My T-Mobile phone service has sent me a warning that I need to upgrade to a free 5G phone by 1/1/2022. Any reason not to do this?
Pros And Cons On The New 5G Phones
- Thread starter Parley
- Start date
looney2ns
IPCT Contributor
T-mobile in their infinite wisdom, is shutting down their legacy networks on that date, much to the chagrin of many, many customers. Your only options is accept it as they stated or change providers.
Take good look here: www.ting.com, they use Verizon's network at bargain prices.
looney2ns
IPCT Contributor
U.S. DOJ has ‘grave concerns’ about T-Mobile network shutdown
Antitrust officials at the U.S. Justice Department said they have “grave concerns” about plans by T-Mobile US to shut down the wireless network used by millions of Boost Mobile customers.
www.seattletimes.com
Thank You Looney for that. My wife is the one who is against it. She is coming up with conspiracy theories.
However they can track her on the phone she has now along with other things.
looney2ns
IPCT Contributor
The only way to hide from tracking is to turn off the phone and leave it off, doesn't matter which provider or phone.
Agreed and that is what I tell her.
looney2ns
IPCT Contributor
The google Pixel line of phones, supposedly do a little less tracking than most. I've had two pixel phones now, and really like them as they don't install a lot of carrier bloatware, just a pure version of Android, and then they get monthly security updates for 3-4 years after release. Most phones are lucky if they get an update once a year if at all.
sebastiantombs
Known around here
If you really want to be sure you need to remove the battery or SIM card. Ever hear of Pegasus?
AT&T is shutting theirs down early next year too. Must be a GSM thing.
I think 5G is a freak'n joke. So do most of my friends and co-workers. I think it was scam to get us to pay more for our phones...but that's just me. My wife has a iPhone X, so I am wondering if they will hit her up for it. I love T-Mobile, but they have their moments...
No doubt it is a scam to get people to buy a new phone.
looney2ns
IPCT Contributor
T-mobiles coverage in my area is a downright joke. Always has been, they made Sprint look good around here.
sebastiantombs
Known around here
Yesterday we were out on Long Island. My wife has a brandy new iPhone 12 and I have an old Samsung Galaxy S10. I was able to connect to our video system, use the EZViz app for the doorbell if I wanted and control the alarm system with minimal lag time, as in under a second. She couldn't even connect to any of it. 5G is marketing hype from what I see.
looney2ns
IPCT Contributor
Yeah, just wait until they install a 5g access point in your front yard, and the city condoned it based on Utility Rights.
looney2ns
IPCT Contributor
It isn't ready for prime time to begin with according to many in the industry.
user8963
Known around here
you dont need any new phone...
they will only shutdown 3G ! any LTE phone will survive
GSM will last forever. In switzerland they had shut down 2G and 3G. So you have only GPRS/Edge/LTE/5G... but calling works fine without 2g
There are absolut no plans to shut down GSM and 4G. Its a marketing joke... 3G was already shut down in europe end 2020/early 2021
5G has much lower latency.. so if you plan to run real time applications like live streaming .. it will be much better.. no need for p2p bridges anymore.
thats one reason why there are so much conspiracy theories with covid.. they claim controlling human in realtime over 5g
they will only shutdown 3G ! any LTE phone will survive
GSM will last forever. In switzerland they had shut down 2G and 3G. So you have only GPRS/Edge/LTE/5G... but calling works fine without 2g
There are absolut no plans to shut down GSM and 4G. Its a marketing joke... 3G was already shut down in europe end 2020/early 2021
5G has much lower latency.. so if you plan to run real time applications like live streaming .. it will be much better.. no need for p2p bridges anymore.
thats one reason why there are so much conspiracy theories with covid.. they claim controlling human in realtime over 5g
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Verizon is/has shut down 3G this month. But, very few folks noticed because they haven't sold a 3G phone for years, and the subsidized phone plans have almost everyone on a 4G phone. I'm thinking that the 5G systems can handle a lot more traffic at the tower than other systems, so that is the real reason to upgrade - for the carriers sake! I normally see 30 Mbps and up on my Pixel 4a on Verizon. How much speed do I need on a phone?
While I would get a 5G phone if I was getting a hew one, I would also be fine with another 4G, I doubt I would ever see the difference.
While I would get a 5G phone if I was getting a hew one, I would also be fine with another 4G, I doubt I would ever see the difference.
Back in our Texas Winter storm which most everyone lost power for a few days, many could not connect to a Cell tower, too many trying to connect I guess along with Cell tower power problems, anyway I got around it by switching my phone to 3G only and was able to connect, had my family do the same and we all could communicate. Guess that option is going away.
Mike A.
Known around here
- May 6, 2017
- 4,199
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It's been great for me on T-Mobile here. I don't travel much these days so I've not had to test it much elsewhere. Once in a while I'll drop to LTE but for the most part its 5G with good signal level all over the area. I was kind of surprised by that given what I'd read re limited range. My cell service has always sucked here at my house. Like 1 or 2 bars on every carrier. But it's very good now. I suppose maybe they've put up more cells as they built out the 5G service.
I will go ahead and take their offer on a new free 5G phone. Right now I have a flip phone that I have had for years. I do not see any down sides to it from my stand point.
