Credit: Joe Maring / Android Authority
TL;DR
- A leaked internal document suggests T-Mobile will re-farm LTE spectrum bands for 5G use in the near future.
- LTE service will gradually degrade, with most of it shut down by 2028 and full deactivation expected by 2035.
- Starting January 2026, only 5G SA-compatible devices will be allowed for new activations without an exception.
Anyone who has been around the block a few times has likely seen what happens when a carrier rolls out a new wireless technology. At first, it coexists with older standards, but over time, those older standards are gradually shut down as their spectrum is re-farmed to keep the network evolving. We’ve already experienced major transitions with the shutdowns of both 2G and 3G. Things are a little different today, as LTE and 5G are quite distinct in theory but often similar in real-world performance. Still, it appears LTE’s days are numbered, at least for those on the T-Mobile network.
Don’t want to miss the best from Android Authority?