T-Mobile US (NASDAQ:TMUS) CEO and President 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.
“We are ruthlessly single-minded focused on building the best network and enhancing it,” Gopalan said.
Device Financing and Customer Growth
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.
Broadband, Enterprise and New Growth Areas
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 than fiber when customers connect through Wi-Fi routers, while acknowledging that fixed wireless is not technically identical to fiber service.
T-Mobile’s fiber business has approached 20% penetration in the first 12 months after entering certain greenfield markets, according to Gopalan. He said fiber and fixed wireless are largely complementary offerings, with limited overlap. When a fixed-wireless customer moves to fiber, he said, capacity becomes available for another fixed-wireless customer.
In business services, Gopalan said T-Mobile holds roughly 10% to 12% share among larger businesses and sees substantial room to expand. He also highlighted potential demand from physical and edge artificial intelligence applications, including manufacturing, robotics, drones and other connected devices that require low-latency connectivity.
Gopalan said T-Mobile is piloting edge-AI capabilities at scale with Figure AI and believes its 5G standalone network can support a growing market for edge inference and low-latency wireless services.
AI and Culture Initiatives
Internally, T-Mobile is deploying AI primarily to improve customer experience rather than solely reduce costs, Gopalan said. The company remains on track toward a previously stated target of reducing calls by 75%, with AI supporting proactive customer communications and service-agent tools.
He cited $2.7 billion in value associated with the company’s AI initiatives, including customer care, software coding, network investment decisions and a personalized marketing effort called IntentCX.
Gopalan also described several workforce programs intended to reinforce T-Mobile’s culture. The company plans to invest more than $100 million over the next several years in its Magenta AI Institute, designed to prepare employees for AI-related changes. Under its Frontline Connect initiative, 750 managers at the director level and above will spend two days with frontline employees and must make commitments intended to improve frontline work experiences.
T-Mobile has also announced a performance-based, multiyear $12,000 grant for all employees, representing close to a $1 billion investment, according to Gopalan.
Capital Allocation and Leadership Transition
On capital allocation, Gopalan said T-Mobile’s framework has not changed. The company targets leverage of 2.5 times, evaluates strategic investments such as spectrum, and then determines shareholder returns based on remaining cash flow.
He said T-Mobile believes it has sufficient spectrum capacity to support its wireless and fixed-wireless growth plans. Its outlook for 15 million fixed-wireless customers assumes no incremental spectrum purchases or spectral-efficiency gains, he said.
Gopalan also discussed the planned CFO transition, saying Peter Osvaldik had intended to leave around mid-2026 before agreeing to remain through the CEO transition. The timing later shifted toward summer 2027. Gopalan said the company selected Jessica as its incoming CFO, citing her experience managing Shell’s complex portfolio, retail operations and capital allocation.
For wholesale revenue, Gopalan said 2025 and 2026 are expected to be trough years as Dish and TracFone business rolls off, partly offset by advertising and new MVNO relationships, including cable-focused business offerings. He said T-Mobile does not see value in pursuing an MVNO agreement with a low-earth-orbit satellite operator.
Regarding satellite direct-to-cell service, Gopalan said T-Mobile views the technology as complementary for remote and edge-use cases rather than as a substitute for terrestrial wireless networks, citing signal-strength and capacity limitations.
About T-Mobile US (NASDAQ:TMUS)
T-Mobile US, Inc (NASDAQ: TMUS) is a wireless communications company that provides mobile voice, messaging and data services to consumers, businesses and government customers in the United States. Its offerings include postpaid and prepaid wireless plans, connected devices, smartphones, accessories and related communications services.
The company operates its consumer business primarily under the T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile brands. It also provides fixed wireless broadband, which uses its wireless network to deliver internet access to homes and businesses, as well as specialized connectivity services for connected devices and other applications.
T-Mobile US operates a nationwide wireless network, including a broad 5G network, and serves customers throughout the United States, including Puerto Rico and the U.S.
