T-Mobile will once again lead the industry in this important category for Q4 2023،
T-Mobile is expected to once again lead the industry in the largest metric reported by wireless carriers each quarter, postpaid phone net additions. This is the most important number because postpaid phone subscribers pay the most for wireless service each month. Postpaid phone subscribers are not likely to switch carriers as quickly as prepaid customers.
By Fierce Wirelessfor the fourth quarter of 2023, TD Cowan analysts expect T Mobile to report 860,000 net new additions of postpaid phones. Last quarter, T-Mobile reported 850,000 net new postpaid phone additions, more than the number reported in the third quarter for Verizon and AT&T combined. During the fourth quarter of 2022, T Mobile reported 927,000 net new postpaid phone additions. Traditionally, the fourth quarter is the strongest quarter of the year for wireless companies.
Verizon will kick off the fourth quarter reporting season on January 23, followed by AT&T the next day, January 24, and T Mobile on January 25. Last week, Cowan analysts told clients: “The quarter is still expected to be led by T Mobile and a continued recovery Verizon.
AT&T is expected to report adding 500,000 net new postpaid subscribers during the fourth quarter.
While Cowan sees T Mobile reporting a significant 860,000 net new postpaid phone subscribers for Q4 2023, it expects Charter Communications to be next with an estimated Q4 net new postpaid phone additions of 535 000 subscribers. He predicts AT&T will be next with 506,000, Comcast with 335,000 and Verizon with 230,000. Morgan Stanley expects T MobileNet new postpaid additions in Q4 will reach 883,000, including 267,000 for Verizon. Should Verizon would reach the numbers estimated by Cowan or Morgan Stanley, it would more than double the 100,000 net new postpaid adds it had in the third quarter of 2023.
At a fourth-quarter investor conference in December, AT&T CFO Pascal Desroches said his company would have net new postpaid phone additions for the quarter of 500,000, which is in line with forecasts. of Cowan for the company. For the third quarter, AT&T reported 468,000 net new postpaid phone subscribers.
T MobileThe stock of is the most popular of the major wireless companies among Wall Street analysts. The stock (TMUS) closed Friday at $162.54, less than $2 from its 52-week high of 164.50. The stock is up 10.6% over the past year.
