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ZDNET's key takeaways
T-Mobile will reportedly retire its 4G LTE network.
Mobile phone users should have a gradual transition.
The news comes as T-Mobile is promoting T-Satellite with Starlink.
It appears that T-Mobile is preparing to retire its 4G LTE service. According to a leaked internal document obtained by Android Authority, the shift will be gradual, but it marks an end to the LTE era for T-Mobile customers. At the same time, T-Mobile keeps adding new features to its satellite phone service: T-Satellite with Starlink.
As one service grows, 4G shrinks. The internal roadmap reveals that T-Mobile has scheduled the re-framing of key LTE bands, specifically bands 2, 4/66, 12, and 71, for exclusive use by its expanding 5G service. While LTE won't vanish overnight, its coverage and performance will slowly degrade as bandwidth is reallocated. By 2028, most LTE channels are expected to be decommissioned. By 2035, LTE will be fully shut down nationwide.
What to expect
Starting January 2026, T-Mobile will only allow new device activations if they support true 5G Standalone (SA) mode. LTE and 5G Non-Standalone (NSA) devices will require exception requests for activation.
In two years, only a narrow 5 MHz LTE channel will remain, marking a substantial reduction in the LTE footprint.
Also: T-Mobile's Starlink satellite service just got a huge app upgrade - adding WhatsApp, Maps, and more
The good news is smartphone owners are unlikely to experience major service disruptions -- the transition should be gradual. Future device upgrades are expected to support improved 5G range and reliability. If, on the other hand, you're someone who uses old phones until they finally give up the ghost, you'll see your service growing ever slower.
People who depend on 4G routers for Internet of Things (IoT), medical, manufacturing, or other business use, on the other hand, will face real problems. They may want to consider moving to another telecom if T-Mobile really ends up taking such an aggressive approach.
If this all sounds familiar, well, it should. In 2022, we saw 3G services disappear. What's different this time is that T-Mobile is leading the way to closing 4G. Both AT&T and Verizon, so far at least, have not even hinted at shutting down their LTE services. The 5GStore, which is a reseller of 5G equipment, predicted there would be no 4G LTE shutdowns until the mid-2030s.
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As the spectrum is repurposed, T-Mobile customers using LTE-only devices will need to plan for upgrades before their service degrades in their region. The evolutionary approach means that the majority of subscribers will transition smoothly. However, the end of LTE is now firmly set on the horizon. For T-Mobile, the move heralds a new era of 5G expansion, even as many users have yet to see the full impact of the shift from 4G to 5G.
T-Mobile also offers new satellite data connectivity services. At first, T-Satellite only supported texting. Then, it added the ability to share media. Now T-Satellite also supports many popular apps such as WhatsApp, X, Google Maps, and AccuWeather.
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