What happened to Sprint? It merged into T-Mobile and no longer exists as its own carrier. The merger closed on April 1, 2020. Sprint stores became T-Mobile stores that August, and the old Sprint networks were switched off in 2022. Sprint customers became T-Mobile customers.
The Sprint referral program this page used to cover is gone as well. There is nothing left to sign up for and no Sprint reward to claim.
If you found an old Sprint bill, phone, store listing or referral offer and wondered whether Sprint is still around, this page gives you the short answer, the dates, and what to do next. Every date below comes from T-Mobile’s own announcements, support pages and filings.
Is Sprint still in business?
No. Sprint is not in business as its own phone company. It did not go bankrupt and it did not shut down overnight. It merged with T-Mobile, and the combined company operates under the T-Mobile name.
Does Sprint still exist in any form? Not as something you can sign up for. You cannot open a new Sprint account, the stores carry T-Mobile signs, and when we checked in October 2026 the sprint.com address forwarded straight to t-mobile.com.
What happened to Sprint: the timeline
| Date | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| April 29, 2018 | T-Mobile and Sprint announce their plan to combine. | T-Mobile newsroom |
| April 1, 2020 | T-Mobile announces it has officially completed its merger with Sprint. The parent of the combined company is T-Mobile US, Inc. | T-Mobile press release |
| July 1, 2020 | Sprint’s prepaid business, including Boost Mobile, is sold to Dish Network. | T-Mobile annual report |
| August 2, 2020 | The two companies begin unifying under the T-Mobile brand. Sprint stores are rebranded as T-Mobile stores. | T-Mobile merger updates |
| March 31, 2022 | Sprint’s older 3G (CDMA) network is retired. | T-Mobile network evolution |
| June 30, 2022 | Sprint’s LTE network is retired. There is no Sprint network left after this date. | T-Mobile network evolution |
When did Sprint go out of business?
Sprint never went out of business in the usual sense. There was no bankruptcy and no closing sale. Which date counts depends on what you mean:
- The company. April 1, 2020, the day the merger with T-Mobile was completed
- The name on the stores. August 2, 2020, when the two companies began unifying under the T-Mobile brand
- The service. June 30, 2022, when T-Mobile retired the Sprint LTE network. The older Sprint 3G (CDMA) network had already been retired on March 31, 2022
What happened to Sprint customers, plans and phones
Sprint customers became T-Mobile customers. T-Mobile’s annual report describes moving Sprint customers onto the T-Mobile network and onto T-Mobile’s billing systems. Nobody had to apply or switch on their own for that to happen.
- Plans. When the merger closed, T-Mobile told Sprint customers it was not making any changes to their rate plans. That was a statement made at the time, not a permanent promise, so the only way to know what you are on today is to look at your current T-Mobile bill or account
- Accounts. Sprint accounts are managed through T-Mobile now. The sprint.com address forwards to t-mobile.com
- Phones. Both Sprint networks have been retired. A phone that could only connect to Sprint’s old networks has nothing to connect to. Whether an old Sprint phone can work on T-Mobile or another carrier depends on the model and on whether it is unlocked
- Stores. Sprint stores were rebranded as T-Mobile stores starting in August 2020
What happened to the Sprint referral program
It no longer exists. Sprint Referral Rewards paid a prepaid Mastercard when a Sprint customer referred a friend who opened a new Sprint account. Nobody can open a new Sprint account, so there is nothing to refer anyone to. When we checked in October 2026, the old referral address on sprint.com forwarded to the T-Mobile home page.
Any site still showing a Sprint referral link or a Sprint reward has simply not been updated. Do not enter personal details on a page that claims to be a current Sprint referral offer.
T-Mobile runs its own separate program called Refer-a-Friend. According to T-Mobile’s support page, it is open to postpaid customers and to T-Mobile for Business accounts with 12 voice lines or fewer. Both people are paid with a virtual prepaid Mastercard, and one customer can earn up to $500 in referral rewards per calendar year. The friend has to accept the referral before activating, open a new postpaid account, and bring a number over from an eligible carrier. The reward amount changes, so check the T-Mobile Refer-a-Friend page for the current figure and rules.
What happened to Boost Mobile
Boost Mobile was Sprint’s prepaid brand. Regulators required Sprint’s prepaid business to be sold as a condition of the merger, and the sale of that business, including Boost, to Dish Network was completed on July 1, 2020. Boost did not move to T-Mobile with the rest of Sprint. If you were a Boost customer, your account is with Boost Mobile, not T-Mobile.
What to do now if you were a Sprint customer
- Go to t-mobile.com, not sprint.com. Sign in with a T-Mobile ID. If you never set one up or cannot get in, call T-Mobile at 611 from a T-Mobile phone or 1-800-937-8997 from any other phone
- Check what you are paying for. Open your latest bill and confirm the plan name, the number of lines and any device payments. If you have not looked since the Sprint days, this is where savings usually hide
- Be careful with old Sprint bills. If a text, email or call asks you to pay an old Sprint balance, do not pay through the link. Call T-Mobile on the number above and ask them to confirm the balance first
- Sort out an old Sprint phone. Ask T-Mobile whether it is unlocked and still compatible before you try to use it, sell it or take it to another carrier
- Had Boost instead? Contact Boost Mobile. T-Mobile does not hold Boost accounts
- Ignore Sprint referral offers. There is no Sprint program left to pay them
Cheaper options if you are leaving T-Mobile
You do not have to stay with T-Mobile just because Sprint handed your account over. Before you switch, make sure your phone is paid off and unlocked, and check coverage at your own address. The prices below are what each carrier listed on its own website when we checked in October 2026. Carrier prices change often, so confirm them before you sign up.
| Carrier | Listed price | Network | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visible | Unlimited from $25 a month | Verizon’s 5G and 4G LTE networks | Visible says taxes and fees are included in that price |
| Tello | $10 a month for 2 GB, $25 a month for unlimited data | Tello advertises nationwide 5G coverage. Check its coverage map for your address | No contract, and you can build your own mix of minutes and data |
If you would rather stay with a big carrier and pay less, our guides to lowering a Verizon bill and lowering an AT&T bill cover discounts and plan changes that most people miss.
Frequently asked questions
Sprint merged with T-Mobile. The merger was completed on April 1, 2020, Sprint stores were rebranded as T-Mobile stores starting August 2, 2020, and the Sprint networks were retired in 2022. Sprint customers became T-Mobile customers.
No. Sprint is no longer in business as its own phone company. It is part of T-Mobile, and you cannot open a new Sprint account. The sprint.com website forwards to t-mobile.com.
Not as a carrier you can sign up with. The Sprint name came off the stores in August 2020, and the last Sprint network was retired on June 30, 2022. What used to be Sprint now operates as T-Mobile.
Sprint did not go bankrupt or close down. It merged with T-Mobile on April 1, 2020. The Sprint 3G (CDMA) network was retired on March 31, 2022 and the Sprint LTE network on June 30, 2022, which is when Sprint service ended for good.
Not on Sprint, because both Sprint networks have been retired. Whether an old Sprint phone can work on T-Mobile or another carrier depends on the model and on whether it is unlocked, so check with the carrier before you buy a plan for it.
No. Sprint Referral Rewards ended with Sprint. Nobody can open a new Sprint account, so there is nothing to refer a friend to and no Sprint reward to claim. T-Mobile runs its own separate Refer-a-Friend program for its postpaid customers.
At t-mobile.com, using a T-Mobile ID. The sprint.com address forwards there. If you cannot get in, call T-Mobile at 611 from a T-Mobile phone or 1-800-937-8997 from any other phone.
Where to go next
Paying too much for service is the usual reason people start looking up their old carrier. These guides cover ways to lower a Verizon bill, ways to lower an AT&T bill, low cost and free cell phones for seniors and how to get free internet. If it was the referral reward you came for, see the referral bonus apps that still pay.
