If you own a smartphone that is pretty outdated by a few years and you’re on the T-Mobile network, you better wait for an email from your carrier soon. An internal document lists around 19 devices that will not be able to connect to their network by January 29, 2021. Most of the devices in the list are from 2014-2015 so it might really be time for owners to upgrade to a newer device if they want to continue being on T-Mobile and probably other networks as well in the long run.
The list published by Android Police is from an internal document from T-Mobile and includes smartphones, tablets, and even some cameras as well. Some of the devices include OnePlus One, Xperia Z3 series, Nexus 9, and Huawei P9. Most of these have stopped getting official updates anyway from their respective OEMs so it might really be time to switch to a newer device as those that don’t get regular security patches are pretty vulnerable.
There is some kind of explanation in the internal document as to why these devices will no longer be able to connect to the network. T-Mobile says it’s because they are not able to receive an update that they would need for continued functionality. T-Mobile says this has nothing to do with the mandatory VoLTE support with the legacy network shutdown although there may be questions as to the timing of it all.
T-Mobile’s deal with Sprint in their merger includes maintaining the 3G network for three years. While the internal document says Sprint customers will be impacted, there’s also a part that says only those on T-Mobile and Metro T-Mobile will lose all connectivity. Sprint subscribers will only lose T-Mobile network roaming, if all the details in the documents are to be believed. Still, it would really be better to get newer devices as there are so many to choose from now.
Supposedly, T-Mobile mailed out letters to subscribers that will be affected by the changes and by December 28, SMS notifications will also be sent out. This will give customers a month to upgrade until the official end of network connectivity by January 29, 2021. Here are the devices listed:
Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (AT&T model)
Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (Verizon model)
Samsung Galaxy Note Edge
HTC Desire 10 Lifestyle
HTC Desire 650
Google Nexus 9
Huawei Mate 8
Huawei P9
Mikrotikls SIA_R11e-LTE6
Netgear Arlo Security Camera System
OnePlus 1
Quanta Dragon IR7
Samsung Galaxy S5 Duos
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
Sony Xperia Z3
Sony Xperia Z3 Orion
Sony D6616 Xperia Z3 Orion
Soyea M02
ZTE ZMax
