Verizon generated an average of *******U.S. dollars per postpaid retail account in 2024. The company’s wireless retail postpaid ARPA was declining between 2014 and 2018, before showing signs of recovery in 2019 and maintaining a growth trajectory. The retail postpaid ARPA is the average service revenue per account from retail postpaid accounts and does not include recurring device payment plan billings related to the device payment program. Verizon’s sources of income Verizon is one of the largest telecommunications companies in the United States. In 2018, the company operated over *** million wireless retail connections and made over 133 billion U.S. dollars in revenue. The bulk of this revenue is generated by the company’s consumer segment, which generates about three times what the company’s business segment makes. Verizon provides consumers, businesses and government customers across the United States with wireless communications equipment and services, the latter of which generates most of the segment’s revenue.

Over the forecast period until 2029, the average spend per capita is forecast to exhibit fluctuations among the four segments. Concerning the four selected segments, the segment Mobile Data has the largest average spend per capita with ****** U.S. dollars. Contrastingly, Fixed Voice is ranked last, with ***** U.S. dollars. Their difference, compared to Mobile Data, lies at ****** U.S. dollars. Find further statistics on other topics such as a comparison of the average spend per capita in Asia and a comparison of the revenue change in Asia. The Statista Market Insights cover a broad range of additional markets.

This graph shows the average revenue per user for top wireless carriers in the United States, from the first quarter of 2013 to the second quarter of 2018. In the second quarter of 2018, the average revenue per user of Verizon Wireless was at ***** U.S. dollars.

Wireless carriers in the United States - additional information

The worldwide telecommunication market is divided into the wireline segment, offering mainly fixed voice telephony and fixed broadband access services, and the wireless segment, which includes mobile voice and mobile broadband access services. The later segment is served by communication services companies known as wireless carriers, wireless service providers, mobile network carriers or MNOs (mobile network operators). As of the last quarter of 2015, the largest wireless carriers in the United States based on the number of subscribers are Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile USA.

The main revenue stream for wireless carriers is represented by individual user subscription packs and related services, which is usually shown in one of the industry’s key figures – ARPU (average revenue per user). This allows comparisons of wireless carriers in the market. An analysis of the U.S. market for example shows that, as of the last reported quarter, the highest ARPU of wireless carriers was U.S. Cellular’s ***** U.S. dollars. As of 2015, the United States came in second in a ranking of countries based on the average monthly revenue per mobile user. Wireless operators’ churn rate, another important industry indicator, which shows the percentage rate at which customers stop subscribing to their service, puts Verizon in first place. Its churn rate of **** percent in the last quarter of 2015 meant that it is the wireless company loosing the least customers on the U.S. market.

The wireless telecommunication carrier industry has witnessed significant shifts recently, driven by evolving consumer demands and technological advancements. The popularity of smartphones and rising data consumption habits have mainly driven growth. Households have chosen to disconnect their landlines to cut costs and receive network access away from home. Industry revenue was bolstered during the current period by a surge in mobile internet demand. The revival of unlimited data and call plans prompted industry-wide adjustments to pricing and data offerings. While competition has intensified, leading to price wars and slender margins, carriers have embraced bundled offerings of value-added services, like streaming subscriptions, to distinguish themselves. Despite these efforts, revenue growth remains sluggish amid high operational costs and a saturated market. Overall, Wireless Telecommunications Carriers' revenue has modestly grown at an annualized rate of 0.1% to total $340.3 billion in 2025, when revenue will climb an estimated 6.0%, as the early shift to fifth-generation (5G) enables businesses to renegotiate the current product-price paradigm with consumers. The industry is defined by a transition from primarily providing voice services to focusing on providing data services. Technological change, namely the shift from fourth-generation (4G) wireless data services to 5G, continues to shape the industry. Companies expand scope through mergers and acquisitions, acquiring spectrum and niche customer bases. The battle for wireless spectrum intensified as 5G technology became a focal point, requiring carriers to secure valuable frequency bands through hefty investments. For instance, Verizon's $45 billion expenditure in the C-band spectrum auction highlights the critical importance of spectrum acquisition. While Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations have curtailed large-scale consolidations, strategic alliances and mergers have been common to share infrastructure and expand market reach. Also, unlimited data plans have shaken up cost structures and shifted consumers to new providers. Following the expansion of unlimited data and calls, profit is poised to inch downward as the cost of acquiring new customers begins to mount. Profitability is additionally hindered by supply chain disruptions, which still loom large, as equipment delays and price hikes impact rollout timeliness. Industry revenue is forecast to incline at an annualized 5.4% through 2030, totaling an estimated $443.5 billion, driven by the expansion of mobile devices using data services and increasing average revenue per user. As the rollout of 5G networks increases the speed of wireless data services, more consumers will view on-the-go internet access as an essential function of mobile phones. Moving forward, the industry landscape will be characterized by the heightened competition among carriers for wireless spectrum, an already scarce resource and efforts to connect more Americans in remote parts of the country to fast and reliable internet. Subscriber saturation presents a formidable challenge, compelling carriers to focus on existing customers and innovative service packages. Companies like AT&T and Verizon are pioneering flexible infrastructure projects, which could redefine the industry’s operational efficiency. Despite facing spectrum supply limitations, the industry is poised to benefit from seamless connectivity solutions for various sectors, potentially redefining wireless carriers’ roles in an increasingly interconnected world.

In the first quarter of 2019, the average monthly revenue per user (ARPU) of Sprint Corporation’s postpaid wireless subscribers was at ***** U.S. dollars, while the ARPU of retail prepaid wireless subscribers was ***** U.S. dollars. In recent years, there’s been a narrowing of the gap between the ARPU of postpaid and prepaid subscribers.

How does Sprint compare to competitors?

Overall the monthly price for a mobile contract in the United States has declined over the past 15 years from more than ** U.S. dollars to less than ** U.S. dollars. All of the major mobile carriers in the United States – AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile – have managed to keep their average ARPU for mobile postpaid contracts at ** U.S. dollars or more though over the last few years. Of those four major service providers AT&T and Verizon are the biggest ones both in terms of revenue and number of subscribers.

Sprint is currently in fourth place having fallen behind T-Mobile, which has been on a growth path in the United States. The planned merger between T-Mobile and Sprint, approved by regulatory agencies in 2019, is set to reshape the market though and will create a third major competitor for AT&T and Verizon in the wireless market.

What is ARPU?

The ARPU is a measure of the total revenue divided by the number of subscribers, in order to quantify the revenue generated by one customer using the telecom item per unit of time. It is a key figure for comparing companies competing in the same market or segment. For Sprint and other telecommunications companies, ARPU includes revenue generated from incoming calls in addition to revenues billed to the customer each month for usage.

Demand for Global Wireless Telecommunications Carriers has expanded due to greater mobile data use, supporting industry growth. More consumers are spending time online through various platforms for communication, entertainment, business and administrative tasks like online banking, and wireless telecommunication carriers have capitalized on this. The industry has also benefited from the rapid development of mobile device capability, primarily driven by smartphones' popularity and now smarter applications like virtual and augmented reality. As a result, revenue for Global Wireless Telecommunications Carriers is expected to climb at a CAGR of 0.2% to an estimated $1.9 trillion in 2025. This includes anticipated growth of 2.6% in 2025 alone as global 5G network deployments continue to pick up steam now that the most volatile pandemic periods have subsided. Telecommunications carriers have pursued two main growth strategies: expanding subscriber numbers and increasing average revenue per user (ARPU). Most new global wireless subscriptions have emanated from emerging markets, where the utility of the internet and wireless communications can be life-changing. In contrast, markets in developed economies have reached saturation, i.e. the number of mobile subscriptions has passed population levels. Carriers in developed economies have focused heavily on growing ARPU by providing more expensive mobile data services in bundles, which has boosted profit. Unlimited data and calling plans have shaken up cost structures and shifted consumers to new providers. With these plans becoming more commonplace, profit is poised to inch downward as the cost of acquiring new customers rises. Consequently, companies like China Mobile and Verizon seek acquisition opportunities to continue to expand bundle packages and network reach to remain competitive. Revenue expansion will persist moving forward, with revenue forecast to grow at a CAGR of 1.9% over the next few years to an estimated $2.0 trillion in 2030. The continued global rollout of 5G networks and exploration of 5G-Advanced (5G-A) will open new connectivity for wearables, vehicles and other smarter applications. Meanwhile, spectrum allocation shortages in developed economies will encourage consolidation to the extent possible by antitrust laws, incentivizing carriers to focus on ARPU. This spectrum shortage is also expected to promote the development of new microcells, band steering and other sophisticated network equipment. While the purchasing power of consumers in emerging markets and developing regions will remain comparatively low, even a slight boost in ARPU in these large markets can significantly inflate carrier revenue globally.

The statistic depicts the average monthly revenue per mobile user (ARPU) by country in 2015. The mobile ARPU in Canada was at ***** U.S. dollars in the third quarter of 2015.

Wireless subscriber ARPU – additional information

ARPU, a commonly used measurement in the telecommunication industry, is the average revenue generated by each consumer. In this case, it is the amount of money, on average, that a company brings in for each of its mobile wireless subscribers. The ARPU figure can be used to compare telecom service providers within a market or for example the cost of mobile services in countries. As shown in the statistic above, Canada and the United States have the highest ARPU in the world. In Canada, each wireless subscriber generates average revenue of around ** U.S. dollars. Switzerland, Australia, Singapore and Norway are also amongst the countries with high average revenue per mobile user.

Since 2006, the monthly mobile services ARPU in the U.S. has ranged between ** and ** U.S. dollars. Top wireless carriers in the U.S. include Verizon Wireless, U.S. Cellular, Sprint and AT&T. As of the fourth quarter of 2016, Verizon Wireless and U.S. Cellular had an ARPU above the country's average, with ***** U.S. dollars and ***** U.S. dollars respectively. Bell Canada, Rogers Communication and Telus Corporation are three of the biggest and most trusted telecom companies in Canada. These three companies have an ARPU in line with the nation's average presented in the graph above.

Internet service providers have enjoyed growth over the current period. Consumers increasingly demanding faster internet speed in developed economies have boosted ISPs' performance amid sluggish subscriber growth. While rising mobile data subscriptions have constrained growth for ISPs in some developing regions, fixed broadband expansion in developing countries like China and India has bolstered growth. The emergence of powerful personal and business internet applications has transformed how businesses and consumers operate and has also presented opportunities for ISPs to offer additional high-margin services, benefitting profit. Overall, industry-wide revenue has been increasing at a CAGR of 6.5% over the past five years and is expected to total $1.7 trillion in 2024, when revenue will climb by an estimated 2.1%. Following the outbreak of COVID-19, ISPs enjoyed a surge in growth in the residential market as work and school shifted to remote, increasing customers' need for faster Internet with greater bandwidth. The falling need for services by businesses and academic institutions offset gains in the residential market and led to overall declines in 2020. Over the outlook period, ISPs will continue to enjoy growth. Climbing average cost per user will spur growth in developed economies as broadband subscription growth slows. While headwinds dissuade ISPs from investing in privatized fiber-to-the-source services in developing regions, consumers growing attraction to faster internet speeds will induce ISPs to make these investments, particularly in Southeast and Central Asia, where government investment is spurring infrastructure growth. Industry revenue is forecast to increase at a CAGR of 2.2% through the end of 2029 to total $1.9 trillion.

The internet service providers industry uses wired infrastructure to provide clients with internet access and related services, like web hosting, web page designing and consulting related to internet connectivity. Rising internet usage has benefited industry revenue growth, and government-subsidized network expansion has done the same, increasing the number of US broadband connections. A push toward broadband expansion in rural markets and a climb in demand from business customers has boosted industry revenue, which is poised to incline at an annualized rate of 3.5% to $168.5 billion in 2025, including growth of 4.2% in 2025 as investments and activity mount in line with an improving macroeconomic environment. As households increasingly rely on the internet for streaming, gaming, remote work, and cloud computing, ISPs are scrambling to deliver faster and more reliable service. The rising adoption of cloud computing, which involves accessing data online, has boosted demand for dedicated internet access services sold at a higher profit. With increasing demand, providers have begun launching fiber optic networks, rapidly improving connection speeds. Major enterprises that typically benefit from economies of scale also continue to bundle TV and phone, which includes Voice over Internet Protocol services and high-speed internet into one service package, adopting new technology. Consolidation has swept the industry, with blockbuster mergers—such as T-Mobile’s tie-up with Sprint and Verizon’s multi-billion-dollar acquisition push—reshaping market share and intensifying competition. At the same time, average broadband speeds have more than doubled, but ISPs have faced mounting pressure from cord-cutters, OTT competitors and fierce price wars, often leading to flat or declining revenues per user even as consumer bandwidth use reaches new heights. This competitive environment has led to plummeting profit. Looking ahead, the ISP industry shows no sign of slowing down. Over the next five years, fiber expansion and 5G fixed wireless will reach an even greater share of US households. Providers will continue investing heavily in gigabit networks, edge computing and advanced Wi-Fi to keep pace with the explosion in cloud computing, IoT devices and remote work. Retaining customers will hinge on delivering faster speeds, greater reliability, strong security and innovative value-added services, especially as open-access networks and new entrants threaten to erode traditional market advantages. Continued demand will lead to industry revenue growth, poised to climb at an annualized rate of 4.4% to $208.9 billion in 2030.

In the fourth quarter of 2024, AT&T’s average revenue per user (ARPU) stood at about ***** U.S. dollars for its wireless postpaid services, a slight decrease compared to the previous quarter. The ARPU for postpaid phones alone remained around *** U.S. dollars higher at ***** U.S. dollars. AT&T faces tough competition in the U.S. wireless sector AT&T has led the U.S. wireless telecommunications sector for many years, servicing the most wireless subscriptions among U.S. operators. After spinning off its interests in the entertainment company WarnerMedia in 2022, AT&T has sought to refocus its attention on developing its wireless offering. The operator faces strong competition in the 5G space in particular, with T-Mobile US investing heavily in its 5G network. T-Mobile US delivered the fastest typical 5G download speeds among major network operators in 2024, with Verizon and AT&T offering the second and third fastest services respectively.

Wired telecommunications carriers offer local and long-distance voice services using the public switched telephone network and wholesale access to networks for use by companies that provide voice communication services to customers. Once the principal provider of voice communication services, numerous substitutes have siphoned revenue away, such as wireless telephony and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology. In recent years, the wired telecommunication carrier industry has faced mounting challenges as wireless communication technologies advance rapidly. The increasing global penetration of smartphones and mobile internet has caused a noticeable shift, with more users opting for wireless connections. This trend is primarily driven by the expansion of 5G networks, which offer faster and more reliable service. Traditional wired telecommunications, like landlines and DSL, are falling out of favor due to their slower speeds and limited reliability. Carriers have had to adapt swiftly, often bundling services like internet and TV to maintain customer loyalty and reduce churn rates. Industry-wide revenue has inched forward at an average annualized 0.9% over the past five years. It is expected to total $66.1 billion in 2025, when revenue will regress by 0.3%. Profit is slated to strengthen as carriers have made cost-cutting measures in response to waning demand. Still, the industry has yet to achieve the same revenue totals that it did in 2019. While some wired carriers have managed to soften the blow by bundling services, the trend has continually moved towards more flexible communication options. Wired telecommunications carriers have begun deploying fiber-optic networks, which provide faster speeds and larger bandwidth capacity than traditional copper. Deploying fiber-optic networks has partially mitigated declining demand. Also, business customers have been hesitant to abandon their landlines due to the associated reliability and security. Programs like the FCC’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund and private investments have been pivotal in expanding broadband access. Despite these vestiges of demand, wired telecommunication has largely lost ground to its wireless counterpart. Major carriers will continue centering and expanding services such as high-speed internet at the expense of copper wired service and infrastructure. As demand for local and long-distance voice services continues to depress and more households switch to wireless phones, this industry will endure challenges. With the phasing out of copper infrastructure, carriers are betting on fiber-optic technology to provide high speeds and bandwidth. Investments spurred by federal initiatives will extend broadband access and fuel growth in underserved areas, though companies will need to commit substantial upfront funds. Profit will climb slightly due to the prevalence of bundling packages and higher-priced fiber-optic services, which will help temper further declines. Industry revenue will marginally drop at an annualized 0.2% to $65.5 billion in 2030.

In 2024, Verizon’s wireless retail churn rate for consumer connections stood at **** percent, the third highest recorded churn rate for Verizon. The churn rate refers to the average percentage of customers who terminate their monthly subscription to a company’s services. The business churn rate was slightly lower than that of the consumer segment at **** percent. Verizon's performance remains strong The churn rate of Verizon’s retail connections (which includes postpaid and prepaid connections) has been relatively stable over the past few years, consistently remaining under *** percent until 2022. Verizon wireless retail postpaid ARPA (average revenue per account) stood at about ****** U.S. dollars in 2024. Verizon’s consumer segment is still the company’s largest however, accounting for over two thirds of the global revenue in the past few years. Moreover, Verizon has had the highest share of wireless subscribers out of all the wireless carriers in the United States since 2016.

The telecommunications firm Verizon is the leading provider of mobile services in the United States, with a market share of nearly 37 percent of wireless subscriptions as of the last quarter of 2024. T-Mobile and AT&T are the other major wireless carriers in the U.S. market.  The market share is based on subscription figures reported by the companies in quarterly earnings and financial statements. Mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) subscriptions were not considered for the statistic. Seismic shift: T-Mobile and Sprint Merger T-Mobile’s 26.5 billion U.S. dollar acquisition of Sprint Corp. became official on 1st April 2020, a merger that temporarily reduced the number of major wireless providers in the United States. Under the terms of the merger, T-Mobile acquired Sprint’s 33.84 million postpaid subscribers, joining the 47 million T-Mobile postpaid wireless subscribers. DISH Network Corporation acquired Sprint’s prepaid mobile business, Boost Mobile, raising that number to four, satisfying the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) that the market would remain competitive.  T-Mobile is the largest U.S. telco by market cap As of 2024, T-Mobile had a market capitalization of over 214 billion U.S. dollars, the highest of any U.S. telecommunications company. Beijing-based China Mobile and U.S. giant Verizon trailed, with a market cap of 213 and 178 billion U.S. dollars, respectively. Comcast and AT&T were valued at 160 and 134 billion U.S. dollars, respectively.

This graph displays the number of subscribers to top wireless carriers in the United States from the first quarter of 2013 to the second quarter of 2020. In the second quarter of 2020, Verizon Wireless led the list with ***** million subscribers, followed by AT&T that recorded more than ****** million subscribers that same quarter. Wireless subscribers by carriers - additional information Verizon Wireless and AT&T are the leading wireless carriers in the United States, with each accounting for about one third of the market of wireless subscriptions. Since 2011, Verizon has had the highest wireless revenue among U.S. telecommunication providers. In 2015, Verizon reported almost ** billion U.S. dollars in wireless revenue in the United States, almost ** billion U.S. dollars more than AT&T in the same year. Those two companies have the some of the lowest monthly churn rates in the U.S. market – the average percentage of subscribers that cease to use the company’s services per month. The churn rate is a parameter to measure the loyalty of a company’s subscriber base; the lower the churn rate, the better the outlook for the company. Both companies are also major players in the billion-dollar global telecommunication services industry. In 2016, AT&T’s operating revenue worldwide amounted to about *** billion U.S. dollars, with Verizon also generating revenues in excess of *** billion U.S. dollars.

In 2024, after changing the reporting method, AT&T had a total of *******million wireless subscribers, a significant decrease since the previous year. Over the last decade, the wireless subscriber count has been steadily growing and it had more than ******* since 2007 until 2023. AT&T’s wireless subscriber base and ARPU AT&T’s wireless subscribers can be divided into three separate subscription type groups: postpaid, prepaid, and reseller. The largest group by far is the postpaid group which had about ** million subscribers in 2024. The prepaid model has been steadily increasing over the last nine years, while reseller subscriptions have been losing traction since 2016. Each of these subscribers generates a certain amount of revenue. In the fourth quarter of 2023, the company’s wireless ARPU (average revenue per user) exceeded ** U.S. dollars for its postpaid service and ** U.S. dollars for its phone-only postpaid service. AT&T also has one of the lowest monthly churn rates on the U.S. market. This means that the average percentage of people that ended their subscription with the company is low. Wireless carriers in the United States Of the three major wireless carriers in the United States - AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile - out of which AT&T holds the largest share of the wireless subscription market. In the first quarter of 2018, AT&T surpassed Verizon in number of wireless subscriptions and now AT&T have the highest number of subscribers in the United States. In 2020, T-Mobile and Sprint merged and in the second quarter of 2020 the surviving brand T-Mobile USA, had more wireless subscribers than Verizon.

Cable providers disseminate subscription video content from cable networks to consumers over wired telecommunications networks. In addition to video programming, these enterprises usually offer high-speed internet access and digital voice telephony services. These other services are frequently bundled in a single package with industry-relevant video services. Although these services are excluded from cable providers' industry revenue, demand for them affects industry sales. In recent years, the industry has experienced significant upheaval, grappling with challenges that have reshaped its market dynamics. The prominence of streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+ and YouTube TV has led to a seismic shift in how consumers access content, contributing to a sharp drop in cable TV subscriptions. As more consumers "cut the cord," demand for traditional cable services has waned. Industry revenue is estimated to decline at a CAGR of 3.2% to $97.1 billion, despite a gain of 0.1% in 2025, with providers offsetting substantial subscriber loss through price hikes and upgrades. Average industry profit, measured as earnings before interest and taxes, has fared better than revenue thanks to cost-cutting measures, reaching 12.5% in 2025. The industry has experienced intense competition from new external sources. Most prominently, the availability of digital streaming services has led consumers to drop their traditional TV services altogether. In 2023, streaming subscriptions outpaced cable subscriptions. New streaming services have entered the fray, including YouTube, which launched a live TV streaming service that quickly built relationships with broadcasters and cable networks. Increasing cable prices have further compounded the industry's struggles, pushing consumers toward more affordable and content-rich streaming alternatives. Investments by traditional TV players in online streaming underscore digital platforms' dominance in the future of video consumption. Cable companies have been pressured to cut costs, leading to layoffs and slower wage growth as automation and digital service platforms become preferred solutions. The industry will benefit from the addition of high-speed internet subscribers and upgrades to higher-profit digital cable services. Streaming services are slated to offer more services in this outlook period, such as live TV streaming of sports games, which will hurt industry demand. Cable companies are poised to provide slimmer, lower-cost bundles to entice potential cord-cutters. Cable companies will expand broadband services and explore Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television (FAST) to harness a broader audience base. Transparency regulations may reshape customer dynamics, pushing further enhancements in service and pricing models. Despite favorable economic indicators like new household formations and rising disposable incomes, changing consumer preferences and growing alternative options will continue to hinder cable subscriptions. Industry revenue is poised to inch upward at a CAGR of 0.1% and reach $97.5 billion in 2030.

In 2019, Sprint Corporation’s revenue amounted to **** billion U.S. dollars, an increase of over *********** U.S. dollars from the year before. The company generates the majority of the revenue from its wireless subscriber service segment. The revenue split in 2013 marks the acquisition of what was then Sprint Nextel by the Japanese multinational telecommunications and Internet corporation SoftBank in July of that year. Half of the revenue belongs to the predecessor company and the other half is attributable to the successor company now known as Sprint Corporation.

Sprint compared to peers

Sprint’s average revenue per user (ARPU) compares favorably to both AT&T and T-Mobile, but performance is held back by a high overall churn rate. In fact, of the **** big wireless carriers in the United States, Sprint has the highest postpaid churn rate, losing a greater percentage of customers per month than the other major wireless telecommunications providers in the United States (AT&T, Verizon Communications, and T-Mobile).

Sprint merger history

Known as Sprint Nextel Corporation until 2013, Sprint Corporation is a U.S. telecommunications operator with headquarters in Overland Park, Kansas. The company is one of the **** major wireless telecommunications providers in the United States, along with AT&T, Verizon Communications, and T-Mobile. In 2013 the Japanese multinational telecommunications and Internet company SoftBank acquired a majority stake of then Sprint Nextel. After unsuccessfully trying to merge Sprint with T-Mobile, SoftBank agreed to sell Sprint to its competitor T-Mobile. The proposed merger has gained the approval of the U.S. Justice Department and the Federal Communications Commission and is set to be completed sometime in late 2019.

The United States (U.S.) telecoms giant AT&T generated over *** billion U.S. dollars in revenue in 2023, with a marginal decrease from the previous year. Since 2022 AT&T lost its long-held position as the largest U.S. telecommunications firm by revenue to rival operator Verizon, which made a reported os nearly *** billion U.S. dollars in 2024. The U.S. telecoms market remains fiercely competitive, with AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile US the major network operators. AT&T backs out of Warner Media to focus on its wireless business For AT&T, 2022 proved a pivotal year, with the network operator spinning off its interests in the entertainment company Warner Media. AT&T acquired the company in 2018 after a lengthy legal process, with the deal representing a major move into the entertainment industry. AT&T’s ownership of Warner Media saw it take on Netflix and Amazon with the launch of streaming service HBO Max. The 2022 spin-off deal saw AT&T exit the entertainment space to refocus its attention on wireless and broadband communications, in particular its ** and fiber services. T-Mobile seeks to challenge AT&T and Verizon While T-Mobile US has lagged behind its rivals in terms of subscribers, it has sought to challenge AT&T and Verizon on the quality of its ** network. As of 2022, T-Mobile’s typical ** download speed in the United States was *** Mbps, far exceeding its rivals, while it also recorded the best ** coverage. The Washington based operator, which is majority owned by German operator Deutsche Telekom, has invested in its mobile network via its 2020 merger with Sprint, and through the purchase of ** spectrum licenses.

This graph displays the average monthly churn rate for top wireless carriers in the United States from the first quarter of 2013 to the third quarter of 2018. The average monthly churn rate of Verizon Wireless was at **** percent in the third quarter of 2018. Churn rates of wireless carriers - additional information The average monthly churn rate of wireless carriers refers to the average percentage of subscribers that cease to use the company’s services per month. The churn rate is used as an indicator of the health and loyalty of a company’s subscriber base and the lower the churn rate, the better the outlook is for the company. Verizon Wireless was the company with the lowest churn rate in the U.S. from 2013 to 2016. This success can be seen in the company’s revenue, with wireless services earning Verizon almost ** billion U.S. dollars in 2016 alone. AT&T’s churn rate in the fourth quarter of 2016 stood at **** percent, the third lowest of all the wireless carriers in the U.S. The Texas-based company’s churn rate has remained relatively stable in recent years, although it has risen slightly since it was at its lowest of **** percent in 2010 and 2015. The number of wireless subscribers of AT&T has nevertheless continued to grow, with the ***** million customers in 2016 marking the company’s highest ever total to date. Of these wireless subscribers **** million held a postpaid subscription in comparison to just **** million who were prepaid subscribers. At *** percent, Sprint Nextel was the wireless carrier with the highest churn rate in the U.S. in 2016. This high churn rate can be attributed to Sprint Nextel’s prepaid customer segment because whilst the postpaid churn rate has stayed mostly below *** since the start of 2008, the prepaid churn rate stood at **** percent in the first quarter of 2016. Although this churn rate has come down more recently after its peak at **** percent at the start of 2008, it still remains higher than the company average and the respective churn rates of its competitors.

AT&T’s worldwide operating revenue was ****** billion U.S. dollars in 2024, representing a slight decrease compared to the previous year. Overall, AT&T's revenue has decreased significantly since the company completed a 2022 deal to spin off its interest in media company WarnerMedia. AT&T refocuses on communications AT&T has pivoted its strategy to concentrate on its core telecommunications business after divesting its WarnerMedia assets. Indeed, the company’s communications segment accounts for nearly all its revenues. However, AT&T remains a dominant force in the U.S. wireless market, accounting for nearly ** percent of major operator subscriptions in the U.S. as of 2024, topped by Verizon and T-Mobile respectively. Nonetheless, AT&T continues to be the second-largest U.S. telecom operator by revenue. Competition in the 5G space However, AT&T faces fierce competition from Verizon and T-Mobile US, particularly in the rapidly evolving 5G landscape. In 2024, AT&T ranked in the second position in the U.S. 5G coverage but ranked third in typical 5G download speeds. T-Mobile US has emerged as the front-runner in both categories, leveraging substantial investments in its 5G infrastructure to challenge the established duopoly of AT&T and Verizon.