The average person holds onto their cell phone for two to three years, according to most reports. However, there’s some evidence to suggest that people are moving toward the longer end of that time frame, especially as many cell phone companies now stretch out the financing period for new phones to 36 months instead of 24.

People tend to turn in their phones fairly often, despite the cost and hassle involved. This is because a phone that’s more than a couple of years old is likely to feel really old and clunky compared to modern alternatives, due to the fast pace of evolving technology.

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Not only that, but companies often stop offering full-fledged support or upgrades for devices that get too old. And phones become virtually unusable if you can’t install your apps on them or if you develop some other problem and customer service staff are no longer able to help you.

For old-phone users who are used to companies abandoning them to cope with device issues on their own, there is some very welcome news coming from T-Mobile.

The Uncarrier is rolling out some amazing upgrades, and the company actually went to a good amount of trouble to ensure that people with older phones would get access to the new technology that will soon be on offer.

Customers with older phones will be able to benefit from new T-Mobile technology.

Image source: Getty Images

T-Mobile gets waiver to bring amazing tech to old phones

T-Mobile is launching game-changing technology this month, and the company has done a lot to make sure that those with older phones will be able to access it as well.

The new tech is called T-Satellite. It will go live on July 23, 2025, and it will work off of Starlink Satellite service. This will solve the problem of cell phone dead zones by using Starlink as essentially a cellphone tower in outer space. 

If you don’t have regular cell service, your phone will connect automatically to T-Satellite, allowing you to remain connected anywhere that you can see the sky, no matter how remote the area.

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The service will initially work only for satellite-powered texts while it is in beta mode, but the plan is to allow for basically full connectivity, including making voice calls, sharing photos, and more – all by connecting to the satellite technology.

T-Mobile wanted to offer this opportunity to people with older phones, too, but it had to get a waiver from the FCC in order to do that. The waiver has now been granted, so even people on old devices will be able to access the satellite service, even if their phones are far from the newest models.

T-Mobile isn’t just bringing this new connectivity to its old T-Mobile phones, either. Those with AT&T and Verizon will be able to sign up to use the satellite service for a fee of $10 per month. That’s true even if their phones are very old models. 

T-Mobile needed permission from the FCC because outdated rules are in place

T-Mobile had to get special permission to make its new tech available on old phones because FCC Certification rules mandate that every phone be certified to get Supplemental Coverage for Space (SCS). 

While newer phones (those manufactured within the past four years) are typically already certified, older phones are not, and there’s little incentive for phone manufacturers to complete the requirements to get access for devices that were sold many years ago.

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T-Mobile had argued to the FCC that it made little sense to force terrestrial operators or SCS partners to block access on a device-by-device basis due to the existing paperwork requirements. 

T-Mobile also said doing so was contrary to the public interest because it would deprive old phone users of vital access to satellite connectivity that helps them receive service and emergency alerts in out-of-the-way areas.

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The FCC agreed, saying “Providing access is…in the public interest, as it will allow T-Mobile subscribers to access communications capability where they otherwise could not, despite the Commission’s efforts to authorize a new service.”

This is great news for those with phones that are four years old or older, who will now get to access a level of connectivity that seemed like nothing more than a dream just a few short years ago.

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