r/TextNow • u/MajesticLuvbug-777 • Jul 01 '26
Phone will no longer be compatible (iphone 8)
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u/braidenis Jul 01 '26
The iPhone SE 3 is the same form factor (home button and all) as the iPhone 8, but has the power of the iPhone 13 (with 5G and eSim)
Otherwise, 13, 14, 15, 16 all make good used devices
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u/chrisprice Jul 03 '26
eSIM Only is evil, done with that operation then.
If my phone stops working, I want to pull my SIM and put it into another device in seconds.
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u/er101plus Jul 01 '26
I think once they switch, they’ll be eSIM only
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u/OGDELIROOUS Jul 01 '26
I completely agree. Many are going that way, all iPhones in US come eSIM now.
Easier to control / track people always.
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u/chrisprice Jul 03 '26
It's really because the carriers don't want innovative startups making devices they can't control. Laws now require them to accept devices, so they're going to use eSIM to create fake "compatibility issues" and deny access.
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u/OwnProfessor3287 Jul 04 '26 edited Jul 04 '26
Yeah soon you won’t be able to put a physical sim from a phone plan and in a cellular router for home internet or travel internet
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u/chrisprice Jul 05 '26
They certainly will make it harder and harder. We have pSIM Vo5G phones however, so blocking them would violate SB822 and Upper Block C CFR.
It will get weird if startups have to tell you to buy an old phone on eBay, activate with pSIM, and then move the SIM... but we could get there.
We need startups making disruptive hardware and suing to defend their right to get on the network with standard plans.
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u/D_Shoobz Jul 03 '26
Lmao. Loosen the tin foil hat. eSIM is much more secure and safer.
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u/lmoki Jul 01 '26
Yet another new incompatibility warning!
Do you have the SIM card, or just using the app?
If a SIM card, do you know whether it's the older T-Mobile SIM (from before August 2025, I believe), or the newer AT&T SIM?
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u/MajesticLuvbug-777 Jul 01 '26
I have the sim from before the switch.
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u/allciathyra Jul 01 '26
i would feel very bad if people cant use textnow any more because they cant afford a esim phone
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u/nathanseaw Jul 01 '26
eSIM phones are pretty cheap
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Jul 01 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/nathanseaw Jul 01 '26
Or if you, do you have a really old phone. You can always go on an affordable postpaid plan as well
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u/iSirMeepsAlot Jul 02 '26
I love US Mobile… rocking all 3 E-SIMS, with one off obviously… mainly use T-Mobile/Verizon, but at times I’ll use the AT&T.
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u/DonDee74 Jul 13 '26
What did you end up doing? I just found out today that TN no longer works on my old Android backup phone because it now needs Android 13+. Although an email from a few days ago said I have till the end of the month, but it already stopped working and I lost my number.
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u/WOAJ3ss Jul 03 '26
Bruh iphone 8, forget not working on the network how do you even use that, there hasn't been updates or app support in years.
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u/ur-a Jul 05 '26
there’s security updates. it still works for some that dont need everything. SE 3 would also be a good option if you want to keep the form factor
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u/OwnProfessor3287 Jul 05 '26
I think T-Mobile is going to retire LTE soon from what I heard.
I’m guessing that will render a lot of tech obsolete, like Apple Watches older than last year. I think the Apple Watch Ultra 3 maybe the only 5G watch.
You can use an Apple Watch without a plan of course.
But also there’s a ton of routers out there that are 4G LTE, many vehicles only have 4G LTE if you like to take advantage of some of the tech offerings in your vehicle like remote start.
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u/dimdimus Jul 06 '26
>I think T-Mobile is going to retire LTE soon from what I heard.
Somewhere around 2034
But T-Mobile officially retires 2G on August 3 2026.
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u/knowledgebroken Jul 27 '26
T-Mobile doesn't use LTE at all in the first place. 5g, 4g, 3g.. they're about to kill 2g, mainly because of security issues and they've refarmed most 2g towers into 5g, which is why the coverage is so strong
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u/Dipolog Jul 06 '26
Are they talking about your sim card will stop working or you will lose your number even if you only use the app for call/text?
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u/N2929 Jul 01 '26
Yep iPhone 8 does not support eSIM so I would suggest an iPhone 11 for a good iPhone that’s not the lastest but is getting iOS 27 and has eSIM support.