The quick answer

• Calls and texts: yes, on AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon networks
• Software: stuck on iOS 15, and more apps are dropping it
• No eSIM, no 5G, no T-Mobile Band 71
• Fine as a backup or basic phone, not as your main one

Calls and the 3G shutdown

The iPhone 7 supports VoLTE, so the 2022 3G shutdown didn't affect it. It can make calls and use 4G LTE data on AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon, and on most prepaid carriers that use their networks. Check your carrier's compatibility tool before you buy a SIM.

The real limit: iOS 15

The iPhone 7 can't go past iOS 15. More apps now require iOS 16 or 17, so expect some, especially banking and payment apps, to stop updating or stop working. Apple's security updates for iOS 15 have slowed, so treat it as a secondary device.

Coverage

It doesn't support Band 71, T-Mobile's long-range 600MHz signal, which T-Mobile and its MVNOs (Mint, Metro, Ultra) rely on in rural areas and inside buildings. On Verizon and AT&T, coverage is close to a newer phone's, but without 5G.

No eSIM

eSIM arrived on iPhone with the XS and XR in 2018. This phone only takes a physical SIM card, so check that your carrier still ships one. Most free carrier trials now run on eSIM, so you can't use them on this phone.

Who it still works for

A backup line, a phone for an older relative who mostly calls and texts, or a kids' first phone with Screen Time set up. Replace the battery if it's original; it will be badly worn by now.

If you're replacing it

You don't need a new flagship. A recent iPhone 16e, or an Android phone like the moto g 2026 or Galaxy A17, will get years of updates, and several carriers give those away when you switch. Pair it with a low-cost plan: Mint Mobile is $15 a month for 6GB on a 12-month term, and Visible is $25 for unlimited with taxes included.