T-Mobile US is owned by Deutsche Telekom, the German telecommunications group that holds a 52.8% stake in the company as of February 2026. In April 2026, Deutsche Telekom began exploring a full merger with T-Mobile US, which could create the world’s most valuable wireless operator.

  • Revenue: T-Mobile US recorded $88.3 billion in annual revenue for fiscal year 2025.
  • Subscribers: The company served approximately 142 million customers as of December 31, 2025.
  • Market Cap: T-Mobile US reached a market capitalization of roughly $207 billion in May 2026.
  • Net Income: The company reported $11.0 billion in net income for the full year 2025.
  • Employees: T-Mobile US operates with approximately 75,000 full-time employees across the United States.

T-Mobile US Mission Statement and Company Purpose

T-Mobile US operates under a clear mandate: “To be the Un-carrier, relentlessly challenging the status quo to deliver the best network, best value, and best experience, so customers never have to compromise.”

That statement drives the company’s pricing strategy, network spending, and acquisition targets. T-Mobile dropped long-term contracts years before competitors followed. It eliminated data overage charges. It bundled international roaming into standard plans.

The “Un-carrier” identity is not just branding. It shapes how T-Mobile allocates capital. The company spent heavily on mid-band 5G spectrum and infrastructure while Verizon and AT&T focused on different deployment strategies. T-Mobile’s Q1 2025 net income increased 24% year-over-year to $3.0 billion, supporting the argument that customer-first pricing can coexist with strong margins.

T-Mobile US Products and Services

T-Mobile Wireless

  • Postpaid and prepaid mobile voice, data, and messaging plans
  • 5G nationwide coverage across the United States
  • Device financing and trade-in programs

Metro by T-Mobile

  • Prepaid wireless plans at lower price points
  • No credit check or annual contracts required
  • Operates on T-Mobile’s 5G and 4G LTE network

Mint Mobile

  • Budget wireless plans purchased in 3, 6, or 12-month blocks
  • Acquired by T-Mobile in 2024
  • Sold primarily through direct online channels

T-Mobile 5G Home Internet

  • Fixed wireless broadband service for homes and businesses
  • 1.7 million broadband customers added in 2024 alone
  • Target of 12 million 5G broadband customers by 2028

T-Mobile for Business

  • Enterprise wireless, IoT, and managed network solutions
  • Private 5G network deployments
  • Edge computing and AI-powered connectivity services

T-Mobile Advertising Solutions

  • T-Ads platform using anonymized subscriber data
  • Targeted advertising for marketers and brands
  • Operates separately from core wireless services

Who Owns T Mobile

Deutsche Telekom’s Controlling Interest

Deutsche Telekom AG, headquartered in Bonn, Germany, owns 52.8% of T-Mobile US as of February 2026. The German government in turn holds 31.9% of Deutsche Telekom, making it a quasi-public entity with indirect ties to the German state. Tim Höttges, CEO of Deutsche Telekom, stated in February 2026 that the company would not sell T-Mobile shares during 2026 and is actively exploring ways to increase its stake.

How Deutsche Telekom Reached Majority Ownership

Deutsche Telekom crossed the 50% threshold in April 2023, using proceeds from the €10.7 billion sale of its GD Towers cell tower unit. Between 2021 and 2023, the company steadily acquired additional shares through open-market purchases and conversions of SoftBank-held options. A proxy agreement with SoftBank Group also gave Deutsche Telekom voting rights over a larger block of shares than its equity stake alone would provide.

More than 70% of Deutsche Telekom’s own market valuation derives from its T-Mobile US holding. In April 2026, media reports indicated that Deutsche Telekom was weighing a full merger with T-Mobile US through a new holding company listed on both sides of the Atlantic.

T-Mobile US Origin, Founders, and Early Years

VoiceStream Wireless and John W. Stanton

T-Mobile US traces its origins to 1994, when John W. Stanton founded VoiceStream Wireless PCS as a subsidiary of Western Wireless Corporation. VoiceStream focused on GSM technology at a time when most U.S. carriers used CDMA. The company separated from Western Wireless in May 1999.

In 2001, Deutsche Telekom acquired VoiceStream for $35 billion and regional carrier Powertel for an additional $24 billion. The company rebranded as T-Mobile USA in September 2001 and began rolling out the T-Mobile brand across the country in July 2002. At that point, the carrier served 7 million subscribers.

Largest Shareholders of T-Mobile US

Deutsche Telekom AG

  • Ownership: 52.8% (as of February 2026)
  • Headquartered in Bonn, Germany
  • CEO Tim Höttges also chairs T-Mobile US board
  • Exploring full merger with T-Mobile US

SoftBank Group Corp.

  • Ownership: approximately 2.5% (as of 2025)
  • Acquired stake through the 2020 Sprint merger
  • Has steadily reduced its position since 2021
  • Maintains a strategic partnership with Deutsche Telekom

Institutional Investors

  • Combined ownership: approximately 43% (as of early 2025)
  • Top holders include Vanguard Group, BlackRock, and State Street
  • Vanguard holds the largest institutional position
  • Shares traded on Nasdaq under ticker TMUS

Who Is on the Board of Directors for T-Mobile US

Leadership and Strategy

Timotheus Höttges

Chairman of the Board

CEO of Deutsche Telekom since 2014. Höttges has driven the strategy to make T-Mobile US the centerpiece of Deutsche Telekom’s global portfolio. He has served as board chairman since 2013.

Srini Gopalan

President and Chief Executive Officer

Appointed CEO in November 2025 after serving as COO from March 2025. Gopalan previously ran Telekom Deutschland and held senior roles at Bharti Airtel and Vodafone UK.

Mike Sievert

Vice Chairman

Sievert led T-Mobile as CEO from April 2020 through October 2025, overseeing the Sprint integration and the company’s growth from 98 million to over 130 million customers.

Marcelo Claure

Board Director

Former CEO of Sprint and founder of Brightstar Corp. Claure joined the board following the Sprint-T-Mobile merger in 2020.

Finance and Governance

Thomas Dannenfeldt

Board Director (Nominated 2025)

Previously served on the T-Mobile board from 2013 to 2018 and was CFO of Deutsche Telekom during that period. He currently chairs the board of Ceconomy AG.

Peter Osvaldik

Chief Financial Officer

Osvaldik oversees T-Mobile’s financial operations, including its shareholder return programs. The company authorized up to $14 billion in buybacks through December 2025 as part of a larger $50 billion capital return plan.

How Did T-Mobile US Get Its Name

The “T-Mobile” name came from Deutsche Telekom’s global branding strategy. Deutsche Telekom had already launched wireless services under the T-Mobile brand in Germany, the UK, Austria, and the Czech Republic during the late 1990s. When the German company acquired VoiceStream Wireless in 2001, it applied the same naming convention to its U.S. operation.

The “T” prefix is a hallmark of Deutsche Telekom’s brand architecture. The parent company used “T-Online” for internet services, “T-Systems” for IT services, and “T-Mobile” for wireless operations. VoiceStream officially became T-Mobile USA in September 2001. The magenta color scheme, another Deutsche Telekom trademark, became synonymous with the brand in the American wireless market during the early 2000s.

FAQs

Who owns T-Mobile US?

Deutsche Telekom AG, a German telecommunications company, owns 52.8% of T-Mobile US as of February 2026. SoftBank Group holds roughly 2.5%, and institutional investors such as Vanguard and BlackRock own the remainder.

What is the net worth of T-Mobile US?

T-Mobile US had a market capitalization of approximately $207 billion as of May 2026, based on its Nasdaq-listed stock price multiplied by outstanding shares.

When was T-Mobile US founded?

T-Mobile US was founded in 1994 as VoiceStream Wireless PCS by John W. Stanton. Deutsche Telekom acquired the company in 2001 and rebranded it as T-Mobile USA.

Is T-Mobile US an American company?

T-Mobile US is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, and operates exclusively in the United States. Its majority owner, Deutsche Telekom, is a German company, making T-Mobile US a domestic carrier with foreign parent ownership.

What is T-Mobile US market cap in 2026?

T-Mobile US reported a market capitalization of roughly $207 billion in May 2026. The company’s stock trades on the Nasdaq exchange under ticker TMUS and is a component of the S&P 100 and Nasdaq-100 indexes.

I've spent over a decade researching and documenting the stories behind the world's most influential companies. What started as a personal fascination with how businesses evolve from small startups to global giants turned into CompaniesHistory.com—a platform dedicated to making corporate history accessible to everyone.