T-Mobile’s asset-light fiber bet

T‑Mobile just made a high-stakes play to dominate U.S. broadband, stitching together $2.7 billion in joint ventures to snap up regional fiber players and target nearly 2 million homes. The strategy: let partners shoulder the heavy lifting on fiber builds while T‑Mobile leverages its brand and sales muscle, aiming to outpace cable rivals in key metro areas. The catch? Broadband margins are thinner and churn is higher than wireless, so the gamble is whether these new fiber and fixed wireless gains can offset the riskier mix and keep profits strong through 2027.

But here’s the complication—satellite isn’t taking over just yet. T‑Mobile’s “SuperBroadband” for business uses Starlink as backup but keeps ownership of customer relationships, sidestepping full satellite partnerships that could erode ARPA (average revenue per account). Meanwhile, Verizon and AT&T are doubling down on their own tech, rejecting Starlink MVNO tie-ups and focusing on wide coverage, affordability, and enterprise control. The industry’s betting big on convergence—fiber where it counts, fixed wireless to expand reach, satellite for resilience—but no one’s letting go of the customer without a fight.

Featuring insights from Fierce Network and Oppenheimer, plus executive commentary from T‑Mobile’s Srini Gopalan and AT&T’s John Stankey.

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