T-Mobile now provides more clarity upfront about available networks.
Your phone lists all available networks, including those your carrier has a roaming agreement with. This contract allows you to access another company's network in areas where your carrier doesn't have a presence.
Previously, all other available networks were simply called 'Roaming' on a phone on T-Mobile's network. Users had to dig deeper to uncover their identity.
That has now changed, with iPhones now displaying either the network's name or its Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) identifier. Users will now be aware of the network they have connected to, instead of having to guess.
T-Mobile has stopped labelling all available networks as Roaming. | Image Credit - Reddit user D_G599
Keep in mind that not every network that shows up is necessarily T-Mobile's roaming partner. That's why you won't be able to connect to all of the options displayed in the 'Network Selection' menu.
This change comes just after T-Mobile acquired UScellular. Curious users can now easily tell if they are on UScellular's network.
Interestingly, one user says that UScellular now appears as native T-Mobile coverage, but another user's experience suggest otherwise. That's because a deeper dive into settings shows that UScellular is still a roaming connection. T-Mobile may have relabelled it to assert its ownership.
Just happened to me. I was checking this morning for USC coverage and it still showed PLMN 311-580 and roaming. Now when selecting the second T-Mobile label it appears to be native coverage (not roaming)
—dentonb2000, Reddit user, August 2025
Its still not "native" If you look in settings it'll still say its roaming with T-Mobile as the carrier name. Depending on the phone is weather you see "roaming" or T-Mobile when on US Cellular.
—HuntersPad, Reddit user, August 2025
The systems and networks of T-Mobile and UScellular are in the process of being combined. The company previously said that the merger would give it 50 percent more capacity in rural areas and add 33 percent more towers. T-Mobile is also building new towers in small and rural areas. This, on top of acquired assets, including valuable spectrum bands that T-Mobile previously lacked, will strengthen the company's network and help it expand coverage.
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Is it important for you to be able to tell which network you have roamed onto?
No.
14.97%
Not really, but the information should be there.
37.43%
Yes, I want to be able to compare experiences.
47.6%
Another change that's now better reflected in the Network Selection menu is that the Starlink-powered T-Satellite service is now called 'T-Sat+Starlink' in Settings. Before that, it was known as 'T-Mobile SpaceX'. T-Mobile started calling the service T-Satellite fairly recently, and is likely renaming it in Settings to avoid confusion.
For customers who want reliable service, it's an exciting time to be with T-Mobile. By scooping up UScellular, it's improving service in rural areas, and by offering satellite-powered texting and internet, it's doing its best to keep you connected even in areas with no cellular infrastructure.
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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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