T-Mobile on Tuesday raised its forecast for annual postpaid net account additions, signaling continued momentum in a market where subscriber growth is hard-won. The U.S. wireless operator now expects to add between 950,000 and 1.05 million postpaid accounts in 2026, up from its prior guidance of 900,000 to 1 million.
The company emphasizes account-level metrics rather than individual subscriber counts. Accounts refer to billing relationships, so a single family or business account can include multiple lines or devices. "Over 90% of our postpaid accounts actually have more than one line in that relationship," CFO Peter Osvaldik said in an interview.
T-Mobile began shifting its reporting in February by discontinuing disclosure of postpaid phone subscriber additions from the first quarter onward, focusing instead on account growth and average revenue per account as its primary performance measures.
For the first quarter, T-Mobile recorded 217,000 postpaid net account additions, ahead of Visible Alpha consensus of 193,236 additions. The upbeat additions come as the carrier continues to promote bundled offerings and premium plans that encourage customers to migrate from lower-tier service.
Bundling and premium plans
T-Mobile highlighted the impact of its Experience plans, which bundle streaming services such as Netflix, Apple TV and Hulu and include five-year price guarantees. Those bundles have prompted many customers to move up from basic plans, while the carrier’s broader "Un-carrier" positioning and aggressive marketing continue to appeal to cost-conscious consumers.
Osvaldik noted that more than 60% of lines on newly opened accounts select top-tier plans, and that this adoption rate has remained consistent over time. Competitors including AT&T and Verizon have countered with their own trade-in incentives and bundled packages.
Verizon raised its full-year profit forecast after a surprise gain in first-quarter wireless subscribers following enhancements to its customer offers and bundles. AT&T also reported wireless subscriber growth that exceeded expectations in the first quarter.
Revenue and financials
T-Mobile posted total revenue of $23.11 billion in the first quarter, versus analysts' estimate of $22.97 billion according to data compiled by LSEG.
Potential Deutsche Telekom proposal
The results arrive amid reporting that Deutsche Telekom, which owns a 53% stake in T-Mobile, is exploring a possible combination with the U.S. operator. The talks are described as early stage and, if completed, would create a transatlantic telecoms group in what would be the largest ever public merger. The complex transaction could face significant regulatory and geopolitical hurdles.
Blair Levin, a policy adviser at New Street Research, said a deal would likely attract intense scrutiny in the United States, though he assessed it as unlikely to be blocked on purely regulatory grounds even if it provoked political resistance.
Expanding internet offerings for businesses and fiber moves
On the product front, T-Mobile introduced a new internet solution for businesses that pairs its 5G network with Starlink satellite backup to support companies operating in remote locations. The carrier also announced deals to form two joint ventures to expand its fiber internet footprint, complementing its growing broadband and core wireless services.
These moves reflect a strategy of broadening the company’s addressable market beyond mobile connectivity by layering fixed broadband and resilient connectivity for enterprise customers.