T-Mobile has clarified its stance on Band 12 support in handsets that operate on its network.
“We require phones using Band 12 on T-Mobile to support E911 and VoLTE in order to be certified on our network,” said T-Mobile in a statement provided to Fierce Wireless.
“We do this in the interest of our customers’ overall experience and safety.” T-Mobile does not, however, force phone makers to support Band 12. “Every OEM has the option to support VoLTE and E911 or not. It’s their decision, though obviously, we hope that every OEM will choose to support these features and get certified on our network.”
The issue at hand is one of safety. Handsets that include Band 12 but don’t also support VoLTE and E911 can run into roaming issues that may prevent 911 emergency calls from connecting properly. This would violate FCC regulations and might impact the outcome of emergency situations.
The issue came to light when it was discovered the Moto E doesn’t support VoLTE, E911, nor Band 12.
