T-Mobile USA, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE bring back activations for Non-VoLTE phones

The 2G network won’t shut down on Dec 31 2022 because that was rumored and set by T-Mobile back in February of 2021, and they changed their minds on a date set and don’t have one now. Dec 31 2022, that is waaaayyyyyy too early now and T-Mobile would have kept the Dec 31 2022 shutdown date in their network evolution page if that were to really happen. T-Mobile knows that so many M2M machines require the use of 2G especially since they shut down 3G and all of those 3G modules can downgrade to 2G. Some areas now receive better 2G service after the 3G sunset.

T-Mobile PLEASE DO NOT SHUT DOWN 2G EVER!!!!! ALSO PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE ALLOW ACTIVATIONS FOR NON-VOLTE DEVICES AGAIN!!!!!!!!

Yep, 100%. This would be amazing. Seriously, this would be great! Plus, I think T-Mobile would be the only one offering this right now, and that would make them super unique and likely bring in thousands of new customers (yes, literally thousands). The number of folks out there who are interested in dumb phones and older phones is growing. This isn’t to compete with smart phones; smart phones are in a league of their own, and that’s ok. But this is something unique that can’t truly be replicated on a 4g LTE flip phone or modern candy bar device. This is different. I do seriously hope T-Mobile listens to us. Come on, T-Mobile! Please…? 🌷

Amen! I hear ya. This would be an amazing thing, would change everything for thousands of people, and make T-Mobile truly unique. They could make a lot of money, too, improve their reputation, and allow antique 2g phone users to actually use their phones as phones. I know the signal’s still “on”. All they would have to do is allow us to latch on, officially, and charge us for it. I see that as a win-win.

T-Mobile MVNOs (like US Mobile) used to work, and sometimes, for some people, they still do. This depends on whether or not T-Mobile kicks the device off of the tower, though. If T-Mobile is like “nope, sorry”, you’re booted down to “Emergency” mode, and can only call 911. So… I really hope they allow this, make a big deal out of it, and invite all the old-school phone enthusiasts back on! That would rock. They’d definitely win me as a customer. Especially with low /cheap, talk-text only plans. 👍🏻

This is SO TRUE!!!!!!! Just a couple of days or about a week ago I started to try out and use my rare unlocked iOS 5 iPhone 4s, and even with me doing some tricks to stop greedy T-Mobile from disconnecting my 4s, my 4s will still continue to disconnect NO MATTER WHAT!!!!!! Sure, yesterday I had my unlocked rare iOS 5 4s work for 8+ hours straight but that isn’t good enough for me and I really don’t like this the fact that I am not able to use the 4s for crying out loud. Like, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!!!!! It’s so sad that my Nokia 3390 works even better than my wonderful rare iOS 5 4s. The iPhone 4s was my very first phone ever and even on the EDGE network I can use it for iMessaging no problem when it doesn’t disconnect, and iMessaging is also data too and the fact that T-Mobile’s 2G network is fast enough for light data is awesome! Not every country even with a reliable 2G GSM coverage have good EDGE or GPRS data like us! This is why T-Mobile should halt on the shutdown of 2G for a long time and start improving their 2G network and keep installing new towers everywhere so I can have coverage with my Nokia 3390 or my iPhone 4s as well 🥲, otherwise this means I will have to move to Russia or Europe where I can enjoy reliable 2G coverage and not be forced to use a new phone always or I will have to file BIG complaints to T-Mobile for setting a date on their 2G network. I have Mike Sievert’s email and I  have emailed him about it and I really hope he listens to us and not shut it down officially on April 2nd 2024 since especially April 2nd is my b-day too and it will be the worst present ever if T-Mobile officially shuts it down on that day! 

T Mobile shutting down, retiring, decommissioning, or sunsetting their own 3G UMTS network on July 1, 2022 and BlackBerry no longer supporting their own phones/Classic BlackBerry phones on January 4, 2022 is bad news for everyone/T Mobile customers. I like Classic BlackBerry phones, Non-VOLTE phones, 3G phones, and older phones because it’s my own preference.

You could get a hotspot, and use whatever wifi device you want.

Dear T Mobile USA,

I’m not happy that T Mobile shutdown, retired, decommissioned, or sunsetted their own 3G network on July 1, 2022 and BlackBerry stopped supporting their own phones on January 4, 2022 because I want to activate, transfer my service, or use Classic BlackBerry phones, Non-VOLTE phones, 3G phones, and older phones on the T Mobile network. I feel bad that T Mobile shutdown, retired, decommissioned, or sunsetted their own 3G network on July 1, 2022 and BlackBerry stopped supporting their own phones or Classic BlackBerry phones on January 4, 2022 because I miss the BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry Q10. It’s disappointing that T Mobile shutdown, retired, decommissioned, or sunsetted their own 3G network on July 1, 2022 and BlackBerry stopped supporting their own phones on January 4, 2022 because I want to activate, transfer my service, or use the BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry Q10 on the T Mobile network. I’m disappointed that T Mobile shutdown, retired, decommissioned, or sunsetted their own 3G network on July 1, 2022 and BlackBerry stopped supporting their own phones on January 4, 2022 because I want to activate, transfer my service, or use the BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry Q10 on the T Mobile network. It’s sad that T Mobile shutdown, retired, decommissioned, or sunsetted their own 3G network on July 1, 2022 and BlackBerry stopped supporting their own phones on January 4, 2022 because I miss Classic BlackBerry phones and T Mobile’s older 3G UMTS network. I’m kinda getting anxious about T Mobile shutting down, retiring, decommissioning, or sunsetting their own 3G network on July 1, 2022 and BlackBerry no longer supporting their own phones on January 4, 2022 because I miss the BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry Q10. I didn’t like it when BlackBerry stopped supporting their own phones on January 4, 2022 and T Mobile shutdown, retired, decommissioned, or sunsetted their own 3G network on July 1, 2022 because I miss Classic BlackBerry phones, Non-VOLTE phones, 3G phones, and older phones. T Mobile USA, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE bring back activations for Non-VOLTE phones. T Mobile, PLEASE BRING BACK ACTIVATIONS FOR NON-VOLTE DEVICES!!!!!!! There are many people in this country that want to use their older 3G capable phones or 3G capable devices along side their 5G Ultra Capacity and 4G LTE capable smartphones or 5G and 4G devices and that’s including me. I want to state that it’s very bother some when I want to activate, transfer my service, or use a T Mobile branded BlackBerry Z10 STL100-3 and a T Mobile branded BlackBerry Q10 SQN100-5 that they keep disconnecting with modern SIM cards I activate. It’s very greedy of T Mobile to do this to block new customers and existing customers from using not just 2G phones or 2G devices but also older 4G LTE smartphones or older 4G LTE devices such as:

BlackBerry Z10

BlackBerry Q10

Samsung Galaxy S4

Samsung Galaxy S3

Samsung Galaxy Note 3

Samsung Galaxy Note 2

Apple iPhone 5S

Apple iPhone 5C

Apple iPhone 5

And many more early Non-Voice HD 4G LTE smartphones or Non-Voice HD 4G LTE devices that are kind of rendered useless or obsolete because of this forced VOLTE that new SIM cards are programmed on. ALSO PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE ALLOW ACTIVATIONS FOR NON-VOLTE DEVICES AGAIN!!!!!!!! New customers and existing customers too when allowing activations for Non-VOLTE phones will happen again. I would like T Mobile to bring back BlackBerry and 3G to continue to support Non-VOLTE phones, 3G phones, older phones, or their own 3G network and I would like BlackBerry to continue to support their own phones or Classic BlackBerry phones like the BlackBerry Bold 9900, BlackBerry OS, and BlackBerry 10 because I want to activate, transfer my service, or use the BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry Q10 on the T Mobile network. I would like BlackBerry services and 3G services to be available for T Mobile customers because I like Classic BlackBerry phones, Non-VOLTE phones, 3G phones, or older phones. I’m not against 5G Ultra Capacity, 5G, 4G LTE, Voice Over LTE, and Extended Range LTE or anything because I like BlackBerry and 3G. I like Classic BlackBerry phones, Non-VOLTE phones, 3G phones, and older phones because it’s my preference. I like the BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry Q10 because it’s my own preference. I miss BlackBerry and 3G because I want to activate, transfer my service, or use my old phones on the T Mobile network. I would like BlackBerry services and 3G services to be available for T Mobile customers because I like Classic BlackBerry phones, Non-VOLTE phones, 3G phones, or older phones. I’m not taking T Mobile’s advice about buying or upgrading to a newer phone because I like Classic BlackBerry phones, Non-VOLTE phones, 3G phones, and older phones. Please respect my opinion and my preference to be respectful of my own preference or my own opinion. Please send my feedback and recommendations to technical support team, your supervisor, Mike Sievert, Neville Ray, Peter Osvaldik, Mattias Eriksson, John Chen, Charles Eagan, Steve Rai, engineers, technicians, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for T Mobile customers. Please consider my advice.

Thanks, Irteza

Is there a similar thread for not activating new “Bring-your-own” 4g phones that don’t meet the BOGUS requirement for Extended LTE or Voice-over-LTE (VOIP is just fine)?

https://www.t-mobile.com/resources/bring-your-own-phone

First off -- I HATE having my time wasted -- typing in a texted code (despise it) when not everything NEEDS to be THAT secure. (just ask for my dog’s name).

I didn’t apparently adequately describe my issue(s) with -- “Activating a bring your own device”.

My present -- current -- ancient TM phone (Note 3) to which I just added $300 in the TM account -- is NOT FULLY compatible with the NEW (greedy, selfish) LTE requirements

-- Extended LTE

-- VoLTE

and does not have them -- but works on the TM network without them.

So, could MANY (many) other devices -- as mentioned above. I just bought a new (used) Samsung Xcover Field Pro -- way, way, way better than my ancient Note 3 -- and cannot use it on the TM network -- for not having -- 

-- Extended LTE

-- VoLTE

My present phone does not have (nor do I need or am willing to pay for).

SO, if this isn’t about -- selfish TM greed (and throwing older phones in the pacific ocean) -- why not let new “Bring your own phones” operate using that part of the TM networks -- that works -- and still produces revenue (like my $600 per year)?

My question should be -- Are there any work-arounds in firmware or other “patches” to make these perfectly good phones (not yet in the Pacific Ocean) work on the TM network?

Thanks.

I don’t know. What are issues or problems about this?

so which feature is it that many dont need or want? the ability to make data calls for improved call quality?  since 3G is gone..and 2G is next..that only leaves data calls..