T-Mobile is discontinuing service for these phones, but will offer a free replacement

This story was originally published 12/22/2020
8:58 am PSTOn December 22, 2020 And last updated 12/24/2020
8:42 am PSTOn December 24, 2020.

Some older devices, including the OnePlus One, Xperia Z3 Series and Nexus 9, will be unable to connect to the company’s network from January 29, according to T-Mobile’s internal documents provided to Android Police. The documents named 19 devices, including phones, tablets and cameras. Affected customers will be notified via SMS from December 28, and will be able to upgrade to one of the four phones for free.

According to the documents sent to us (which we have verified accurately), after the deployment of the network update, the following devices will not be able to use T-Mobile’s network until January 29:

Note that although the AT&T and Verizon Note 4 are affected, there is no T-Mobile version of the phone. It is also possible that other devices not on this list may be affected.

The reasons why most devices leave behind T-Mobile listings are very old in terms of smartphones. The majority is from 2014-2015, although the Huawei P9 landed in 2016. These are devices that stopped receiving official updates a long time ago, and with the exception of the end of this carrier support, it is in the best interest to upgrade to something with these customers. More recent security patches. However, the inclusion of the Arlo security camera and the R11 E-LTE6 is fantastic, for reasons we’ll touch on later.

Connected to the list is a lengthy text that explains that after a network change, devices have been left behind due to T-Mobile’s inability to receive the necessary updates for continuous functionality on the network. We originally thought this was connected to the long-awaited mandatory VoLTE support associated with T-Mobile’s legacy network shutdown, but the company tells us that is not the case – although time and details remain questionable. The change will also have an impact on Metro and Sprint subscribers, and there will be some mud in the details.

T-Mobile is required to maintain Sprint’s 3G network for three years as a merger mode, and presumably, customers with these devices should still be able to connect to that network. The document still claims that Sprint customers will be affected, but the next section states that it will only be lost by T-Mobile or T-Mobile on the Metro. All Network connectivity. Sprint subscribers with affected devices will only lose T-Mobile network roaming.

The document claims that snail mail letters were sent to people affected by the change from the 18th, and SMS-based notifications will be sent on December 28, giving customers around a month to change their devices. Some business customers will be pushed to the current 150 dollar promotion, and T-Mobile employees will be asked to “stay tuned for additional offers that will target affected customers.”

We have since confirmed that this promotional offer starts on December 24 and target customers can get free Samsung Galaxy A21, Samsung Galaxy A11, Alcatel Go Flip 3 or T-Mobile RVVL 4, frankly, up to કિંમત 250. Your half a decade old phone is a very good deal and the A21 is a decent phone.

Since our story was initially published, T-Mobile has reached out to confirm this change by saying that it is not part of either its VoLTE requirement or any legacy network closure, although time, clear requirements and a list of devices indicate connection. We asked T-Mobile for more details regarding the change that is pushing these devices across the network, but that information was not provided. The company did not accept our offer to publish the statement when asked.

The inclusion of devices such as the original Arlo security camera and the R11A-LTE 6 Mini PCI card also casts little doubt on the VoLTE requirement as a reason, as both should not be required. When asked how this affects future software software support and functionality on T-Mobile’s network, an Arlo representative told us that no official decision has been made to stop production.

Meanwhile, T-Mobile customers using any of those 19 devices should reach out to see if they are eligible for the promotional offer. If you’re worried about your phone, you can check if your device supports VoLTE with our guide.

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