Quote:
Originally Posted by Chip Chester
But the older ones, even though some are GSM, I thought were doorstops. What approximate date is 2G? Is there a way to tell if they'll work just by firing them up and observing for signal? (Testing by calling 911 doesn't really seem prudent...)
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It depends. I can only speak for T-Mobile at least (including MetroPCS as it's the same network). From what they have told me, there's now no specific date as to when 2G will be shut down. Now T-Mobile's 2G is on the PCS band, 1900MHz. In most cases it's actually running on the LTE guard bands with limited space, but dumb phones are working fine with it like my 5190. As long as those phones have a 2G radio on 1900MHz, and are unlocked, I don't see why you couldn't activate them. If you go directly with T-Mobile, just inserting the SIM is all you need to do, even out of another phone (MetroPCS requires you to give them the IMEI as some sort of security measure, but they haven't complained about my Nokia 5190's IMEI). The SIM currently in my Nokia is actually a 4G LTE nano SIM slapped in 2 adapters (My Moto Razr however would NOT work with this SIM so mileage may vary).
As for the CDMA based carriers, I'm not quite sure what's going on with them. AT&T has already rid of 2G entirely.
I am curious about switching to Mint, which also uses T-Mobile's network, since they have better prices, but I have been holding it off as from what I understand, NEWER SIM cards might now have issues with my Nokia, specifically SIM's that include 5G support.