T-Mobile said Wednesday its shutdown of Sprint’s 3G network is proceeding as planned, beginning yesterday. As part of the shutdown process, the company said in a statement to The Verge, it will migrate customers over the next 60 days “to ensure they are supported and not left without connectivity, and the network will be completely turned off by no later than May 31.”
9to5Mac reported phones using CDMA will be disabled and rerouted to customer care. A T-Mobile statement called the action “a normal network transition process. We look forward to sunsetting this outdated technology so every customer will have access to the best connectivity and best experience in wireless.”
Originally, T-Mobile was going to phase out the network in January but said in October that it would extend the deadline to March 31 due to issues with “partners.” When it announced the delay to the end of March, a DISH Network spokesman told The Verge that COVID-related issues and supply-chain shortages had slowed customer upgrades. He said the March delay was an acknowledgment by T-Mobile that shutting down the CDMA network could have a negative impact on consumers.
Verizon said this week it plans to shut down its 3G network on December 31 of this year. This cutoff was originally going to be in 2019, in an effort to minimize disruptions for customers. AT&T shut down its 3G network last month, Inside Towers reported.
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