Lots of spectrum and coverage
T-Mobile has one of the most ambitious 5G plans of all operators. Through the acquisition of Sprint, T-Mobile has a large amount of spectrum and an excellent platform to build a powerful 5G network. T-Mobile has deployed a nationwide 5G network on its low-band extended-range 5G spectrum, and is increasing speed and capacity through its ultra-capacity 5G spectrum. T-Mobile also has millimeter wave spectrum that has been deployed in some cities. This joint network is expected to become one of the strongest networks in the country.
Do I have 5G coverage on T-Mobile and Sprint?
Most people who currently have T-Mobile 5G coverage are covered by low-band networks built on its 600MHz band n71 spectrum. T-Mobile calls cover the extended range 5G of this frequency band. Recovered from radio and television, the extended range 5G allows T-Mobile to upgrade its existing towers with 5G equipment and provide the same level of coverage that people expect from 3G and 4G.
T-Mobile said that it has reached 308 million people through the extended range 5G, and the super-large capacity can be used by more than 200 million people. With faster ultra-capacity networks now covering a large number of cities and suburbs, T-Mobile customers are beginning to see speeds increase significantly. T-Mobile has also upgraded its network to standalone 5G, which means that your phone does not need to be connected to an LTE network to connect to 5G.
The best way to know if you are covered is to look at the T-Mobile coverage map. T-Mobile also shows on its map where it has super-capacity 5G, so you can get a good idea of the types of speeds available.
Although our initial tests were not that impressive, we have seen improvements in our test results for T-Mobile prepaid options such as Ultra Mobile.
T-Mobile is still building high-frequency, millimeter wave, and 5G networks in a few cities. This 5G deployment is deployed on the N260 and N261 frequency bands of 39Ghz and 28Ghz, respectively. New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Dallas, Cleveland and Atlanta have some coverage. Compared with other operators, there are more cities, but the actual 5G coverage is still very low. C-band spectrum will also be used in the next few years to add some capacity in several key areas where T-Mobile expects high traffic.
Which phones are suitable for T-Mobile 5G?
T-Mobile phones will be compatible with different networks based on their software and hardware. In most cases, most of the best Android phones can be used with T-Mobile’s 5G. With T-Mobile’s expanding 5G coverage and a large number of new phones that support 5G, if you buy a new phone, it should have 5G.
To ensure you get the best results from T-Mobile’s network, please make sure that your new phone supports both band n71 and band n41. Most newer 5G phones, including those from Samsung, Google and even Apple, will support a complete network.
T-Mobile is using the 2.5GHz spectrum obtained from Sprint to support its 5G network, and for this reason, it has shut down the Sprint 5G network. Sprint customers with Galaxy S20 devices received an update to access T-Mobile’s 5G network, but nothing more. Older devices such as Galaxy Note 10+ 5G or OnePlus 7T Pro 5G will not get updates that support T-Mobile 5G.
All T-Mobile plans come with 5G
All T-Mobile plans have access to the 5G network, which is great because you can get some of the best phone plans that use the T-Mobile network. T-Mobile does not distinguish its network, so any customer with a compatible phone should be able to access it. This also extends to T-Mobile prepaid and MVNO, such as Mint Mobile and Google Fi. T-Mobile has also enabled 5G in all Sprint plans.
Boost Mobile is now owned by Dish and is transferring its customers to the new T-Mobile network. The goal is to eventually transfer all customers to its own independent 5G network.
What technology does T-Mobile use for 5G?
There are several different forms of 5G, which will produce different results depending on the resources that operators can invest. T-Mobile started from the high-band 5G of the 28Ghz and 32Ghz frequency bands. With this network, once the network has more time to mature, T-Mobile should be able to compete with what Verizon and AT&T have been doing. This high-frequency deployment should be able to reach very high speeds, but the penetration and coverage of buildings are much more limited than the 4G we are used to.
T-Mobile launched a 600Mhz, low-frequency, extended-range 5G network in December 2019. With the new equipment, T-Mobile is also able to update its 4G LTE service on the same tower. AT&T and Verizon have also deployed low-band 5G networks with similar coverage capabilities.
Of course, there is also Sprint’s 2.5GHz spectrum. We learned about Sprint’s 5G in advance, which is a good indicator of future development. T-Mobile has more than 160MHz of 2.5GHz spectrum in the top 100 US markets and has closed Sprint’s 5G network. Its ultra-capacity 5G built on the same spectrum covers more than 200 million people.
On August 4, 2020, T-Mobile launched its independent 5G (5G SA) network. The 5G SA can work alone, and the device does not need to be connected to the old, less efficient LTE network first. In the past, 5G mobile phones required existing infrastructure to work properly.
Functionally, this is basically the same as the previous network, but with some nice improvements. According to T-Mobile’s announcement, 5G SA will increase coverage by 30%, because mobile phones will no longer need to connect to 5G intermediate frequency LTE signals that cannot reach 600MHz. Although there are still many speed improvements in non-standalone 5G compared to LTE, 5G networks are hindered. T-Mobile estimates that due to the switch, latency will improve by 40%, which should help to access data more directly.
What will happen to Sprint’s 5G customers?
T-Mobile’s acquisition of Sprint has been completed, and the potential is huge. Many people will recall previous failed mergers, but T-Mobile points to its well-handled Metro PCS integration as a model of this merger. T-Mobile estimates that it will take up to three years to fully integrate the network, so Sprint and T-Mobile customers are beginning to see some new benefits.
When Sprint’s signal is low, Sprint customers can use LTE roaming on the T-Mobile network. In addition, Sprint customers with Galaxy S20 can now connect to T-Mobile’s 5G network, including low-band 600MHz 5G and 2.5GHz 5G networks. Sprint customers looking for 5G can switch to T-Mobile SIM if they have a compatible phone or are ready to upgrade.
Is T-Mobile 5G worth it?
On T-Mobile, it comes down to whether you want a mobile phone, because there are currently no plans to separate. Most new phones you can buy for T-Mobile support 5G, so most new T-Mobile customers and upgrade existing customers will use the network. If you are looking for a good reason to upgrade your phone, 5G is not it, but it is a good benefit when you upgrade.
Although 4G LTE will continue to provide fast enough speeds for most people in the next few years, eventually everyone will transition to 5G. Nevertheless, the speed increase has always been consistent, and T-Mobile has been achieving its coverage goal for 2021, so if you have been waiting for 5G to mature before signing up, now is the time.
What is 5G for good?
5G for Good is an initiative to use the power of 5G to help the community. Although some people accuse T-Mobile of preparing for the government’s approval of the merger with Sprint, it is great to see the positive impact of technology on the world.
It is worth noting that all predictions here depend on the merger process, and T-Mobile may not be able to complete it without Sprint’s additional spectrum.
Connect Hero Initiative
The Connecting Heroes Initiative is a program that aims to provide free 5G access to first responders in the United States. This includes public and non-profit law enforcement agencies, fire protection agencies, and EMS agencies. Registrants are first-come, first-served, so if you want your organization to establish a connection on 5G, please register as soon as possible.
10 million items
It has been shown that children without Internet access may not receive a good education like children with Internet access. Of course, this is also related to income inequality.
Project 10Millions aims to bridge the homework gap caused by millions of children not being able to use the Internet for school homework. The project intends to provide free services, hotspots and low-cost equipment to 10 million households in the next five years.
T-Mobile connection
T-Mobile connect is just a low-cost phone plan that can access 5G networks. The plan is offered at a price of $15 per month and can use 2.5GB of high-speed data for unlimited calls and text messages. There is also a plan for $25 per month that includes 5.5GB of data. Interestingly, by increasing the data limit of 500MB per year for five years, the plan will grow as usage increases. This is by no means a huge sum of money, but for low-income families, it may be a life-saving straw.
These plans are already available on T-Mobile prepaid.
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