T-Mobile on Tuesday unveiled a new internet service targeted at business customers, combining its 5G wireless network with a satellite backup provided by Starlink to bolster connectivity for firms operating in remote or underserved areas.
Market pressure and heightened competition among U.S. wireless carriers have pushed the company to expand its enterprise offerings. T-Mobile, which is among the three largest wireless carriers in the United States, has been increasing its footprint in broadband with lower-cost fixed wireless internet options that have positioned it as a competitor to cable operators.
The new product, branded "SuperBroadband," is aimed specifically at multi-location enterprises and businesses in rural and remote regions that lack reliable service from conventional broadband providers. The satellite component is intended to maintain connectivity during outages or other disruptions to terrestrial networks.
"We use T-Mobile’s network, which already covers 98% of the U.S. population, and complement it with Starlink and we are able to provide the service nationwide in every single zip code in America," said André Almeida, president of growth and emerging businesses at T-Mobile.
The launch further deepens T-Mobile’s existing collaboration with SpaceX’s Starlink, which already supports the carrier’s satellite-to-cell capability known as T-Satellite. Jason Fritch, Vice President of Starlink Enterprise Sales at SpaceX, noted the scale of Starlink’s deployment and its role as a resilient backup. "With over 10,000 Starlink satellites launched, Starlink and 5G keep operations running when other paths fail and extends connectivity to millions of new sites," he said.
T-Mobile did not provide a standard price for SuperBroadband. The company said pricing will vary by geographic location and by the bandwidth needs of the customer. Separate from the product announcement, T-Mobile is expected to report quarterly results after the market closes on Tuesday.
The offering arrives as U.S. wireless rivals increasingly introduce bundled services intended to retain existing subscribers and attract new enterprise customers. T-Mobile’s mix of fixed wireless broadband and a satellite redundancy option is designed to appeal to businesses that require continuous connectivity across numerous and often geographically dispersed locations.
Impacted sectors: Telecommunications, enterprise services, broadband providers.