T-Mobile has been the last 2G holdout in the US, still keeping its vintage network live despite AT&T having discontinued 2G service in 2017 with Verizon and Sprint following a few years later.
Now it’s finally (almost) T-Mobile’s turn. The carrier has started sending out emails to affected users, telling them that the shutdown of the 2G network will begin on February 9.
It’s unclear how long it will take from that point on until the entirety of the 2G network is fully shut off, but it’s coming. So if for some reason you still have a 2G device on T-Mobile, you should switch – and the carrier is offering you a “free 5G replacement device”, without naming what it’s talking about.
All you need to do is go to any T-Mobile store with your 2G device, in any condition, and you’ll get the replacement. At least that’s what the message TMo is sending its affected customers implies, whether there are caveats we don’t know.