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Sprint 5G service is deactivated, T-Mobile moves customers to its network

T-Mobile opts to focus on its own network and has started and finished transition process in cities across the U.S. including Kansas City.

After formally completing the sale of Boost, Virgin and other Sprint prepaid networks to Dish, T-Mobile is bringing Sprint 5G to an end.

The move is one in a long list of issues that need sorting out in the wake of April’s $26.5 billion merger.

The end of Sprint’s 2.5 GHz 5G comes as T-Mobile opts to focus on its own network.

T-Mobile started the process in New York City a few weeks after the merger, and has since completed it in a handful of other cities, including Kansas City, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Angeles and others.

While most of the Sprint 5G handsets won’t be able to make the transition, T-Mobile is offering credits on leases for new 5G handsets.

T-Mobile told TechCrunch in a statement, “We are working to quickly re-deploy, optimize and test the 2.5GHz spectrum before lighting it up on the T-Mobile network.”

Along with the sale of Boost, 5G was a big selling point for T-Mobile’s Sprint acquisition. The carriers argued that the deal was necessary to keep them competitive with first and second-place carriers AT&T and Verizon, respectively, when it came to the next-generation wireless technology.

At the time, FCC chairman Ajit Pai agreed, stating, “This transaction will provide New T-Mobile with the scale and spectrum resources necessary to deploy a robust 5G network across the United States.”