T-Mobile US CEO Maps 5G, Broadband and AI Growth Strategy at Goldman Sachs Conference

T-Mobile US CEO Srini Gopalan outlined the carrier’s growth strategy, network investments and capital-allocation priorities at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference, emphasizing what he described as the company’s “best network, best value, and best experience” positioning.

Gopalan, who said he has been associated with the company for nearly a decade, said the depth of T-Mobile’s competitive advantages has stood out during his first year as CEO. He characterized those advantages as a combination of a broad growth portfolio and company culture.

In consumer wireless, Gopalan pointed to T-Mobile’s 5G standalone deployment, which began in late 2020, as a key network differentiator. He said the company’s second-quarter port-in customers had average revenue per user that was 20% higher than port-out customers, while premium-plan adoption among new customers was in the 60% range compared with a mid-30% range for its base.

“We are ruthlessly single-minded focused on building the best network and enhancing it,” Gopalan said.

Addressing the company’s shift toward more flexible device financing, Gopalan said T-Mobile is seeking to reduce upfront friction for qualified customers by offering zero-down device purchases and incorporating taxes and fees into equipment installment plans. The move to 36-month installment plans reflects longer device life cycles, he said.

Gopalan said the company evaluates promotions and subsidies through customer lifetime value, or CLV. He said CLV increased by double digits in the second quarter, adding that the company expects customers to bear a greater portion of device costs as handset prices rise.

On postpaid accounts, Gopalan declined to provide intra-quarter guidance but said the company felt positive about its performance against its full-year outlook for 950,000 to 1.05 million postpaid account net additions. T-Mobile had reached 500,000 net additions at the midpoint of the year, he said. He also cited a year-over-year decline of 85 basis points in churn during the prior quarter and said the company remains focused on both customer volume and value.

Gopalan said fixed wireless access remains a major growth opportunity, with T-Mobile having raised its 2030 guidance to 15 million fixed wireless customers from 12 million previously. Combined with an expected 3 million to 4 million fiber customers, he said the company is targeting a doubling of its broadband business over the next four years. He described fixed wireless as T-Mobile’s highest-NPS product and said the latest routers can provide speeds that are higher tha...