T-Mobile to shut down legacy MetroPCS CDMA network on June 21

T-Mobile plans to shut off the legacy CDMA network of its MetroPCS prepaid brand on June 21, earlier than expected. The carrier still needs to shut down the CDMA network in three major markets. T-Mobile CFO Braxton Carter said that the carrier expected to shut down the entire CDMA network in the second half of 2015, so the June 21 deadline indicates the company is speeding up the process.

T-Mobile is pushing hard to get customers who still have CDMA-based phones to upgrade to phones that work with T-Mobile's GSM/HSPA+/LTE network. There are still several hundred thousand customers in that category. A MetroPCS website notes that "phones operating on the legacy network must be upgraded by 6/21/15." After that date, the site notes, "MetroPCS will be converting our legacy network to our new network, making the network bigger and faster in these markets." MetroPCS notes that "phones operating on MetroPCS' legacy network after 6/21/15 are not guaranteed to have service."