T-Mobile US

2026-03-30T00:30:43Z

2A09:BAC6:D6FC:197D:0:0:28A:7C: /* IMEI linking on Metro by T-Mobile */ changed “a” to “an”

{{CompanyCargo
|Description=American cell network operator.
|Founded=1994
|Industry=Telecommunications
|Logo=T-Mobile US logo.svg
|ParentCompany=Deutsche Telekom (51.4%)
|Type=Public subsidiary
|Website=https://t-mobile.com/
}}

[[wikipedia:T-Mobile_US|'''T-Mobile US, Inc.''']] is an American wireless network operator headquartered in Bellevue, Washington. Its largest shareholder is [[wikipedia:Deutsche_Telekom|Deutsche Telekom AG]], a company partially owned by the Federal Republic of Germany,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Shareholder structure |url=https://www.telekom.com/en/investor-relations/share/shareholder-structure |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251219163520/https://www.telekom.com/en/investor-relations/share/shareholder-structure |archive-date=19 Dec 2025 |access-date=13 Apr 2025 |website=www.telekom.com}}</ref> which owns and operates telecommunications networks in several other countries.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SIGNIFICANT SUBSIDIARIES |url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/946770/000104746906003393/a2168127z20-f.htm#bk1005_significant_subsidiaries |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080916094348/https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/946770/000104746906003393/a2168127z20-f.htm#bk1005_significant_subsidiaries |archive-date=16 Sep 2008 |access-date=13 Apr 2025 |website=SEC}}</ref> T-Mobile is the second largest wireless carrier in the United States, with 127.5 million subscribers as of September 30, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=T-Mobile Delivers Industry-Leading Growth in Customers, Service Revenues, Profitability and Cash Flows in Q3, Raises 2024 Guidance Across the Board |url=https://s29.q4cdn.com/310188824/files/doc_financials/2024/q3/TMUS-Q3-2024-Earnings-Release.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241024003053/https://s29.q4cdn.com/310188824/files/doc_financials/2024/q3/TMUS-Q3-2024-Earnings-Release.pdf |archive-date=24 Oct 2024 |access-date=13 Apr 2025 |website=s29.q4cdn.com}}</ref>

==Incidents==

===Anti-competitive practices===
Deutsche Telekom was sued by the US Securities and Exchange Commission in 2011 for bribing government officials in Macedonia and Montenegro to prevent a telecom competitor from acquiring a license and for their support in the buyout of a state-owned telecommunications company. DT and its subsidiary Magyar Telekom agreed to pay a total $95 million settlement.<ref>{{Cite web |date=29 Dec 2011 |title=SEC Charges Magyar Telekom and Former Executives with Bribing Officials in Macedonia and Montenegro |url=https://www.sec.gov/news/press/2011/2011-279.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120104165140/https://www.sec.gov/news/press/2011/2011-279.htm |archive-date=4 Jan 2012 |access-date=13 Apr 2025 |website=SEC}}</ref>

===Acquisition of Sprint===
On April 1, 2020, T-Mobile US acquired [[wikipedia:Sprint_Corporation|Sprint Corporation]] for $26 billion.<ref>{{Cite web |last=De La Merced |first=Michael J. |last2=Kang |first2=Cecilia |date=29 Apr 2018 |title=Sprint and T-Mobile to Merge, in Bid to Remake Wireless Market |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/29/business/dealbook/sprint-tmobile-deal.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180429180130/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/29/business/dealbook/sprint-tmobile-deal.html |archive-date=29 Apr 2018 |access-date=13 Apr 2025 |website=The New York Times}}</ref> Prior to the formal acquisition, 14 state attorneys general filed suit to block the merger, alleging it would result in higher prices for consumers to the extent of $4.5 billion annually.<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 Jun 2019 |title=U.S. judge sets pre-trial hearing next week for Sprint/T-Mobile deal |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/u-judge-sets-pre-trial-195044577.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190613221722/https://finance.yahoo.com/news/u-judge-sets-pre-trial-195044577.html |archive-date=13 Jun 2019 |access-date=13 Apr 2025 |website=finance.yahoo.com}}</ref> The merger was allowed to proceed, with the judge stating "the merger is not likely to substantially lessen competition like the suing state AGs had claimed it would" and also that Sprint "does not have a sustainable long-term competitive strategy [to remain a viable competitor]."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wagner |first=Alex |date=11 Feb 2020 |title=Judge approves T-Mobile-Sprint merger |url=https://www.tmonews.com/2020/02/t-mobile-sprint-merger-approved-judge/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200212140041/https://www.tmonews.com/2020/02/t-mobile-sprint-merger-approved-judge/ |archive-date=12 Feb 2020 |access-date=13 Apr 2025 |website=Tmo News}}</ref> As one of the leaders of the suit, the attorney general of California struck a settlement, gaining several substantial concessions toward protecting Californian jobs and low-cost mobile plans.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wagner |first=Alex |date=11 Mar 2020 |title=California AG Xavier Becerra will not appeal judge’s T-Mobile-Sprint merger ruling |url=https://www.tmonews.com/2020/03/california-ag-xavier-becerra-not-appeal-judge-t-mobile-sprint-merger-ruling/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200324185424/https://www.tmonews.com/2020/03/california-ag-xavier-becerra-not-appeal-judge-t-mobile-sprint-merger-ruling/ |archive-date=24 Mar 2020 |access-date=13 Apr 2025 |website=Tmo News}}</ref>

The United States Department of Justice Antitrust Division required that Sprint sell several billion dollar assets to [[wikipedia:Dish_Network|Dish Network]] prior to merging with T-Mobile.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wagner |first=Alex |date=26 Jul 2019 |title=Justice Department officially approves T-Mobile and Sprint’s merger |url=https://www.tmonews.com/2019/07/justice-department-approves-t-mobile-sprint-merger/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190727074552/https://www.tmonews.com/2019/07/justice-department-approves-t-mobile-sprint-merger/ |archive-date=27 Jul 2019 |access-date=13 Apr 2025 |website=Tmo News}}</ref>

As of September 30, 2024, a T-Mobile filing with the SEC indicates multiple ongoing legal cases and consumer [[class action]] cases alleging antitrust activities, chiefly as it relates to T-Mobile's acquisition of Sprint.<ref>{{Cite web |date=30 Sep 2024 |title=Note 13 – Commitments and Contingencies |url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1283699/000128369924000142/R22.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250813110605/https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1283699/000128369924000142/R22.htm |archive-date=13 Aug 2025 |access-date=30 Mar 2026 |website=SEC}}</ref>

===Data breaches===

On April 1, 2025, users of a T-Mobile tracking device and app called SyncUP were subsequent to an account leak that included the profile photo, name, and exact location of accounts (primarily children).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.404media.co/t-mobile-shows-users-the-names-pictures-and-exact-locations-of-random-children/|title=T-Mobile Shows Users the Names, Pictures, and Exact Locations of Random Children|first1=Jason|last1=Koebler|first2=Emanuel|last2=Maiberg|work=404media|date=2025-04-02|access-date=2025-04-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250402173915/https://www.404media.co/t-mobile-shows-users-the-names-pictures-and-exact-locations-of-random-children/|archive-date=2025-04-02|url-status=live}}</ref> Similarly to the [[Wyze]] incident in September 2023, the location of random child accounts from different states were shown on a parent's phone.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gizmodo.com/t-mobile-bug-reveals-names-images-and-locations-of-random-children-2000584451|title=T-Mobile Bug Reveals Names, Images, and Locations of Random Children|first=Lucas|last=Ropek|work=Gizmodo|date=2025-04-03|access-date=2025-04-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250404171959/https://gizmodo.com/t-mobile-bug-reveals-names-images-and-locations-of-random-children-2000584451|archive-date=2025-04-04|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Screen Recording via T-Life App===
{{Main|T-Mobile T-Life app screen recording controversy}}
Users of T-Mobile’s T-Life app discovered a hidden screen recording feature enabled by default. This issue is currently limited to iPhone 16 devices.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Kellen |date=2025-05-27 |title=T-Mobile’s T-Life App has a “Screen Recording Tool” Turned on and It’s Freaking People Out (Updated) |url=https://www.droid-life.com/2025/05/27/t-mobile-t-life-screen-recording-tool-turn-off/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250725131114/https://www.droid-life.com/2025/05/27/t-mobile-t-life-screen-recording-tool-turn-off/ |archive-date=2025-07-25 |access-date=2025-08-20 |work=Droid-Life}}</ref>

===IMEI linking on Metro by T-Mobile===
Metro by T-Mobile, an MVNO owned by T-Mobile US, offers a bring your own phone (BYOP) program. While it generally lets you use any device you wish, Metro does not notify customers that the IMEI of their device will be linked to that SIM, furthermore, if you attempt to use the SIM in a device that doesn't have the same IMEI, the network will reject it. This restriction is not present on T-Mobile Postpaid, T-Mobile Prepaid, or Mint Mobile.{{Citation needed|date=30 Mar 2026}}

==References==
<references />
[[Category:T-Mobile]]

Consumer Rights Wiki - User contributions [en]

T-Mobile US