Using iPhone 4s on 2g in 2023

Everything here looks right except for the 3G information. T-Mobile's 2G network will not be fully shut down until 04 April 2023. While new activations are not permitted on devices that don't support VoLTE, moving an active, existing T-Mobile SIM from a VoLTE device to an iPhone 4s will allow the device to connect to T-Mobile's 2G network.

I recently purchased an iPhone 4s totally unlocked for cdma and gsm. I spoke with someone at both Verizon and T-Mobile. Both state they need at least iOS 10, android 10 operating system to work on their wireless systems, so iPhone 4s is not obsolete heat in the USA. If you go to metro, or boost. They say the same thing. I don’t understand why they can still update a flip phone for Verizon or T-Mobile but they can’t update an iPhone 4s?

annetta35 wrote:

I recently purchased an iPhone 4s totally unlocked for cdma and gsm. I spoke with someone at both Verizon and T-Mobile. Both state they need at least iOS 10, android 10 operating system to work on their wireless systems, so iPhone 4s is not obsolete heat in the USA. If you go to metro, or boost. They say the same thing.

The iPhone 4s can't run iOS 10 or later. For it, iOS 9.3.6 is the end of the line.

Um, what country are you in? There are no 2G networks at all in the US any more. For that matter, there are no 3G networks in the US any more either, or most of the rest of the world.

Edit: forgot to mention, in the US and most other countries, carriers require devices capable of Voice Over LTE. That means an iPhone 6 or newer.

That information is out of date. There are NO 2G networks in the US at all any more.

ALL US carriers require devices capable of Voice Over LTE for use on their networks. That means an iPhone 6 or newer.

So, to answer your question, no. You can not activate an iPhone 4s on T Mobile or any other carrier in the US.

I just did some research. Verizon, AT&T and Sprint have shut down their 2G networks, AT&T was the first actually in 2017. Verizon and Sprint middle of last year. T-Mobile is the only remaining 2G provider. They were supposed to shut it down in December, 2022, but delayed it for a year. They stopped 2G buildout a couple of years ago, however, and are not providing maintenance, so as things fail they aren’t repaired unless it is a simple repair. So coverage may be spotty. All US carriers shut down 3G last year.

I agree, I thought everyone shut off 2G & 3G. I did some googling though and found several articles saying that T-Mobile is still offering 2G service.

I remember a post in here a while back saying some archaic medical equipment may be still using those bands, perhaps that's why they still are in service? Dunno.

You didn’t speak with anyone who knows anything. Verizon shut down their CDMA network COMPLETELY on December 31, 2022, and currently only support LTE and 5G. T-Mobile shut down all of their networks except LTE and 5G in June, 2022. And flip phones won’t work either unless they support 4G.

Lawrence, you seem pretty adamant that all the networks are shut down but this simply isn't the case.

Here is the up-to-date information:

Verizon

Verizon decommissioned its 2G (CDMA) network fully by the end of 2020.

Verizon decommissioned its 3G (CDMA) network fully by 31 December 2022.

AT&T

AT&T decommissioned its 2G network fully by the end of 2017.

AT&T decommissioned its 3G (GSM) network fully by the end of February 2022.

T-Mobile

T-Mobile will decommission its currently active 2G network fully by the end of 02 April 2024.

T-Mobile decommissioned its 3G UTMS network fully by the end of 01 July 2022.

Sprint (Now Part of T-Mobile)

Sprint decommissioned its 2G network fully by December 2021.

Sprint decommissioned its 3G (CDMA) network fully by 31 March 2022.

Sprint decommissioned its 4G LTE network fully by 30 June 2022.

As of 22 October 2023, the T-Mobile 2G network is the only 2G/3G legacy network still available in the United States from the major network providers.

In addition to 2G and 3G devices no longer working post-shutdown, 4G LTE devices may not work on MNO networks if they do not support VoLTE, as all three MNOs in the United States require VoLTE to access their 4G LTE networks. Devices that don't support VoLTE had been disconnected from the 4G LTE network and have been relying on the 2G or 3G networks that lack this voice-over-mobile-data requirement. 2G, 3G, and 4G & 4G LTE non-VoLTE devices on Verizon and AT&T should already be unable to access the cellular network at this time and 4G and 4G LTE non-VoLTE devices currently active on T-Mobile's network will be unable to access the network at all when the 2G network decommissions fully by 04 April 2024.

Most of your information was spot-on. I just wanted to correct mostly the misunderstanding with T-Mobile 2G as well as clarify details regarding 4G and 4G LTE non-VoLTE network access.

Today is Saturday, November 4th at 11:35p 2023. I JUST FINISHED activating and placing a phone call on an iPhone 4 and an iPhone 4S unlocked using the T-Mobile network, just turn OFF 3G and it works like a champ, even getting 5MB up / down over the 2G network. All I did prior was to reload and reset to factory defaults using latest available iOS via iTunes on Windows 11. I was even able to get the original iPhone 2g to work on T-Mobile after requesting a carrier unlock from AT&T which they processed in less than 30 minutes using their online unlock tool. One caveat on the original iphone the web browser and such doesn't work due to SSL related issues just too **** old. Would be nice if Apple would push out an update to latest iOS version for the original iPhone updating the certificates just for those that still like their old tech to work.

It looks like they are not shutting it off until April 2024.

https://www.lightreading.com/5g-and-beyond/t-mobile-to-finally-turn-off-2g-in-2024/d/d-id/783266

Wait… seriously?

They were supposed to have shut it down years ago. Guess I missed that somehow. Odd that they did actually shut down their 3G network and left 2G in place.