As of a few days ago (June 30th), Sprint’s LTE network was finally retired by its new owner, T-Mobile. Sprint’s 3G CDMA network was shut down earlier this year, so this is just the next part of their Network Evolution process. Along with this retirement comes the shut down of T-Mobile’s own 3G UMTS network (July 1st).
While it may come as a surprise to some, T-Mobile has actually kept Sprint’s networks in play since they officially took over in April 2020. Now that the 5G rollout is in full force, they need to repurpose these old networks for 5G spectrum.
If you happen to still be using a phone running on Sprint LTE or T-Mobile’s 3G, it’s likely you’ve already encountered problems with your service. No worries, T-Mobile will help you to get a 5G phone. The company says customers were informed with more than enough time to make the switch. Customers were also notified of a free offer on a replacement 5G device.
On the note of retirement, T-Mobile’s 2G GSM network is still operational. The company plans to retire it, but does not have a set date at this time.