Official Tmobile-Sprint merger discussion thread

[1dante]

I know I won’t ever have B71. It wasn’t supported until the XS as far as iPhones go. That wasn’t what I was trying to get at. I was just asking if there was going to be an OTA update that would prioritize the T-mobile network, and the LTE bands that they have. Just curious because the only news about updates going out have been about 5G devices previously released by Sprint. 

[Tengen31]

I know I won’t ever have B71. It wasn’t supported until the XS as far as iPhones go. That wasn’t what I was trying to get at. I was just asking if there was going to be an OTA update that would prioritize the T-mobile network, and the LTE bands that they have. Just curious because the only news about updates going out have been about 5G devices previously released by Sprint. 

Your iPhone should be able to access the TMobile network where Sprint doesn't have coverage

 

Sent from my SM-G975U1 using Tapatalk

 

 

 

[1dante]

I’ve only latched onto the T-Mobile network once. That was around November. I locked onto B2 for a little bit. Then when I left that area my phone started showing B25. Normally I would be on 3G, 1x, or barely useable B26 in that area. I noticed that Instagram was loading really fast. I did a field test and realized that I was on B2. 

Edited April 26, 2020 by 1dante

[ingenium]

I know I won’t ever have B71. It wasn’t supported until the XS as far as iPhones go. That wasn’t what I was trying to get at. I was just asking if there was going to be an OTA update that would prioritize the T-mobile network, and the LTE bands that they have. Just curious because the only news about updates going out have been about 5G devices previously released by Sprint. 

There is an OTA of sorts (you won't notice it, it would be like a PRL update in the background) that will eventually add T-mobile as a secondary home network on the SIM card. They can then set which network is preferred from the network side, without any software changes on your device. What we'll likely see happen is that T-mobile will be kept as secondary home on the SIM, with equal priority as Sprint. Then they'll gradually shut down or replace Sprint equipment. When that happens, new/replaced equipment will only broadcast a T-mobile signal. So Sprint's network will gradually disappear and be replaced with T-Mobile only. You'll start finding yourself on T-Mobile more and more frequently until you never see Sprint anymore.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

[JonnygATL]

39 minutes ago, ingenium said:

There is an OTA of sorts (you won't notice it, it would be like a PRL update in the background) that will eventually add T-mobile as a secondary home network on the SIM card. They can then set which network is preferred from the network side, without any software changes on your device. What we'll likely see happen is that T-mobile will be kept as secondary home on the SIM, with equal priority as Sprint. Then they'll gradually shut down or replace Sprint equipment. When that happens, new/replaced equipment will only broadcast a T-mobile signal. So Sprint's network will gradually disappear and be replaced with T-Mobile only. You'll start finding yourself on T-Mobile more and more frequently until you never see Sprint anymore.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
 

Why did that last part actually make me a bit sad? Like saying goodbye to an old friend who was always there but maybe you'd simply outgrown. Lol

[BlueAngel]

Guess tonight is the night when the 5G update is pushed to the S20 series, should be around midnight. Or maybe tomorrow night around the same time who knows.

[ZERO_COOL]

2 minutes ago, BlueAngel said:

Guess tonight is the night when the 5G update is pushed to the S20 series, should be around midnight. Or maybe tomorrow night around the same time who knows.

patiently waiting lol

[derrph]

I just had a thought. For those with first gen 5G phones who are not in a current Sprint 5G market, what are the odds those individuals will get the upgrade offer?

 

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[BlueAngel]

37 minutes ago, derrph said:

I just hand a thought. For those with first gen 5G phones who are not in a current Sprint 5G market, what are the odds those individuals will get the upgrade offer?

Sent from my LM-V450 using Tapatalk
 

Don't see why they wouldn't.

[swintec]

1 hour ago, BlueAngel said:

Guess tonight is the night when the 5G update is pushed to the S20 series, should be around midnight. Or maybe tomorrow night around the same time who knows.

I thought the S20s already have 5G?  I literally just took mine out of the box and am playing with it trying to decide if I should keep it or wait a few more months. 

I successfully connected to TMO Band 71...that is not 5G?

[Yuhfhrh]

5 minutes ago, swintec said:

I thought the S20s already have 5G?  I literally just took mine out of the box and am playing with it trying to decide if I should keep it or wait a few more months. 

I successfully connected to TMO Band 71...that is not 5G?

T-Mobile runs LTE and NR on 600MHz spectrum, so B71 LTE and N71 NR.

There are no ENDC B71+N71 combos, so if you're on LTE band 71 then you are not connected to NR N71. N71 requires a B2/B66 anchor atm. You can check engineering screens to confirm what you're connected to.

[swintec]

6 minutes ago, Yuhfhrh said:

T-Mobile runs LTE and NR on 600MHz spectrum, so B71 LTE and N71 NR.

There are no ENDC B71+N71 combos, so if you're on LTE band 71 then you are not connected to NR N71. N71 requires a B2/B66 anchor atm. You can check engineering screens to confirm what you're connected to.

thanks.  i was looking at the band priorities in the data menus and B71 and B66 are not even in the list (there are a total of 18 though).  B2 is there though, does B2 take care of those two other bands?  I was going to try and move B71 to the top but could not since it was missing.

[Yuhfhrh]

3 minutes ago, swintec said:

thanks.  i was looking at the band priorities in the data menus and B71 and B66 are not even in the list (there are a total of 18 though).  B2 is there though, does B2 take care of those two other bands?  I was going to try and move B71 to the top but could not since it was missing.

Ignore any kind of band priorty menus, those are only for the inital scan of coverage. The network will determine what band to put you on after the initial connection.

[BlueAngel]

2 hours ago, swintec said:

I thought the S20s already have 5G?  I literally just took mine out of the box and am playing with it trying to decide if I should keep it or wait a few more months. 

I successfully connected to TMO Band 71...that is not 5G?

If you're in a limited area where Sprint has 5G then yeah you'll connect to 5G but this is an update for Sprint phones to connect to T-Mobile's 5G network. I might be paying my lease off an getting rid of mine, too many issues for a $1400 device. Burnt two years in a row with the latest Samsung flagships heh.

[briank86]

I'm waiting for some good deals on other 5g handsets, like oneplus 8 series, to incentive us to jump ship. I ain't doing it though for a Samsung device, that's for sure. 

[tommym65]

2 minutes ago, briank86 said:

I'm waiting for some good deals on other 5g handsets, like oneplus 8 series, to incentive us to jump ship. I ain't doing it though for a Samsung device, that's for sure. 

Nothing seems to be in the works in the immediate future. I spent about 2 hours over the weekend with sales and "Customer Account Services" (customer retention) trying to get them to give me at least a fraction of the new account/new line discounts on S20s. Nope. They offered me $100/line per line to offset almost $1,900 in extra device costs, would not budge past that. Has anyone done any better, and if so , how did you do it? 

[dkyeager]

2 minutes ago, tommym65 said:

Nothing seems to be in the works in the immediate future. I spent about 2 hours over the weekend with sales and "Customer Account Services" (customer retention) trying to get them to give me at least a fraction of the new account/new line discounts on S20s. Nope. They offered me $100/line per line to offset almost $1,900 in extra device costs, would not budge past that. Has anyone done any better, and if so , how did you do it? 

I think it is largely a waiting game.  Lower demand from 20% unemployment and failing businesses will catch-up with 5G phone prices sooner or later.  I can't see the US Senate continuing to agree to write checks.  Likely only got this far because it is an election year.  There had been discussion in the winter of lower priced 5G phones arriving by summer.

[dro1984]

• I think you'll see some big/better deals come June and July.    T-Mobile is planning a huge marketing blitz in mid to late summer.   So I'd say wait.   

[RedSpark]

I anticipate doing annual upgrades for the three lines of ours with iPhone 11 Pro's to the 5G iPhone when it comes out this Fall. I'm hoping that Apple doesn't increase prices any further as Samsung has done. I guess we'll see whether that upgrade is processed through Sprint's or T-Mobile's systems.

[swintec]

1 hour ago, BlueAngel said:

If you're in a limited area where Sprint has 5G then yeah you'll connect to 5G but this is an update for Sprint phones to connect to T-Mobile's 5G network. I might be paying my lease off an getting rid of mine, too many issues for a $1400 device. Burnt two years in a row with the latest Samsung flagships heh.

What problems are you having with the S20?  This will be a $8 per month lease for the S20+ (possibly free if I can get them to honor what the order confirmations say).

I still have my essential phone so anything is an upgrade from that at this point.

 

i wanted the one plus 8 but it does not seem like it can be activated.

[BlueAngel]

1 minute ago, swintec said:

What problems are you having with the S20?  This will be a $8 per month lease for the S20+ (possibly free if I can get them to honor what the order confirmations say).

I still have my essential phone so anything is an upgrade from that at this point.

 

i wanted the one plus 8 but it does not seem like it can be activated.

Obviously the camera is all marketing, it's hardly if at all better than my old S10 Plus and the focusing issues are just straight up bad. The battery is meh, the rear camera lens is apparently starting to crack on some units with no abuse. It's just grossly overpriced for the hardware that you get.

[JonnygATL]

Suddenly I cannot at all make my phone to connect to any Sprint bands. Even after multiple reboots and disengaging and then re-engaging all Sprint bands. Really weird. My phone shows all Sprint bands enabled. But will ONLY connect to TMobile. Been that way 12 hours now.

[dro1984]

Jonny... is the service better with T-Mobile or with Sprint for you?  

[bill875]

1 hour ago, JonnygATL said:

Suddenly I cannot at all make my phone to connect to any Sprint bands. Even after multiple reboots and disengaging and then re-engaging all Sprint bands. Really weird. My phone shows all Sprint bands enabled. But will ONLY connect to TMobile. Been that way 12 hours now.

Similar here in NC. I was connected to a further away Sprint site, then T-Mobile, B71 and finally both are gone and I'm on Carolina West Wireless B4 LTE with Sprint 1x800 bouncing between two different sites about 3-5 miles away.  I believe Sprint and T-Mobile are on the same tower about 1/3 mile away from my house.

[JonnygATL]

8 minutes ago, dro1984 said:

Jonny... is the service better with T-Mobile or with Sprint for you?  

Same, really. Shockingly similar.

Translation: damn good