Please, do NOT shutdown 2G

looks like the end of 2g is officially updated. 

https://www.t-mobile.com/support/coverage/t-mobile-network-evolution

Just as a note too… I have heard that 3G shutdown has affected 2G in a good way or a bad way depending on the area. 2G for some people in their area gets better coverage on 2G after 3G has gone, and some areas have experienced the opposite meaning that 2G got slightly worse after 3G retirement. If you have 2G still, you will still continue to have it and since they aren’t shutting down 2G, they won’t kill off your area just like that. Though, cell service could get worse if T-Mobile doesn’t maintain 2G but I am just saying…  JUST SAYING.

T-Mobile GSM is staying for a long time and it’s not going anywhere! T-Mobile recently updated their Network Evolution page and stated that Sprint’s 3G and LTE network are gone along-side it’s own 3G UMTS network BUT 2G hasn’t been stated to shut down! Cost means NOTHING for keeping 2G running because in many European countries GSM or in some also UMTS is staying at it’s fullest capacity too! Remember, it’s all about making customers happy! Unfortunately T-Mobile themselves make it very hard to activate Non-VoLTE service with them and it’s sad as most likely we are THE LAST GSM 1900MHz Band 2 network in the world that is operational still. I will be protesting on the discussions or maybe in real life too against a 2G shutdown if a set date EVER happens to come up on the Network Evolution page for 2G because I like my classic Nokias more than any phone on this earth and the last thing I want is to be told I can’t use them anymore!

Also to add: I don’t care what people think of me for using an old Nokia but I like them a lot! I like using my 3395 that has monophonic ringtones and also it fits very nicely in my hands and also fits in my pocket instead of using these large phones. I hate this freaking modern LTE or 5G UGC Ultra Garbage Capacity crap. I like my Nokias a lot because they scream of reliability and good durability too! I don’t “need” a rugged phone. Again, I feel like I am being forced to give up what I like and use some garbage instead that won’t ever make me feel happy.

Me being forced to give up my Nokias is like I have a forced breakup or divorce or I am having an arranged marriage meaning I can’t have a choice anymore as to what I want to use. No, seriously it does kind of feel that way!

I have read the link you sent and I am not against the 5G development BUT the existing 2G or 3G network NEEDS to stay, why? If Deutsche Telekom and T-Mobile completely ditch their older networks, then if these LTE or 5G towers fail, then there will be no backup system to cover these devices. As I read, they even stated that the gap between 5G IoT and reality is major.

Speaking of our old durable phones, I agree with you that the days are numbered for 2G network but our humanly days are also numbered, and we are living in the Biblical end times too. I know man, I really like my old phones too, I have a Nokia 3390, 5190, 1616-2c, and a 3395 but unfortunately I noticed modern SIM cards barely work or at all with them, example I can give is on my 3390 the phone disconnects after a few hours and I have to reconnect with my smartphone to get service back, while my 3395 unlocked from X-Cingular works really good but it still loses service suddenly and I have to restart it to get it back, so unfortunately that means THE ONLY people that will access the 2G network trouble free for a long time to come are those that still didn’t upgrade or have a really old SIM card to work well in a really old 90s or a early 2000s phone.

It is a very sad world we live in where we are nearly being forced to use a phone that we don’t necessarily want to use 24/7. I am not against 5G but personally not interested in 5G because all 5G phones and the infrastructure are so poorly built, phones like the Galaxy S22 Ultra are extremely fragile and break apart in seconds, and newer iPhones from the 12 and now the upcoming 14 are also a little bit more fragile than older iPhones that can withstand anything, I work at a uBreakiFix repair shop so I have seen it already and if you have any further questions about various phones and their durability please ask me or DM me if you can.

In conclusion: I also want to be able to use my Nokias for many more years to come, I may not be using a 3310 or a 5110 in 2022 but a newer one on the 2G network will do me justice. T-Mobile 2G GSM Network shutdown won’t happen for a good while because they realize how many people will complain to them about the complete sunset if they actually do it and not only that, they will lose a lot of those people (kind of including me) in the process due to the shutdown because T-Mobile is based upon: “helping people that don’t want to pay or don’t have the funds for overpriced Verizon or AT&T service and it’s not phones only, it could also be for M2M and IoT machines.”

I tip my hat off to you and to anyone else who is for the keeping of 2G. I understand both sides of the game. But I am biased as I want to continue playing on and using a taco to make calls all while enjoying all the weird looks I get with my original v1 Nokia N-gage. 😍

I want to state that I actually like 4GLTE and I don’t mind 5G either and i think they should expand coverage to more areas so more people can get better service at their house to make a call or text (me included 😉), but I am NOT AT ALL supporting the movement of shutting down 2G GSM completely because 2G has been living in the LTE channels for about 6 years now, and right now it is alive in the guard-bands of LTE (as LTE is 1900MHz and 2G is 1900MHz), and it can forever run in the guard-bands of LTE, 2G is a very spectrum-efficient network because of that and is also an efficient network in general meaning that incase you need that extra battery life out of your LTE device, or 5G telephone or tablet, (while smart-phones have got impressive battery life that I think they are better than a Nokia 3310 and they can last days of heavy use) incase you absolutely need longer battery life out of your phone, you certainly have the freedom to put it on ONLY GSM operation so your phone won’t be draining because of a powerful demanding signal that way it makes 4GLTE and 5G mobile handsets, and tablets more usable. 4GLTE and 5G are good and all, but we need to keep 2G as a very basic fallback network that      JUST      SIMPLY    WORKS     AND     GETS      THE       EFFICIENT       JOB      DONE      WHEN     ABSOLUTELY       NEEDED!!!!!!!!!

Yeah thankfully T-Mobile isn’t shutting down 2G from what it seems, RedPocket mobile (which operates on T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon towers), states it as well: https://help.redpocket.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000752571-GSMT-Network-upgrades-from-U1900-Frequency-to-LTE. There has been no shutdown date set and that is because T-Mobile’s coverage is still to see improvements and also because T-Mobile works with lower income customers unlike AT&T shutting their network forcefully making many people move to newer technologies and some lose their cell service with unfortunately majority the elderly affected that don’t know or don’t want to use a smartphone. There are groups of older people or younger people using flip phones that work only on 2G or 3G, and me mentioning 3G is because those phones can at least fall back to 2G to still make an emergency call or be used wherever coverage is still there for 2G.

Technology wise 2G is old, but by infrastructure structures it isn’t really old at all. AM and FM radio still exists so why does 2G have to completely go as well? 2G is 30+ years old but AM radio towers are 130 years old and FM is about 90, and both still exist with no cancellation dates of course. So 2G will stay as well as it is able to run along side LTE. Even when 6G comes out, it won’t shocking 2G will still be here as a basic network existing for industrial Machines, and for Internet of Things devices such as older alarm systems, and for navigation on cars.

Speaking of Germany’s 2G network, I haven’t read anywhere that they are shutting down their network completely by 2030. I know most operators in Germany are shutting down 2G by 2025 and some a little later however I haven’t seen German Telekom state their 2G shutdown on their site. German Telekom again, shut down 3G last year, and it owns T-Mobile so I am  surprised T-Mobile US is also keeping 2G alive and only encourages people to upgrade to newer mobile phones for better coverage and voice quality, than to forcefully switch-off the network making yet again lots of people lose their service, especially since T-Mobile migrated so many customers from AT&T when AT&T was killing 2G in 2016.

For those looking to where T-Mobile still has 2G…

https://maps.t-mobile.com/pcc.html?map=mvno-roamd-2

Similarly 2G / 3G / 4G LTE

https://maps.t-mobile.com/pcc.html?map=mvno-roamd-34

and all the above

https://maps.t-mobile.com/pcc.html?map=mvno-roamd-5

I do too! I completely agree here with your last statement so 2G stays in limited forms of itself but not completely shutdown EVER.

This is just getting ridiculous, Good for you then I guess. You don’t like T-Mobile supporting legacy equipment, it’s your opinion but you won’t change my mind, and a few other people’s minds in this conversation. This conversation was more made for people like me or like minded who don’t want 2G to go away, and are ok with it staying even in small limited forms. But unfortunately more people like you come here to bash, and put us down for our opinion. We shouldn’t be forced to use the latest and greatest if we don’t want, it’s not only phones or mobile devices such as tablets but again, it’s alarm systems, M2M machines etc. 

Because 2G is living in the 4GLTE guard bands is why T-Mobile is keeping it alive as takes up pretty much no frequency with LTE! For crying out loud, even T-Mobile calls it a spectrum efficient 2G GSM operation 

No wonder no one is replying to this topic anymore, it’s because it all turns into an argument just because me and people like-minded like to share what we know is right and that we think it is right that T-Mobile is keeping 2G alive so older tech can still remain operation so we can play around with it once in a while if we want, and so older 3G devices as well can fallback to 2G and still remain operational so they continue being usable. I am not going to talk to you or reply to you about this anymore because it turns into a big disagreement and kind of an argument too.

From your previous replies to other people, I thought you were completely against 2G and you were someone that is just like some people on this chat however, I see that FCC is a regulator more for communications for radios, satellites, cable services, but in reality, I didn’t see that they are so much for mobile devices it seems like besides sending out notifications to them for dangerous weather, child kidnapping, and dangerous events. They aren’t what looks to be for controlling the networks, because I typed in the search bar for Network shutdown on their site and nothing really appeared. Like AT&T shutting down 2G in 2016, they weren’t obligated to shut it down, they just decided themselves cause they are stupid and want people on the latest and greatest, so following 5 years and 21 days later, they also shut down 3G in Feb 22 2022. T-Mobile is hanging on to 2G for those 3G devices to fall back and work on very basic use for calling and texting. Also, for 2G-only devices of course so they also stay operational as well, and they have no physical plans of shutting it down either. I think what T-Mobile is doing is to make 2G more for IoT/M2M use, but not really for great mobile cell coverage. If anyone wants mobile coverage from 2G, that is a option as well if you want a basic phone for getting away from social media and all the notifications.

You need to research more about who owns T-Mobile before you tell me anything. It is laughable you said “Fortunately “Deutsche Telekom” is in Germany, and why is it fortunate? Deutsche Telekom owns T-Mobile not by 100% but they do own it either way. Deutsche Telekom renamed the company to T-Mobile USA back in 2001, and while German Telekom doesn’t own 100% of T-Mobile, it still owns it either way and there is no denying it. There is no denying that T-Mobile is indeed a European carrier as well. You can go on eBay and look up some T-Mobile model phones and you will see some T-Mobile phones outside of the US like in Germany or Hungary, etc.

Another thing, you telling me that I can trade in my old GSM phone for a Samsung Galaxy A32 is just laughable 🤣🤣🤣🤣because you are telling me I need to get a phone that is built worse than the GSM phone it is taking over like my Nokia 3390 which is a T-Mobile version of the Nokia 3310 NOT in disguise, (looks exactly like a 3310) research it. The 3310 is indestructible, GizmoSlip on YouTube almost 4 years ago shot a bullet to the 3310 and the phone LITERALLY SURVIVED https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xEJCsdNqqI&t=84s. As for the modern Samsung phones, I have plenty of these Samsung Galaxy A-series phones or even the flagship S-series phones come into my repair shop with blank screens almost ALWAYS and I am annoyed of it of course!!!!! It sounds like you are telling me that I can still continue using my Nokia and there is no reason for me to change my Nokia or trade it in for a Samsung Galaxy A32 as that phone has 2G built into it 🤣. Because I already have a Galaxy Note 9 for crying out loud, and it is the best phone I had in my life, alongside my Nokia 3390. I don’t need a 5G crap phone that is really fragile and will go blank screen on me.

You saying that Beta/VHS is obsoleted, which I agree, but it doesn’t mean you can’t use them still. There were Ukrainian guys working with a casette tape also and trying to retrieve footage from it, CD’s are NOT OBSOLETE because a PS5 still comes with a Disk edition version, and I am sure there are other applications where CD’s still come and handy, same with Beta/VHS. I understand CD’s and Beta/VHS are obsolete but YOU CAN STILL USE THEM! No one makes them useless! 5% of people use a 2G GPRS or EDGE phone but  just like you can still use VHS/BETA or CD’s once in a while, this is the same with T-Mobile supporting 2G with no shutdown date so we can go back to out older mobile devices once in a while!  Or use our old alarm systems, and M2M machines stay running

Get your facts straight! Think what you type before you actually send it!

No one said T-Mobile, or I should say “Deutsche Telekom" “HAS TO" keep 2G, they are keeping 2G for IoT devices like alarm systems, vending machines, and M2M applications and because they care for the customers. I know that 2G doesn't get good coverage for voice anymore because my Nokia 3390 I put my RedPocket GSMT SIM card into from Galaxy Note 9 a lot, and it works decent but gets very spotty signal which is ok in my opinion because even 4GLTE isn't much better either. 2G is run on LTE guard bands and is not taking up any frequency because LTE is also 1900 MHz so that's also why 2G is staying with very limited forms of it. On T-Mobile's site for them giving stranded AT&T IoT customers a chance they talk about their 2G network and that it is as of 2016 a “spectrum-efficient 2G GSM network"

https://www.t-mobile.com/news/press/att-2g-iot-lifeline

I don't really see Deutsche Telekom really shutting down 2G, as in favor of 4GLTE network or 5G, at least shutting down 3G will mean that there is freed up spectrum for the newer networks and devices that used to work on 3G-only mode will after July 1 2022 now only work on 2G which is better than absolutely nothing, and also better than throwing away electronics that can be used otherwise like my Nokia 3390.