US telecom operator T-Mobile will officially launch its 4G LTE network retirement plan in the next two years and reallocate the existing 4G LTE network spectrum to 5G network use.T-Mobile internal documentsThe plan will be implemented in phases, with the first wave expected to shut down most 4G LTE network services by 2028, followed by a complete network withdrawal by 2035.
Prior to this, the three major US telecom operators had already been gradually phasing out their 2G and 3G networks. T-Mobile, however, officially shut down its 2G service in February of this year, becoming the last major US telecom operator to complete this process. Due to the slow pace of enterprise IoT (Internet of Things) device upgrades and the complexities of network integration following its merger with Sprint, T-Mobile's 4G LTE network retirement progress had been repeatedly delayed. Now, however, it has finally entered the actual implementation phase.
4G LTE spectrum fully reallocated to 5G networks
According to the document, T-Mobile plans to "reallocate" 4G LTE network spectrum to 5G network to expand the existing n71 (600MHz) and n41 (2500MHz) frequency bands. The former corresponds to wide-area coverage, while the latter emphasizes higher-speed transmission performance.
Currently, T-Mobile's 4G LTE network still uses multiple frequency bands, including Band 2, Band 4/66, Band 12, and part of Band 71. In the future, it will gradually convert to the corresponding 5G network frequency bands, such as converting Band 2 to n2 and Band 4/66 to n66.
The document also states that T-Mobile will retain a 5MHz bandwidth 4G LTE signal channel across the United States and maintain it until at least 2035, mainly to support IoT devices that have not yet been upgraded, such as ATMs or in-car entertainment systems.
The impact on general users is limited, and only some old 5G phones need to be upgraded
For general users, the impact of this network conversion is relatively limited.
Nearly all smartphones released since 2020 support 5G networks, enabling seamless connectivity. However, some early 5G NSA (non-standalone) phones, such as the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G and LG V50 ThinQ, still rely on 4G LTE for control signals, potentially requiring a replacement within the next two years.
On the other hand, T-Mobile's home broadband service originally used 5G NSA non-independent networking connection technology. It has now fully switched to 5G SA (independent networking) connection mode through a software update at the beginning of this year to ensure that it is not affected by the 4G LTE network withdrawal.
The timetable for network withdrawal is revealed: full closure in 2035
According to internal documents, T-Mobile's 4G LTE network retirement plan will be implemented gradually over the next two years, with the following key timelines:
• Starting January 2026: Enterprise customers must obtain special approval from T-Mobile to activate network equipment that only supports 4G LTE or 5G NSA.
• Before 2028: Most 4G LTE networks will be shut down, leaving only 5MHz bandwidth 4G LTE signal channels for use by IoT devices that have not yet been upgraded.
• 2035: All 4G LTE spectrum will be officially decommissioned and fully switched to 5G network use.
At the same time, T-Mobile also stipulates that newly signed enterprise 4G LTE contracts cannot be extended beyond 2035, which means that the service life of the 4G LTE network has officially entered the countdown stage.
Conclusion: The 5G network era takes over
With T-Mobile's initiation of 4G LTE network retirements, US telecom networks are officially moving towards full 5G deployment. While this will have minimal impact on average users, it presents a necessary upgrade challenge for industrial and enterprise applications that still rely on 4G LTE.
