MVNO Sprint customers getting access to T-Mobile network

[gunterm]

This is just anecdotal but this past week I drove through a few towns that I know for sure never had Sprint service suddenly working now. I’m still getting the old “extended” in a lot of other places but it’s a good sign something is getting changed on their end.

Going someplace nearby where you have sprint signal and dialing the service update code seems to have an effect too. In fact today I forced it to run in a town where I only got 1x service, after the update it popped right on to LTE.

Using the $30 a year sprint only plan from red pocket because I’m cheap.

[offthegrid]

I just read Tello is starting to convert their customers to Tmobile so you're likely correct.

[jmac32here]

Many Sprint MVNOs are now either dropping Sprint support entirely (if they had agreements with other carriers) or being on-boarded to T-Mobile.
A few MVNOs have admitted to me that they have not heard anything new, namely Community Phone.

Tello, Hello, Q-Link, and Access Wireless have all confirmed they have been informed of a Sprint CDMA shut down as early as next year and are now working to begin migrating customer's to T-Mobile's network.

MVNO's that had roaming now are on ROAMAHOME, giving their users access to T-Mobile. Which would also explain how Q Link and Hello Mobile (essentially the same company; just ones lifeline, the other is a paid prepaid brand) are boasting their "New Nationwide 5G/4G LTE Network" while still showing a Sprint coverage map and selling Sprint devices. Though the newer devices seem more compatible with T-Mobile than Sprint.

However, it looks like all customers will eventually be either given a new SIM card (if their device is compatible) or told to upgrade to be migrated fully to T-Mobile's network. For Tello (as I'm their customer) they have told us we all will be prompted starting in early 2021 (or before the end of the year, depending on what you read) to confirm a shipping address and to ensure our devices are compatible for them to ship us new Tello branded SIMs that will put us onto T-Mobile's network.

So, from what it looks like, its going from ROAMAHOME to TNX for all customers.

With ROAMAHOME, your Sprint device/SIM will prefer in this order:
T-Mobile 5G (Since there is no Sprint 5G anymore)
Sprint LTE
T-Mobile LTE
Sprint 3G
T-Mobile 3G
Sprint 1x

With TNX, you get a new SIM that is essentially a T-Mobile SIM card, so your phone will then prefer T-Mobile's network entirely and might roam to Sprint in areas where T-Mobile's network may be weak at this point in time.

Keep in mind that T-Mobile is working hard to integrate the networks and eventually it will all be T-Mobile with none of Sprint's network remaining.
According to their Q3 earnings call, they are running fast on this integration and are seriously ahead of schedule.
They even mentioned that over 15% of Sprint's former customers are already using T-Mobile as their primary network.

It's going around that Sprint CDMA will begin shutting down as early as next year, and someone made the notion that Sprint sites that will be converted to T-Mobile will cease sending out Sprint CDMA as soon as it's converted.

[jmac32here]

I just read Tello is starting to convert their customers to Tmobile so you're likely correct.

They have not started yet. So far they have only announced that customers will be migrated soon.
According to their latest post on FB, existing customers will begin getting notifications regarding the migration in early 2021.

"Starting 2021, Tello will invite customers to migrate to our new GSM network. End goal: more accessible service, faster speed, better coverage for even more people! "

[jmac32here]

Many Sprint MVNOs are now either dropping Sprint support entirely (if they had agreements with other carriers) or being on-boarded to T-Mobile.
A few MVNOs have admitted to me that they have not heard anything new, namely Community Phone.

Tello, Hello, Q-Link, and Access Wireless have all confirmed they have been informed of a Sprint CDMA shut down as early as next year and are now working to begin migrating customer's to T-Mobile's network.

MVNO's that had roaming now are on ROAMAHOME, giving their users access to T-Mobile. Which would also explain how Q Link and Hello Mobile (essentially the same company; just ones lifeline, the other is a paid prepaid brand) are boasting their "New Nationwide 5G/4G LTE Network" while still showing a Sprint coverage map and selling Sprint devices. Though the newer devices seem more compatible with T-Mobile than Sprint.

However, it looks like all customers will eventually be either given a new SIM card (if their device is compatible) or told to upgrade to be migrated fully to T-Mobile's network. For Tello (as I'm their customer) they have told us we all will be prompted starting in early 2021 (or before the end of the year, depending on what you read) to confirm a shipping address and to ensure our devices are compatible for them to ship us new Tello branded SIMs that will put us onto T-Mobile's network.

So, from what it looks like, its going from ROAMAHOME to TNX for all customers.

With ROAMAHOME, your Sprint device/SIM will prefer in this order:
T-Mobile 5G (Since there is no Sprint 5G anymore)
Sprint LTE
T-Mobile LTE
Sprint 3G
T-Mobile 3G
Sprint 1x

With TNX, you get a new SIM that is essentially a T-Mobile SIM card, so your phone will then prefer T-Mobile's network entirely and might roam to Sprint in areas where T-Mobile's network may be weak at this point in time.

Keep in mind that T-Mobile is working hard to integrate the networks and eventually it will all be T-Mobile with none of Sprint's network remaining.
According to their Q3 earnings call, they are running fast on this integration and are seriously ahead of schedule.
They even mentioned that over 15% of Sprint's former customers are already using T-Mobile as their primary network.

It's going around that Sprint CDMA will begin shutting down as early as next year, and someone made the notion that Sprint sites that will be converted to T-Mobile will cease sending out Sprint CDMA as soon as it's converted.

I just checked and will need to make a correction. Community Phone has completely dropped Sprint from their network lineup. They now advertise being on the three big networks.

They added this to their TOS:
The For Life Plan is currently only available on the Sprint Wholesale network. Community Phone cannot guarantee the availability or performance of Sprint’s network. Community Phone reserves the right to transfer any line and/or account associated with a Plan to a different parent network as long as the above Services are maintained. Community Phone will notify the user or purchaser of a For Life Plan before making any such transfer.

This is their statement on coverage:
Nationwide Coverage on the Three Largest Carriers.

[jebr]

With ROAMAHOME, your Sprint device/SIM will prefer in this order:
T-Mobile 5G (Since there is no Sprint 5G anymore)
Sprint LTE
T-Mobile LTE
Sprint 3G
T-Mobile 3G
Sprint 1x

ROAMAHOME puts T-Mobile before Sprint, at least on each tier. I have ROAMAHOME on my postpaid Sprint line, and my phone will generally prefer T-Mobile LTE over Sprint LTE. I haven't been in a T-Mobile 3G-only area, so not sure if T-Mobile 3G would have priority over Sprint LTE or not.

[gdrenick74]

ROAMAHOME puts T-Mobile before Sprint, at least on each tier. I have ROAMAHOME on my postpaid Sprint line, and my phone will generally prefer T-Mobile LTE over Sprint LTE. I haven't been in a T-Mobile 3G-only area, so not sure if T-Mobile 3G would have priority over Sprint LTE or not.

I realize this thread is titled MVNO. I can start a new thread if preferred. Otherwise, I have what might be a quick Sprint post-paid question that ties back to all of the great info in this thread?

Why is a Sprint-provided Casa Pebble incompatible with ROAMAHOME, or has something changed that now makes both compatible with each other.

My coverage area is currently limited to Bands 2, 4 and 12. One antenna site also has B71 but it is another 3 miles away and my iPhone X and iPhone 8 do not have B71 or B66.

If this a derail of OP’s topic, I will create a new thread. Thanks in advance.

[jmac32here]

I realize this thread is titled MVNO. I can start a new thread if preferred. Otherwise, I have what might be a quick Sprint post-paid question that ties back to all of the great info in this thread?

Why is a Sorint-provided Casa Pebble incompatible with ROAMAHOME, or has something changed that now makes both compatible with each other.

My coverage area is currently limited to Bands 2, 4 and 12. One antenna site also has B71 but it is another 3 miles away and my iPhone X and iPhone 8 do not have B71 or B66.

If this a derail of OP’s topic, I will create a new thread. Thanks in advance.

Could be that the Casa is missing the needed bands for T-Mobile.

[gunterm]

I don’t really have a good way to prove it’s roaming on T-Mobile right now unless field test mode would give it away, the carrier indicator always says Sprint or extended...

[jmac32here]

This is just anecdotal but this past week I drove through a few towns that I know for sure never had Sprint service suddenly working now. I’m still getting the old “extended” in a lot of other places but it’s a good sign something is getting changed on their end.

Going someplace nearby where you have sprint signal and dialing the service update code seems to have an effect too. In fact today I forced it to run in a town where I only got 1x service, after the update it popped right on to LTE.

Using the $30 a year sprint only plan from red pocket because I’m cheap.

$30 for 10 GB or you could have gotten unlimited from Hello Mobile for $25 a month.

My plan on Tello is only $14 a month.

So, if you are saying you are paying Red Pocket $30 cuz you are cheap, ya didn't look hard enough to find cheaper options. I'm a frugal wireless customer myself, hence being on Tello since it is literally HALF of what you are paying and HALF of what I was paying to Metro for the same plan. (2 GB LTE, then unlimited 2G) My husband is now on Hello Mobile and I' paying 20% of what he used to pay to T-Mobile, but is getting the benefits of T-Mobile's network. (His former plan was well over $100 a month and still gets unlimited data.)

[munkala]

$30 for 10 GB or you could have gotten unlimited from Hello Mobile for $25 a month.

My plan on Tello is only $14 a month.

So, if you are saying you are paying Red Pocket $30 cuz you are cheap, ya didn't look hard enough to find cheaper options. I'm a frugal wireless customer myself, hence being on Tello since it is literally HALF of what you are paying and HALF of what I was paying to Metro for the same plan. (2 GB LTE, then unlimited 2G) My husband is now on Hello Mobile and I' paying 20% of what he used to pay to T-Mobile, but is getting the benefits of T-Mobile's network. (His former plan was well over $100 a month and still gets unlimited data.)

He pays $30/year. Not $30/month. So he is a better cheapskate than you at $14/month.

Sent from my SM-F916U1 using HoFo mobile app

[jmac32here]

He pays $30/year. Not $30/month. So he is a better cheapskate than you at $14/month.

Sent from my SM-F916U1 using HoFo mobile app

Must be a plan they no longer advertise, all I see are monthly plans.

[McBrundlefly]

Must be a plan they no longer advertise, all I see are monthly plans.

They sell the $30 / 360 day plan on their eBay store. One of the recent changes is you can now select a T-Mobile SIM when you purchase it instead of only sprint sims.

[gunterm]

Wow when did T-Mobile SIM become an option, that would solve my current coverage problems. Hopefully we really are getting romahome soon

[jmac32here]

Wow when did T-Mobile SIM become an option, that would solve my current coverage problems. Hopefully we really are getting romahome soon

Probably around the same time TNX started, which would have been a little over a month or so ago now.
TNX is the ability for Sprint Customers to change completely to the T-Mobile network, with compatible devices, by getting a T-Mobile SIM while keeping the same plans. So far I heard its only available to a certain number of accounts, so must of some conditions - like having a compatible device.

This is also around the same time that remaining Sprint MVNO's started going into talks with T-Mobile regarding migrating their services to T-Mobile's network, at least from what I can tell. Considering TNX was announced, then Tello announced they will begin migrating over a couple weeks later. Within a month of TNX, at least 4 more carriers announced plans to change over and still others just quietly changed over and suddenly were showcasing T-Mobile's Network and devices. Tello, Hello Mobile, and Q Link I can confirm have announced migrating in, but still show Sprint coverage and devices at this time. (Hello and Q both have "announcements" similar to Boost's "new enhanced 4g/5g network.")