T-Mobile updated its network evolution page, sets 3G UMTS shutdown date; no 2G shutdown yet

[RFK]

https://www.t-mobile.com/support/cov...work-evolution

- As of January 1, 2022 Sprint’s older 3G (CDMA) network will be retired
- As of June 30, 2022 Sprint’s LTE network will be retired
- As of July 1, 2022 T-Mobile’s older 3G UMTS network will be retired
We’ve also shared that we plan to retire T-Mobile’s older GSM 2G network as well, but no date has been set. We will update this page with any additional information in the future.

The page was changed on Sept 16 2021.

[jet1000]

This is great news. The consolidation continues meaning more spectrum is going to be available for T-Mobile LTE and 5G.

[hwertz]

Sensible. GSM can run in as small as a 200khz slice, 8 timeslots (for whatever combo of at least 1 control channel timeslot, which would also carry texts, voice, and data.) If it comes to it, LTE does have a technique (taking advantage of it having 180khz wide x 0.5ms time resource blocks) to just mark either 180khz or 360khz unavialble and stick the GSM channel in there. (So instead of losing a 5mhz block to GSM you could run more or less 4.6, 9.6, or 19.6mhz of LTE there anyway.) Most will have a VoLTE device by now, people who have older devices for embedded use, or just voice and texts, will probably not miss going from UMTS to GSM (as long as the service works.)

[formercanuck]

This is great news. The consolidation continues meaning more spectrum is going to be available for T-Mobile LTE and 5G.

Just slower than expected, but not surprised.

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[formercanuck]

I have noticed that Sprint sites (not Sprint Keep) pretty much give me the boot after a few seconds. Outdoors, no issue, as I can mostly pick up T-Mobile (eg if I force B41 ). Same goes with B26. I still see more B41 sites being deployed, so that's a good thing.

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