American wireless network operator T-Mobile US Inc. (TMUS), the second-largest carrier in the U.S., boasts the first and largest nationwide 5G network, said to reach more cities and towns in America than anyone else, explains David Fried, editor of The Buyback Letter.
Headquartered in Bellevue, WA, it provides services through its subsidiaries and operates its flagship brands, T-Mobile, Metro by T-Mobile and Sprint.
What’s the big deal with 5G? It’s super fast (can operate up to 100 times faster than 4G networks), low-latency and will open doors for a new generation of apps that include virtual reality and will likely allow for more automated factories, thus potentially speeding up economic activity.
T-Mobile’s Extended Range 5G covers 305 million people and 1.7 million square miles — more geography than Verizon (VZ) and AT&T (T) combined — , and its superfast Ultra Capacity 5G that covers 165 million people is expected to reach 200 million nationwide by the end of this year.
It leads in 5G partly because of its acquisition of Sprint last year (and other investments). About one-third of Sprint customers have already been moved to the T-Mobile network.
The company is said to have a huge 2-year lead in 5G deployment over competitors. It also challenged Verizon and AT&T by branding itself as the "un-carrier," to eliminate long-term contracts, data coverage fees, subsidized phones, and other consumer annoyances, as well as offer free international roaming, data-free streaming, and unlimited text, talk, and data plans.
T-Mobile will also soon start a wireless home-internet service that could steal business from cable companies. The company also took home the gold — the #1 ranking — in the J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Wireless Customer Care Mobile Network Operator Performance study. It was the 22nd time the company got 1st place.
Q2 had record financial results, with total revenues of $20 billion (up 13% year-over-year, boosted by its merger with Sprint), services revenues of $14.5 billion (up 10% year-over-year), and adjusted earnings that increased by 765% to 78 cents per share from a year earlier.
T-Mobile said it added 627,000 postpaid phone subscribers vs. 253,000 a year earlier. Analysts had estimated 595,000 postpaid phone subscriber additions. But AT&T on July 22 said it added 789,000 postpaid phone subscribers in the June quarter. The company had been the industry leader in postpaid phone subscriber additions for several years standing.
T-Mobile repurchased reduced shares outstanding by 10.387% in the last 12 months.
