With all the hue and cry surrounding T-Mobile's decision to raise prices on plans that were supposed to be price-locked, you'd think its capability to attract new customers would be affected. Far from it: the company is expected to report more subscriber growth than its competitors during second quarter earnings season and beat its previous quarter's performance.
Based on the predictions of some financial analysts, the wireless industry saw steady customer growth in the second quarter, so carriers will likely mention an increase in average revenues per user (ARPUs) and free cash flow (FCF) growth when they report their financials.
The hue and cry surrounding T-Mobile's decision didn't stop new customers from joining it in Q2 apparently.
T-Mobile, which has gained market share every quarter since Sprint acquisition, is expected to lead the industry in Q2 with the highest net postpaid phone customer addition. Analysts at Evercore believe the company will get 650,000 postpaid phone customers in Q2.
Per number crunchers at New Street Research, T-Mobile's growth has started to slow down in major markets, but that has been compensated for by growth in smaller markets.
AT&T is likely to gain 260,000 new postpaid customers, which would be a decline when compared to the first quarter.
Verizon, which recently rebranded, is predicted to get 125,000 new customers. This is going to be an improvement over the first quarter, in which the company lost customers. The company's new $10 per month second number offer is believed to be working well for it.
While those numbers sure sound promising, the wireless industry growth is cooling off. In all, there will be an estimated 1.85 million new postpaid customers in the second quarter of the year, a decline of 11 percent when compared to the year-ago quarter.
Cable companies such as Altice, Comcast, and Charter Communications will likely account for nearly half of the net customer additions in the wireless industry.
The third quarter could bring with it new challenges for the industry. For instance, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which made internet affordable for 23 million low-income households in the US, has ended. After an increase in monthly bills, some customers might cancel their service.
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Some carriers may also lose customers when the new iPhones are released later in the year. Though upgrade rates have been low in recent years, Apple Intelligence is expected to drive a supercycle for Apple. Since customers often switch carriers when buying a new phone, September could prove to be a difficult time for some providers. AT&T is likely to be most at risk as it has many iPhone users on its network.
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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.
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