Poor to no signal where there was signal before.

magenta2501571
magenta2501571 Aug 27, 2017 11:08 AM
  • Member Since: Aug 27, 2017

    I am in Seattle and have a couple of older Samsung T139 flip phones that used to work great.  Recently the reception in my home where I used to get 3-4 bars has gone to 1 or none and around town I have similar issues where the reception used to be great and now almost nonexistent.  My friend has an iPhone5 and had similar issues.  She upgraded to a new iPhone and no more problems.  Is T-Mobile removing the old bands that these phones used to work on?

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    • 1 Reply
    • Latest reply on Aug 27, 2017 11:57 AM by drnewcomb2

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      • drnewcomb2

        Re: Poor to no signal where there was signal before.

        drnewcomb2 Aug 27, 2017 11:57 AM (in response to magenta2501571)
        • Member Since: Mar 9, 2014

        Here's what I suspect may be happening. Look at the T139's specs:

        Network

        2G Capable

        850, 1900

        So, it's like this. T-Mobile only uses GSM 2G 850 when roaming and maybe in the Myrtle Beach, SC market. This leaves you with only 1900 MHz 2G. T-Mobile is really moving forward and not spending a lot of time and effort looking back. In many markets they are reducing 3G/"4G" to a minimum (or nothing), converting the spectrum to LTE and shoving 2G GSM into a tiny sliver of the LTE guardbands, leaving just a vestigial 2G service. I'm sorry but your old flip phone's days are numbered. AT&T turned off all 2G service last New Year. T-Mobile is supporting only a remnant of the former service. The bad thing is that they really don't seem to offer a replacement for people who like flip phones.

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