T-Mobile Not Working? Find the Failure Before Resetting

If T-Mobile stops working during a power outage, first check whether you have another working internet connection. Wi-Fi Calling can keep calls and texts working when cellular service is disrupted—but a Wi-Fi symbol alone does not mean you have internet access.

T-Mobile requires a supported phone, an active account, a registered E911 address and Wi-Fi internet with at least 2 Mbps upload and download. It does not support Wi-Fi Calling over satellite internet or a phone hotspot. If you relocate, update your E911 address. See T-Mobile’s Wi-Fi Calling requirements.

Reviewed October 11, 2026. This is a U.S. troubleshooting guide, not a live outage report. Gateway instructions below apply to T-Mobile 5G Home Internet, not Fiber.

Find which connection failed

Use these checks to choose your next step; they are clues, not proof of a carrier outage.

What you see	First check
Phone shows “No Service” or no signal bars	Make sure airplane mode is off, then restart the phone.
Phone works, but home internet does not	Check that the gateway has power; test another device on its Wi-Fi.
Several nearby T-Mobile phones and your gateway fail together	Ask T-Mobile whether an outage affects your address.
Only one device or app fails	Test another device or app before restarting the gateway.

T-Mobile’s phone troubleshooting guide starts with account, coverage and airplane-mode checks. Its Home Internet guide recommends checking power and trying another device to isolate the problem.

If your phone has no service

1. Confirm your line is active and airplane mode is off. Check whether you are in a covered area.
2. Restart the phone. Check whether signal bars return.
3. Test cellular service separately from Wi-Fi. Temporarily turn off Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Calling, and set the network mode to Auto if that option is available.
4. If service still fails, use the T-Life Troubleshooter when you have internet access, or contact support from a working phone.

These are T-Mobile’s initial no-service checks. Turn Wi-Fi Calling back on afterward if it is your working alternative. Do not start with a factory reset or delete your eSIM.

If T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is down

Check power before troubleshooting the network. Make sure the supplied power cord is firmly connected and the gateway is switched on. If household power is available but the gateway stays off, test it in an outlet known to work. For a house-only dead outlet, use the safe outlet checks.

If the gateway is powered:

• Unplug it for 30 seconds, then reconnect it.
• Allow 2 minutes for it to reconnect before testing.
• Try a second device near the gateway, or an Ethernet connection if available.
• Run T-Life diagnostics to check both Wi-Fi performance and the gateway’s connection to T-Mobile.

Those restart timings and diagnostic checks come from T-Mobile’s Home Internet support guide.

Backup power for the gateway does not guarantee internet service: T-Mobile says a severe network outage can stop 5G Home Internet until the outage is resolved. A phone hotspot is an alternative for internet access only if that phone’s connection still works. See T-Mobile’s outage guidance.

Confirm an outage and stay reachable

Ask support to check your address. Provide the ZIP code, when service stopped, affected devices and whether the gateway has power. T-Mobile lists:

• Mobile support: 611 from a working T-Mobile phone, or 1-800-937-8997 from another phone.
• 5G Home Internet technical support: 1-844-275-9310.

During a wider emergency, keep nonessential calls brief and try texts for non-emergency check-ins; they may get through when calls do not, though delivery can be delayed. If a call fails, wait 10 seconds before redialing. Lower screen brightness to conserve battery, and use a battery-powered radio for local instructions if communications remain unavailable. These are FCC/FEMA emergency communications recommendations.