mobile's latest 5G Home Internet upgrade will not cost you a dime. Not at the time of your order for your new gateway, not later via monthly payments or anything, and regardless of how little you currently pay for your service, your plan will not be changed in any way to "accommodate" this upgrade.
And yes, as the name suggests, the Nokia 5G21 was already capable of 5G speeds. But due to its advanced age, this gateway was never meant to support 5G Standalone connectivity, instead relying on 5G Non-Standalone technology... that's essentially based on 4G LTE.
With the original (gateway) I was getting upper hundreds, 170, 180. I just pulled 336 per Ookla. Up speed doubled, from 10ish to 22.
Remo_253 on Reddit, October 16, 2025
Now, the speed boosts you'll obtain once you replace the 5G21 with a G4AR or G5AR might vary from location to location and even depend on your luck, but a bunch of Redditors are claiming their improvements have been surprisingly substantial.
The setup process is also generally described as a walk in the park, requiring a simple switch of your SIM card from your old to your new blazing fast 5G gateway.
Consolidating T-Mobile's 5G supremacy one small change at a time
In the grand scheme of the industry, what Magenta is doing with this product replacement is definitely not what one would call a big technological leap.
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There's no catching up to Magenta on the 5G speed front anytime soon. | Image Credit -- T-Mobile
But it's precisely these small steps (made at the right time and in the right way) that have contributed to a major shift in power with the advent of 5G, helping T-Mobile overtake AT&T and challenge Verizon in terms of wireless subscriber numbers and making the "Un-carrier" a force to be reckoned with in the home internet field as well.
Despite so many missteps over the last couple of years, T-Mo continues to prove that it cares about the user experience and network speeds of all its customers, which can't always be said about the competition.
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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