T-Mobile posts strong Q2 revenue, adds 1.5 million new customers

By Harish Jonnalagadda
published

T-Mobile posted its second quarter earnings today, and the main takeaway is that the carrier is continuing momentum as far as customer acquisition is concerned. The Uncarrier managed to add an additional 1.5 million customers in the second quarter, which makes it the fifth consecutive quarter in which the carrier added more than 1 million subscribers. The number sees T-Mobile crossing 50 million total subscribers for the first time.

Of the 1.5 million new additions, 908,000 were postpaid customers. To put that number into context, Sprint announced that it lost 245,000 subscribers this quarter, while AT&T and Verizon added 1 million and 1.4 million customers respectively.

The influx of new customers meant that T-Mobile's revenue rose by 15.4 percent to $7.2 billion, with an operating profit of $391 million. The carrier has mentioned that it has successfully rolled out VoLTE nation-wide within two months of the service's launch in Seattle. The service currently has 2.8 million customers, and T-Mobile is actively looking to add more in the coming months.

T-Mobile is also rolling out Wideband LTE and has mentioned that it is equipping sites with 700 MHz gear as well as testing devices compatible with the spectrum, which the carrier acquired earlier this year.

Overall, it looks like the Uncarrier initiative is working in T-Mobile's favor, as the carrier has just been ranked the highest amongst all four major cellular providers in the US in customer service.

Source: T-Mobile (opens in new tab)

Harish Jonnalagadda
Harish Jonnalagadda
Senior Editor - Asia

Harish Jonnalagadda is a Senior Editor overseeing Asia for Android Central, Windows Central's sister site. When not reviewing phones, he's testing PC hardware, including video cards, motherboards, gaming accessories, and keyboards.

85 Comments
  • Post numbers how many WP new users added.?
  • As they don't have any decent WP devices I'd say they probably didn't add more than a handful.
  • Isn't the 521 the most successful phone in the US?
  • I think 520, but thats the AT&T network variant.  Not really much of a difference though 
  • I know. They're probably getting more of those sprint customers since they're the lamest carrier in the USA
  • Not sure about new users but they have more W8Phone users than any other US carrier. Posted via Windows Phone Central App
  • Not sure about new users but they have more W8Phone users than any other US carrier. Posted via Windows Phone Central App
  • Source?
  • All the internets Posted via Windows Phone Central App
  • I have never seen a stat that shows tmob has the most active WPs. Do you have a link?
  • Yeah me neither. I just assume the internet may have it somewhere. lol Posted via Windows Phone Central App
  • I would think it's AT&T since they have been selling WP the longest. 
  • Added me on a refurb 925:)
  • I think you meant 245000 thousand not million since that's about 3/4 of the USA population :P
  • Lol that made me laugh when I read it. I took it as 245,000 millions on the first read which is more then the worlds population. Either way it put a smile on my face this morning!
  • Maybe all TMo customers have about 100 sims LOL
  • Wut? Posted via Windows Phone Central App
  • -5 Customers because I'm moving to AT&T with my five lines, I'm tired of having no good Windows Phone selections.
  • Wpcentral just posted a deal the other day for a T-Mobile compatible unlocked Lumia 1520 from newegg for $495. What better phone does att have?
  • I am buying that 1520 from newegg.com! I can't wait to get that power house of a windows phone!
  • I wish I could.
  • Yeah you're right, but by the time I save up the money, this deal will be gone. Plus AT&T has better coverage.
  • Instead of complaining about the lack of selection, T Mobile users should just get unlocked versions of everything? I'm fine with that since I always pay full price, as long as I get LTE and everything else with it. I'm really tempted to get the unlocked 1020, but I just got my 925 in January and I don't want to spend another $500+. Was the unlocked 1020 always available for T Mobile?
  • Instead of talking bs, you stop complaining about us T-Mobile users that don't have $500+ to pay on a phone outright be quiet and give us $500.00 since obviously you can afford it..
  • I'm assuming you're not talking to me, because what you said makes no sense. I'm not sure what BS you're taking about, and my comment didn't include a single complaint.
  • Yes I'm talking to you and that bull you just said about us T-Mobile customers complaining about not having a big phone selection. That's what you said correct? Ok then you definitely make no sense if that's the case.
  • So you don't complain about not having a big phone selection? I have no idea what point you're trying to make. And you keep saying "us T mobile customers" like I'm not part of it.
  • All I did was question the person/people who said to get the unlocked 1520, and proceeded to talk about my personal preferences. In no way did I disagree with your original comment about not having a good Windows Phone selection. In fact, I complain about T Mobile all the time, even about the 810 treatment, and I don't even own one. Only this time I was talking about myself. I apologize to anybody who was offended by my selfishness.
  • Ok what is your argument here?  You complain that T-Mobile doesn't carry enough high end windows phones, but then you get robin hood self righteous at us for pointing out you can buy an unlocked 1520 for $500.  What the heck do you think T-Mobile would charge you if they sold the 1520?  I'll give you a hint by telling you that they introduced the L925 at almost $600.
  • When I complain about the lack of T Mobile Windows Phones, I'm not thinking just about myself. Yes, I know that t mobile charges stupid prices for Windows phones. I bought my 925 for $500, and that was the beginning of this year. In comparison, The xperia z1s came out a week after I bought my phone, and was $528. My main point is that I hate when people tell t mobile users to shut up and just buy everything unlocked. I would never say that.
  • You need to think this through.
    T-Mobile- 4 lines unlimited talk^text with 2.5GB each = $100 add $10 for 5th line add another $10 for 2.5GB of data. Total $120 for 5 lines with 2.5GB each.
    Att $$$$$$$$$$$$$$
    I hate not having a high end W8Phone too. The 1520.3 want work for me because I gotta have the T-Mobile WiFi app for texting at work. So my only option was to jump on a note 3 and wait. Posted via Windows Phone Central App
  • Yeah you are right to, but I jut can't spend that much money upfront for a phone. I would need a payment plan or something.
  • Need a savings plan, rather. Put away a little every month, take your time to find a good deal, use your savings to buy it.
  • True; will do.
  • I would gladly join T-Mobile but their network in my area really sucks! So, no matter how good a deal, it doesn't help if you have no reception!
  • Yeah I agree.
  • I hear the voice over LTE is crystal clear.
  • What? You can't text on a lumia 1520.3 on t-mobile?
  • Leaving a carrier for another just for a specific phone is lame. I developed a fascination with the iPhone in 2011. Bought one directly through Apple unlocked and used it on T-Mobile. Loved it. Nearly two years later, I badly wanted a Lumia 920. Instead of switching to evil AT&T, I bought a Rogers unlocked version from Negri. Earlier this year, I got the T-Mo 925. I've even gotten that and my old 810 unlocked as of two months ago. No complaints whatsoever.
  • Yeah but if your discount through your job is more than T-Mobiles, plus I already have AT&T Uverse/Home Phone service and would get another discount on top of what my job offers which is nice, then why not?
  • And the coverage is night and day better. Jumping through hoops to maintain some wired kind of one sided loyalty is lame. And switching carriers is much less impactful than switching platforms. Go where the phones are.
  • Amen to that..
  • Are they giving all their money to Microsoft coz this cannot be relavant topic related to windows phone,windows pc, surface,bing, Xbox, office etc.
  • This is a mobile news site. I think articles about the carriers are very relevant.
  • Yes, Microsoft gets a huge cut
  • Really??!! Microsoft makes phones. Phones need to be connected to a cell service. Enter T-Mobile.
  • I read 90% of wpcentral articles, opening this app not less than 10 times a day, from day 1 (yeah I know I have a problem...).
    You can be sure wpcentral says what it has to be said, pro or not Microsoft, objectively.
  • Being that T-Mobile has the U.S. largest W8Phone base I disagree. Posted via Windows Phone Central App
  • Could you please use a different picture of that guy. That one always creeps me out.
  • Lol
  • LOL yeah we'll find a better image of the guy
  • I really don't care if you keeping using it cause it makes me laugh everytime I see it. Keep up the great work, thanks.
  • He creeps me out no matter what. The guy is corporate America, acting like he isn't. He is a very odd dude.
  • Can somebody explain me how the phone purchase system works in the US, I mean do phones there come preloaded with tmobile or at&t sim cards or what? Here in India we do not have a carrier based phone selling system
  • Phones usually don't come with a carrier sim card. You can buy a phone from a carrier or anywhere else, but to be able to use it for calling anyone but emergency numbers, you need a carrier sim. You then choose your carrier based on your budget and coverage area, then pay a monthly subscription for you voice, text, and data. There are also prepaid options, where you need to refill the phone with units that deduct when using you phone.
  • Yes, all phones in the U.S. Come with a carrier sim card. Verizon didn't use too but all their LTE phones do. They typically come locked also. Posted via Windows Phone Central App
  • Actually "245,000 million" equals 245 000 000 000, which is 245 billion... I quess it is a serious problem to lose that much clients :D
  • Yeah it would be. Fixed the article now.
  • Need to dig deeper into the numbers, actuality AT&T only added 200k, and Verizon only added 334k postpaid customers and T-Mobile is busy switching metro pcs users over to the T-Mobile side of things.
  • Ohhhhhhhhh! Now you in trouble ;)
  • i assume the guy in the pic is some company executive and very well paid so what's with the 1980's hair and clothes?
  • I think (didn't bother to research) that t-mo is a California company, so he might be old school surfer, maybe?
  • Actually, their headquartered in Seattle, Washington. @ SymoClod: I don't really consider his hair to be 80s. His hair doesn't look like I'd see it in an old 80s glam metal band, lol.
  • He's the CEO for T-Mobile John Legere.
  • Wow, Sprint lost 245 billion customers? That's a bit of a rough quarter ;-)
  • @Rohit Yes, carrier phones here in the US use whatever carriers sim card and also come with whatever carriers logo printed on the phone. My 925 has the T-Mobile logo printed below the home button.
  • So do we have to purchase a sim card of the same company we have purchased the phone from ?
    For example: If I purchase a L925 from T-Mobile do I have to purchase a sim from them or can I purchase a sim of a different company and use it in the phone from T-Mobile?
  • If you purchase a T-Mobile phone they'll give you a free sim card. It'll actually be in the box if the phone is new. YES You can put other carrier sim cards in if you got the phone unlocked. All the frequencies want be the same so Internet probably want work or it'll be slow. Posted via Windows Phone Central App
  • So unlocking a phone means that to end the contract with that carrier say T-Mobile and then you can use other sim cards.
    And unlocking a phone takes money .
    And what is with the frequencies I didn't understand that?
  • Rohit... For contract phones you should finish the 2 yr contact our you can pay the full value in order to unlock thru your provider while no contract phones, at least you continuously used it for at least 6 months and then you will be allowed to unlock.
  • Around where I live the T-Mobile customers are always complaining about coverage, signal strength and service drops. At least VoIP can help with some if those issues.
  • +925 +635 +521 = all in our family!
  • Lol I don't care about their quarterly earnings, I just want news on them pushing Cyan already! >-
  • There is really no point in using anything other than an ATT MVNO IMHO. Airvoice, H2O or Straight Talk. Good coverage, dirt cheap and you don't even need an unlocked phone since Gophones work. Sims are $1 on eBay.
  • That's YOUR opinion and the opinion of one other troll that frequents this site who shall remain nameless (although you didn't mention the one he's always barking about). T-Mobile is good to its customers. I've got three lines between me, my mother and my best friend and after taxes, our bill is around $103 per month. $34.33 per line per month isn't too shabby at all. Also, I've already gotten my two T-Mobile smartphones unlocked as of two months ago, and I'd only had one of those phones for three months. I could move to any GSM carrier I want as a result, but I'll stay with T-Mobile.
  • No kidding. Cheaper plans, better coverage, access to ATT's great selection of Windows Phones. For true WP fans it's worth looking into.
  • Theres also Cricket. 
  • I'm one of those new 1.5 million T-Mobile customers for this quarter. I was with them for 7 years before switching to Metro-PCS. Unfortunately the signal and call quality of Metro-PCS in my area left a lot to be desired, so I took advantage of the new Lumia 635 being released to move back to T-Mobile...even if it is a little more expensive ($80 per month for unlimited call time and unlimited 4G LTE data.) At least the calls now sound great and I have strong signal everywhere, and the 4G LTE data is always working no matter where I go.
  • Really ???
  • Metro PCS and T-Mobile are the same company........
  • If I remember, Metro PCS was CDMA originally and after they merged, T-Mobile has started switching them over to their GSM network.  So maybe the original CDMA coverage was crappy (think Sprint).
  • If you have a GSM phone you will be on the T-mobile network for MetroPCS.     They have so far shut down CDMA in Las Vegas and the New England area.  With Philadelphia following at the end of September and a few more unannounced markets to shut down at the end of the year 
  • Good now only 4 million more customers and tmobile will be the third largest carrier in the u.s
  • AT&T is the only carrier making multi-billions in quarterly profits.
  • I was on T-Mobile for years and years and loved them, but finally had to switch to Verizon because the coverage was so sketchy where I am in North Georgia or the southern Atlantic and Gulf coasts where I like to fish. I would switch back in a heartbeat if they started putting up more cell towers in rural areas!