T-Mobile US, Inc.: Form 10-K for the period ended Dec 31, 2023

Business Overview and Strategy

Un-carrier Strategy

As America’s supercharged Un-carrier, we have disrupted the wireless communications services industry by actively engaging with and listening to our customers and focusing on eliminating their pain points. This includes providing added value and what we believe is an exceptional experience while implementing signature Un-carrier initiatives that have changed the wireless industry. We ended annual service contracts, overages, unpredictable international roaming fees and data buckets, among other things. We are inspired by a relentless focus on customer experience, consistently delivering award-winning customer experience with our “Total Experience” approach, which drives our customer satisfaction levels while enabling operational efficiencies.

With what we believe is America’s largest, fastest, most awarded and most advanced 5G network, the Un-carrier strives to offer customers unrivaled coverage and capacity where they live, work and travel. We believe our network is the foundation of our success and powers everything we do. Our “layer cake” of spectrum provides an unmatched 5G and overall network experience to our customers, which consists of our foundational layer of low-band, our mid-band and our millimeter-wave (“mmWave”) spectrum licenses (see “Spectrum Position” below). This multilayer portfolio of spectrum broadens and deepens our nationwide 5G network, enabling accelerated innovation and increased competition in the U.S. wireless and broadband industries.

We continue to expand the footprint and improve the quality of our network, enabling us to provide what we believe are outstanding wireless experiences for customers who should not have to compromise on quality and value. Our network allows us to deliver new, innovative products and services, such as our High Speed Internet fixed wireless product, with the same customer experience focus and industry-disrupting mindset that we have adopted in our attempt to redefine the wireless communications services industry in the United States in the customers’ favor.

Our Operations

As of December 31, 2023, we provide wireless communications services to 119.7 million postpaid and prepaid customers and generate revenue by providing affordable wireless communications services to these customers, as well as a wide selection of wireless devices and accessories. We also provide wholesale wireless services to various partners, who then offer the services for sale to their customers. Our most significant expenses relate to operating and expanding our network, providing a full range of devices, acquiring and retaining high-quality customers and compensating employees. We provide services, devices and accessories across our flagship brands, T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile, through our owned and operated retail stores, as well as through our websites (www.t-mobile.com (http://www.t-mobile.com) and www.metrobyt-mobile.com (http://www.metrobyt-mobile.com)), T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile apps, customer care channels and through national retailers. In addition, we sell devices to dealers and other third-party distributors for resale through independent third-party retail outlets and a variety of third-party websites. The information on our websites is not part of this Form 10-K. See Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations for additional information.

Services and Products

We provide mobile wireless communications services through a variety of service plan options. We also offer for sale to customers a wide selection of wireless devices, including smartphones, wearables, tablets, home broadband routers and other mobile communication devices that are manufactured by various suppliers.

Our most popular service plan offering is Go5G Plus, which includes unlimited talk, text and data on our network, 5G access at no extra cost, scam protection features, access to the same device offers as new customers and more. We also offer an Essentials rate plan for customers who want the basics at a lower price point, specific rate plans to qualifying customers, including Military and Veterans, First Responder and 55+, as well as Go5G and Go5G Next plans to deliver a full suite of plans that provide customers the features that meet their lifestyle and daily needs.

At the time of device purchase, qualified customers can finance all or a portion of the individual device or accessory purchase price over an installment period, generally of 24 months, using an equipment installment plan (“EIP”).

In addition to our mobile wireless communications services, we offer High Speed Internet, which includes a fixed wireless product that utilizes the excess capacity of our nationwide 5G network. Our fixed wireless product is available to millions of domestic households where we currently have excess network capacity, providing, for some consumers, an alternative to traditional landline internet service providers and expanding access to and choice for some consumers. With our High Speed Internet plan, customers can access the internet without worrying about annual service contracts, data overages or hidden fees.

We also provide products and services that are complementary to our wireless communications services, including device protection, financial services and advertising. In September 2022, we entered into an agreement for the sale of the Wireline Business, and on May 1, 2023, we completed the sale of the Wireline Business. See Note 14 – Wireline for additional information.

Customers

We provide wireless communications services to a variety of customers needing connectivity, but focus primarily on two categories of customers:

• Postpaid customers generally are qualified to pay after receiving wireless communications services utilizing phones, High Speed Internet modems, mobile internet devices (including tablets and hotspots), wearables, DIGITS and other connected devices, including SyncUP and internet of things (“IoT”). We serve consumers as well as business customers, who are provided services under the T-Mobile for Business brand.
• Prepaid customers generally pay for wireless communications services in advance. We serve prepaid customers under the T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile brands.

We provide Machine-to-Machine (“M2M”) and Mobile Virtual Network Operator (“MVNO”) customers access to our network. This access and the customer relationship are managed by wholesale partners, with whom we have commercial agreements permitting them to sell services utilizing our network.

We generate the majority of our service revenues by providing wireless communications services to postpaid and prepaid customers. Our ability to attract and retain postpaid and prepaid customers is important to our business in the generation of service revenues, equipment revenues and other revenues. In 2023, our service revenues generated by providing wireless communications services by customer category were:

• 77% Postpaid customers;
• 15% Prepaid customers; and
• 8% Wholesale and other services.

Substantially all of our revenues for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, were earned in the United States, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Network Strategy

Utilizing our multilayer spectrum portfolio, our mission is to become “Famous for Network.” We have deployed low-band, mid-band and mmWave spectrum dedicated for 5G across our dense and broad network to create what we believe is America’s largest, fastest, most awarded and most advanced 5G network.

The Merger greatly enhanced our spectrum position. Integration of the spectrum and network assets acquired in the Merger was substantially completed in 2023. Our integration strategy included deploying the acquired spectrum on the combined network assets to supplement capacity, migrating Sprint customers to our network and optimizing the combined assets by decommissioning redundant sites. As of December 31, 2022, we had decommissioned substantially all targeted Sprint macro sites. As a result of the Merger, we have achieved significant synergies and cost reductions by eliminating redundancies within our network, as well as through other business processes and operations.

Spectrum Position

We provide wireless communications services utilizing low-band spectrum licenses covering our 600 MHz and 700 MHz spectrum, mid-band spectrum licenses, such as Advanced Wireless Services (“AWS”), Personal Communications Services (“PCS”) and 2.5 GHz spectrum, and mmWave spectrum.

• We controlled, or expected to control based on previously announced auction results, an average of 392 MHz of combined low- and mid-band spectrum nationwide as of December 31, 2023. This spectrum is comprised of:
• An average of 40 MHz in the 600 MHz band;
• An average of 10 MHz in the 700 MHz band;
• An average of 14 MHz in the 800 MHz band;
• An average of 41 MHz in the 1700 MHz AWS band;
• An average of 66 MHz in the 1900 MHz PCS band;
• An average of 182 MHz in the 2.5 GHz band;
• An average of 12 MHz in the 3.45 GHz band; and
• An average of 27 MHz in the C-band.
• We controlled an average of 1,157 GHz of combined mmWave spectrum licenses.
• In August 2022, we entered into license purchase agreements pursuant to which we will acquire spectrum in the 600 MHz band in exchange for total cash consideration of $3.5 billion. See Note 6 – Goodwill, Spectrum License Transactions and Other Intangible Assets of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional details.
• In September 2022, the FCC announced that we were the winning bidder of 7,156 licenses in Auction 108 (2.5 GHz spectrum) for an aggregate price of $304 million. The timing of when the licenses will be issued will be determined by the FCC after all post-auction procedures have been completed.
• In September 2023, we entered into a license purchase agreement pursuant to which we will acquire spectrum in the 600 MHz band in exchange for total cash consideration of between $1.2 billion and $3.3 billion. See Note 6 – Goodwill, Spectrum License Transactions and Other Intangible Assets of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional details.
• We plan to evaluate future spectrum purchases in future auctions and in the secondary market to further augment our current spectrum position.
• As of December 31, 2023, we had equipment deployed on approximately 80,000 macro cell sites and 48,000 small cell/distributed antenna system sites across our network.

5G Leadership

We believe our 5G network is America’s largest, fastest, most awarded and most advanced:

• As of December 31, 2023, our Ultra Capacity 5G utilizing mid-band and mmWave spectrum covers more than 300 million people.
• As of December 31, 2023, our total 5G coverage, including low-band spectrum, covers more than 330 million people, reaching 98% of Americans.

Competition

The wireless communications services industry remains competitive. We are the second largest provider of wireless communications services in the U.S. as measured by our total postpaid and prepaid customers. Our competitors include other carriers, such as AT&T Inc. (“AT&T”), Verizon Communications, Inc. (“Verizon”), and DISH as it continues to grow its network. In addition, our competitors include numerous smaller and regional providers, including Comcast Corporation, Charter Communications, Inc., Cox Communications, Inc., and Altice USA, Inc., many of which offer no-contract, postpaid and prepaid service plans. Competitors also include providers who offer similar communication services, such as voice, messaging and data services, using alternative technologies. Competitive factors within the wireless communications services industry include pricing, market saturation, service and product offerings, customer experience, network investment and quality, development and deployment of technologies and regulatory changes. Some of our competitors have shown a willingness to use discounted pricing or offer bundled services as a potential source of differentiation.

Human Capital

Employees

As of December 31, 2023, we employed approximately 67,000 full-time and part-time employees, including network, retail, administrative and customer support functions.

Attraction and Retention

We employ a highly skilled workforce within a broad range of functions. Substantially all of our employees are located throughout the United States, including Puerto Rico, to serve our nationwide network and retail operations. Our headquarters are located in Bellevue, Washington, and Overland Park, Kansas.

We attract and retain our workforce through a dynamic and inclusive culture and by providing a comprehensive set of benefits, including:

• Competitive medical, dental and vision benefits;
• Family-building benefits designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees, including IVF and IUI, adoption and surrogacy benefits;
• Annual stock grants to all full-time and part-time employees and a discounted Employee Stock Purchase Program;
• A 401(k) Savings Plan;
• Nationwide minimum pay of at least $20 per hour to all full-time and part-time employees;
• LiveMagenta: a custom-branded program for employee engagement and well-being, including free access to life coaches, financial coaches and tools for healthy living;
• Access to personal health advocates offering independent guidance;
• A generous paid time off program, including paid family leave;
• Tuition assistance for all full-time and part-time employees, including full tuition partnerships with multiple schools; and
• A matching program for employee donations and volunteering.

Training and Development

Career growth and development is foundational to T-Mobile’s culture and success. We want to deliver the best experiences from the best teams, and one way we do that is by offering an array of development programs and resources to build diverse talent and empower our people to succeed through every step of their career. It is all easily accessible on our Magenta U site, which is our one-stop shop for all things career development and learning. The online learning portal is designed to put employees in the driver’s seat and give them access to mentoring, training, videos, books, job search and interview tips, and much more.

By strategically investing in the following three key areas of career development and learning, we are developing our talent now and for the future.

• Evolve skills and careers – Learn every day, champion relentless improvement, develop critical skills, explore career possibilities, and build the desired career;
• Advance leadership expertise – Build critical leadership capabilities, enable leadership growth at all levels, and develop skills to lead in the future; and
• Champion diversity, equity and inclusion (“DE&I”) – Promote inclusive habits and behaviors, enhance belonging and connectedness, and advocate for equitable opportunities.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

DE&I have always been a part of the Un-carrier culture, and we are committed to having DE&I touch every aspect of our future. Our Equity in Action Plan is a five-year plan that spans the values we live by, how we invest in and provide opportunities for our employees, how we select the suppliers we do business with and how we advocate for our communities.

For our employees, we have established six DE&I Employee Resource Groups and four sub-affinity groups that have helped us establish and maintain a culture of inclusion. Currently, we have over 40 DE&I chapters across the nation that help spearhead volunteer opportunities, events and meaningful conversation with employees at a local level. Our DE&I Employee Resource Groups include the following:

• Accessibility Community at T-Mobile;
• Multicultural Alliance;
• Asia Pacific & Allies Network;
• Black Empowerment Network;
• Indigenous Peoples Network;
• Magenta Latinx Network;
• Multigenerational Network;
• Pride;
• Veterans & Allies Network; and
• Women & Allies Network.

As part of T-Mobile’s Equity In Action Plan and Promises, we have established two External Diversity and Inclusion Councils in connection with our civil rights memorandum of understanding. The councils include civil rights leaders representing a wide range of underrepresented communities. Together with T-Mobile, the councils are helping us identify ways to improve our efforts in focus areas such as corporate governance, workforce recruitment and retention, procurement, entrepreneurship, philanthropy and community investment. Since April 2020, we have achieved a significant portion of the Equity In Action Promises, currently at 80% completed.

As DE&I are instrumental to our culture and values, we are also on a mission to create fair and equitable opportunities for all suppliers, including veteran-owned, disability-owned, woman-owned, minority-owned, LGBT-owned and small and disadvantaged businesses. We have implemented a Supplier Diversity Category Management Strategy for our network technology procurement organization to help identify opportunities and develop actionable targets for progress on this topic. This year, we updated our Supplier Diversity Policy that provides the primary guidance designed to ensure that DE&I are integrated into the purchasing process of goods and services for and on behalf of T-Mobile. In addition, we published T-Mobile’s CEO Supplier Diversity Policy Statement, reenforcing our Equity In Action diversity plan that aims to increase the amount of business we do with diverse suppliers.

Environmental Sustainability

Reducing Our Carbon Footprint

We are working to reduce the impact of our operations on the climate by setting carbon reduction goals that are aligned with science and investing in renewable energy. We are reducing our carbon footprint through several initiatives, including:

• Making progress on our science-based net-zero target for 2040 that includes Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions;
• Investing in renewable energy, as evidenced by our RE100 pledge, a global initiative that unites businesses committed to 100% renewable electricity. We first met this goal in 2021 and have achieved it in each subsequent year so far by matching our electricity usage with renewable energy credits acquired through a variety of sources, including through our engagement in Virtual Power Purchasing Agreements and a Green Direct tariff agreement with nine clean energy providers for expected annual provision of approximately 3.5 million megawatt hours of renewable electricity;
• Continuously testing and evaluating more efficient equipment for our facilities, including switch stations, cell sites, retail stores and customer experience centers to reduce energy consumption; and
• Promoting a circular economy through our device reuse and recycle program, which collects millions of devices for reuse, resale, and recycling annually.

Responsible Sourcing

We believe our suppliers are a valuable extension of our business and corporate values. Our Supplier Code of Conduct outlines expectations around ethical business practices for our suppliers. We require our suppliers to operate in full compliance with the laws, rules, regulations and ethical standards of the countries in which they operate or provide products or services. We expect our suppliers to share our commitment to ethical conduct and environmentally responsible business practices while they conduct business with or on behalf of us. Our Responsible Sourcing Policy further outlines T-Mobile’s expectations in this area.

We employ a third-party risk management (“TPRM”) process to screen for anti-corruption, global sanctions, human rights and environmental risks before engaging with a supplier. Our TPRM process also continuously monitors current suppliers for policy violations and risks.

Regulation

The FCC regulates many key aspects of our business, including licensing, construction, the operation and use of our network, modifications of our network, control and ownership of our licenses and authorizations, the sale, transfer and acquisition of certain licenses, domestic roaming arrangements and interconnection agreements, pursuant to its authority under the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (“Communications Act”). The FCC has a number of complex requirements that affect our operations and pending proceedings regarding additional or modified requirements that could increase our costs or diminish our revenues. For example, the FCC has rules regarding provision of 911, 988 and E-911 services, porting telephone numbers, interconnection, roaming, internet openness or net neutrality, robocalling/robotexting, disabilities access, privacy and cybersecurity, digital discrimination, consumer protection and the universal service and Lifeline programs. Many of these and other issues are being considered in ongoing proceedings, and we cannot predict whether or how such actions will affect our business, financial condition or operating results. Our ability to provide services and generate revenues could be harmed by adverse regulatory action or changes to existing laws and regulations. In addition, regulation of companies that offer competing services can impact our business indirectly.

Except for operations in certain unlicensed frequency bands, wireless communications services providers generally must be licensed by the FCC to provide communications services at specified spectrum frequencies within specified geographic areas and must comply with the rules and policies governing the use of the spectrum as adopted by the FCC. The FCC issues each license for a fixed period of time, typically 10-15 years depending on the particular licenses. While the FCC has generally renewed licenses given to operating companies like us, the FCC has authority both to revoke a license for cause and to deny a license renewal if a renewal is not in the public interest. Furthermore, we could be subject to fines, forfeitures and other penalties for failure to comply with FCC regulations, even if any such noncompliance was unintentional. In extreme cases, penalties can include revocation of our licenses. The loss of any licenses, or any related fines or forfeitures, could adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. In addition, the FCC retains the right to modify rules related to use of licensed spectrum, which could impact T-Mobile’s ability to provide services.

Additionally, Congress’s and the FCC’s allocation of additional spectrum for broadband commercial mobile radio service (“CMRS”), which includes cellular, PCS and other wireless services, could significantly increase and intensify competition. We cannot assess the impact that any developments that may occur in the U.S. economy or any future spectrum allocations by the FCC may have on license values. FCC spectrum auctions and other market developments may adversely affect the market value of our licenses or our competitive position in the future. A significant decline in the value of our licenses could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. In addition, the FCC periodically reviews its policies on how to evaluate carriers’ spectrum holdings in the context of spectrum transactions or acquisitions. Most recently, for example, in September 2023, the FCC sought public comment on whether it should initiate a rulemaking proceeding to consider changes to its mobile spectrum rules and policies. A change in these rules and policies could affect our access to additional spectrum resources and competition among us and other carriers.

Congress and the FCC have imposed limitations on foreign ownership of CMRS licensees that exceed 20% direct ownership or 25% indirect ownership through an entity controlling the licensee. The FCC has ruled that higher levels of indirect foreign ownership, even up to 100%, are presumptively consistent with the public interest, but must be reviewed and approved. Consistent with that established policy, the FCC has issued a declaratory ruling authorizing up to 100% ownership of our Company by DT.

For our Educational Broadband Service (“EBS”) licenses in the 2.5 GHz band, FCC rules previously limited eligibility to hold EBS licenses to accredited educational institutions and certain governmental, religious and nonprofit entities, while permitting those license holders to lease their licenses to commercial providers for non-educational purposes. Therefore, we have historically accessed EBS spectrum primarily through long-term leasing arrangements with EBS license holders. Our EBS spectrum leases typically have an initial term equal to the remaining term of the EBS license, with an option to renew the lease for additional terms, for a total lease term of up to 30 years. On April 27, 2020, the FCC lifted the restriction on who can hold EBS licenses and the 30-year limitation on lease duration, among other changes. The elimination of these restrictions allows current license holders to sell their licenses, including to T-Mobile. While a majority of our leases have contractual provisions enabling us to match offers, we may be forced to compete with others to purchase 2.5 GHz licenses on the secondary market and expend additional capital earlier than we may have anticipated. T-Mobile has started to acquire some of these EBS licenses, but we continue to lease spectrum in this band and expect that to be the case for some time.

While the Communications Act generally preempts state and local governments from regulating the entry of, or the rates charged by, wireless communications services providers, certain state and local governments regulate other terms and conditions of wireless service, including billing, termination of service arrangements and the imposition of early termination fees, advertising, network outages, the use of devices while driving, service mapping, protection of consumer information, zoning and land use. Notwithstanding this federal preemption, several states are considering or have passed laws or regulations that could potentially set prices, minimum performance standards and/or restrictions on service discontinuation that could impact our business in those states.

In addition, following the FCC’s adoption of the 2017 Restoring Internet Freedom (“RIF”) Order reclassifying broadband internet access services as non-common carrier “information services”, a number of states have sought to impose state-specific net neutrality, rate-setting, and privacy requirements on providers’ broadband services. The FCC’s RIF Order expressly preempted such state efforts, which are inconsistent with the FCC’s federal deregulatory approach. In 2019, however, the DC Circuit issued a ruling largely upholding the RIF Order, but also vacating the portion of the ruling broadly preempting state/local measures regulating broadband services. The court left open the prospect that particular state laws could still unlawfully conflict with the FCC RIF Order and be preempted; court challenges to some state enactments are pending.

While most states pursuing net neutrality legislation are largely seeking to codify the repealed federal rules, there are differences in some states, notably California, which has passed separate privacy and net neutrality legislation, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, Virginia, Delaware, Indiana, Iowa, Montana, Oregon, Tennessee and Texas, which have passed privacy laws; and New York, which has passed a broadband rate-setting law. There are also efforts within Congress to pass federal legislation to codify uniform federal privacy and net neutrality requirements. Ensuring the preemption of separate state requirements, including the California laws, is critical to this effort. If not preempted or rescinded, separate state requirements will impose significant business costs and could also result in increased litigation costs and enforcement risks. State authority over wireless broadband services will remain unsettled until final action by the courts or Congress.

In addition, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) and other federal agencies have jurisdiction over some consumer protection matters and the elimination and prevention of anticompetitive business practices with respect to the provision of non-common carrier services. Further, the FCC and the Federal Aviation Administration regulate the siting, lighting and construction of transmitter towers and antennae. Tower siting and construction are also subject to state and local zoning, as well as federal statutes regarding environmental and historic preservation. The future costs to comply with all relevant regulations are, to some extent, unknown, and changes to regulations, or the applicability of regulations, could result in higher operating and capital expenses, or reduced revenues in the future.

Available Information

The SEC maintains an internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically at www.sec.gov (http://www.sec.gov). Our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) are also publicly available free of charge on the investor relations section of our website at investor.t-mobile.com as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. Our corporate governance guidelines, director selection guideline, code of ethics for senior financial officers, code of business conduct, speak up policy, supplier code of conduct, and charters for the audit, compensation, nominating and corporate governance, and executive committees of our Board of Directors are also posted on the investor relations section of our website at investor.t-mobile.com. The information on our website is not part of this or any other report we file with, or furnish to, the SEC.

In addition to the other information contained in this Form 10-K, the following risk factors should be considered carefully in evaluating T-Mobile. Our business, financial condition, liquidity, or operating results, as well as the price of our common stock and other securities, could be materially adversely affected by any of these risks.

Risks Related to Our Business

We operate in a highly competitive industry. If we are unable to attract and retain customers, our business, financial conditions, and operating results would be negatively affected.

The wireless communications services industry is highly competitive. As the industry reaches saturation with a relatively fixed pool of customers, competition will likely further intensify, putting pressure on pricing and margins for us and all our competitors. Our ability to attract and retain customers will depend on key factors such as network quality and capacity, customer service excellence, effective marketing strategies, competitive pricing, and compelling value propositions. Additionally, targeted marketing approaches for diverse customer segments, including Prepaid, Postpaid, Business and Government customers, coupled with continuous innovation in products and services, are essential for retaining and expanding our customer base. If we are unable to successfully differentiate our services from our competitors, it would adversely affect our competitive position and ability to grow our business.

We have seen and expect to continue to see intense competition in all market segments from traditional Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), such as AT&T and Verizon, particularly as they invest in spectrum, their wireless network and services, and device promotions, and DISH as it continues to build out its wireless network and roll out services. Numerous other smaller and regional MNOs and MVNOs offering wireless services may also compete with us in some markets, including cable providers, such as Comcast, Charter, Cox, and Altice, as they continue to diversify their offerings to include wireless services offered under MVNO agreements. As new products and services emerge, we may also be forced to compete against non-traditional competitors from outside of the wireless communications services industry, such as satellite providers, offering similar connectivity services using alternative technologies. In broadband connectivity services, AT&T and Verizon, as well as numerous other players, such as satellite providers and cable companies, compete for customers in an increasingly competitive environment.

If we are unable to compete effectively in attracting and retaining customers, it could negatively impact our business, financial condition, and operating results.

We have experienced criminal cyberattacks and are vulnerable to disruption, data loss and other security breaches, whether directly or indirectly through third parties whose products and services we rely on in operating our business.

Our business involves the receipt, storage, and transmission of confidential information about our customers, such as sensitive personal, account and payment card information, confidential information about our employees and suppliers, and other sensitive information about our Company, such as our business plans, transactions, financial information, and intellectual property (collectively, “Confidential Information”). Additionally, to offer services to our customers and operate our business, we utilize a number of applications and systems, including those we own and operate as well as others provided by third-party providers, such as cloud services (collectively, “Systems”).

We are subject to persistent cyberattacks and threats to our business from a variety of bad actors, many of whom attempt to gain unauthorized access to and compromise Confidential Information and Systems. In some cases, the bad actors exploit bugs, errors, misconfigurations or other vulnerabilities in our Systems to obtain Confidential Information. In other cases, these bad actors may obtain unauthorized access to Confidential Information by exploiting insider access or utilizing log in credentials taken from our customers, employees, or third-party providers through credential harvesting, social engineering or other means. Other bad actors aim to cause serious operational disruptions to our business and Systems through ransomware or distributed denial of services attacks.

Cyberattacks against companies like ours have increased in frequency and scope of potential harm over time, and the methods used to gain unauthorized access constantly evolve, making it increasingly difficult to anticipate, prevent, and detect incidents successfully in every instance. They are perpetrated by a variety of groups and persons, including state-sponsored parties, malicious actors, employees, contractors, or other unrelated third parties. Some of these persons reside in jurisdictions where law enforcement measures to address such attacks are ineffective or unavailable, and such attacks may even be perpetrated by or at the behest of foreign governments.

In addition, we routinely rely upon third-party providers whose products and services are used in our business. These third-party providers have experienced in the past, and will continue to experience in the future, cyberattacks that involve attempts to obtain unauthorized access to our Confidential Information and/or to create operational disruptions that could adversely affect our business, and these providers also face other security challenges common to all parties that collect and process information.

In August 2021, we disclosed that our systems were subject to a criminal cyberattack that compromised certain data of millions of our current customers, former customers, and prospective customers, including, in some instances, social security numbers, names, addresses, dates of birth and driver’s license/identification numbers. As a result of the August 2021 cyberattack, we are subject to numerous claims, lawsuits and regulatory inquiries, the ongoing costs of which may be material, and we may be subject to further regulatory inquiries and private litigation. For more information, see “– Contingencies and Litigation – Litigation and Regulatory Matters” in Note 17 – Commitments and Contingencies of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

In January 2023, we disclosed that a bad actor was obtaining data through a single Application Programming Interface (“API”) without authorization that was only able to provide a limited set of customer account data, including name, billing address, email, phone number, date of birth, T-Mobile account number and information such as the number of lines on the account and plan features. Our investigation indicated that the bad actor(s) obtained data from this API for approximately 37 million current postpaid and prepaid customer accounts, though many of these accounts did not include the full data set.

As a result of the August 2021 cyberattack and the January 2023 cyberattack, we have incurred and may continue to incur significant costs or experience other material financial impacts, which may not be covered by, or may exceed the coverage limits of, our cyber liability insurance, and such costs and impacts may have a material adverse effect on our business, reputation, financial condition, cash flows and operating results.

In addition to the August 2021 cyberattack and the January 2023 cyberattack, we have experienced other unrelated non-material incidents involving unauthorized access to certain Confidential Information and Systems. Typically, these incidents have involved attempts to commit fraud by taking control of a customer’s phone line, often by exploiting insider access or using compromised credentials. In other cases, the incidents have involved unauthorized access to certain of our customers’ private information, including credit card information, financial data, social security numbers or passwords, and to certain of our intellectual property. Some of these incidents have occurred at third-party providers, including third parties who provide us with various Systems and others who sell our products and services through retail locations or take care of our customers.

Our procedures and safeguards to prevent unauthorized access to Confidential Information and to defend against cyberattacks seeking to disrupt our operations must be continually evaluated and enhanced to address the ever-evolving threat landscape and changing cybersecurity regulations. These preventative actions require the investment of significant resources and management time and attention. Additionally, we do not have control of the cybersecurity systems, breach prevention, and response protocols of our third-party providers, including through our cybersecurity programs or policies. While T-Mobile may have contractual rights to assess the effectiveness of many of our providers’ systems and protocols, we do not have the means to know or assess the effectiveness of all of our providers’ systems and controls at all times. We cannot provide any assurances that actions taken by us, or our third-party providers, including through our cybersecurity programs or policies, will adequately repel a significant cyberattack or prevent or substantially mitigate the impacts of cybersecurity breaches or misuses of Confidential Information, unauthorized access to our networks or systems or exploits against third-party environments, or that we, or our third-party providers, will be able to effectively identify, investigate, and remediate such incidents in a timely manner or at all. We expect to continue to be the target of cyberattacks, given the nature of our business, and we expect the same with respect to our third-party providers. We also expect that threat actors will continue to gain sophistication including in the use of tools and techniques (such as artificial intelligence) that are specifically designed to circumvent security controls, evade detection, and obfuscate forensic evidence, making it more challenging for us to identify, investigate and recover from future cyberattacks in a timely and effective manner. In addition, we have acquired and continue to acquire companies with cybersecurity vulnerabilities or unsophisticated security measures, which exposes us to significant cybersecurity, operational, and financial risks. If we fail to protect Confidential Information or to prevent operational disruptions from future cyberattacks, there may be a material adverse effect on our business, reputation, financial condition, cash flows, and operating results.

If we are unable to take advantage of technological developments on a timely basis, we may experience a decline in demand for our services or face challenges in implementing or evolving our business strategy.

In order to grow and remain competitive, we will need to adapt to changes in available technology, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, continually invest in our network, increase network capacity, enhance our existing service offerings, and introduce new offerings to meet our current and potential customers’ changing service demands. Enhancing our network, including the ongoing deployment of our 5G network, is subject to risks related to equipment changes and the migration of customers from older technologies. Negative public perception of, and regulations regarding, the perceived health risks relating to 5G networks could undermine market acceptance of our 5G services. Adopting new and sophisticated technologies may result in implementation issues, such as scheduling and supplier delays, unexpected or increased costs, technological constraints, regulatory permitting issues, customer dissatisfaction, and other issues that could cause delays in launching new technological capabilities, which in turn could result in significant costs or reduce the anticipated benefits of the upgrades. If our new services fail to retain or gain acceptance in the marketplace or if costs associated with these services are higher than anticipated, this could have a material adverse effect on our business, brand, financial condition, and operating results.

We rely on highly skilled personnel throughout all levels of our business. Our business could be harmed if we are unable to retain or motivate key personnel, hire qualified personnel, or maintain our corporate culture.

Our future success depends in substantial part on our ability to recruit, hire, motivate, develop, and retain talented personnel for all areas of our organization, including our CEO and members of our senior leadership team. Both external factors, such as fluctuations in economic and industry conditions, changes in U.S. immigration policies, and the competitive landscape, and internal factors, such as employee tolerance for changes in our corporate culture, organizational changes, limited remote working opportunities, and our compensation programs, may impact our ability to effectively manage our workforce. Further, employee compensation and benefit costs may increase due to inflationary pressures, and if our compensation does not keep up with inflation or that of our competitors’, we may see increased employee dissatisfaction and departures or difficulty in recruiting new employees. If key employees depart or we are unable to recruit and integrate new employees successfully, our business could be negatively impacted.

System failures and business disruptions may prevent us from providing reliable service, which could materially adversely affect our reputation and financial condition.

We rely upon systems and networks – those of third-party suppliers and other providers, in addition to our own – to provide and support our service offerings. System, network, or infrastructure failures resulting from a number of causes may prevent us from providing reliable service. Examples of these risks include:

• physical damage, power surges or outages, equipment failure, or other service disruptions with respect to both our wireless and wireline networks, including those resulting from severe weather, storms, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, wildfires and natural disasters, which may occur more frequently or with greater intensity as a result of global climate change, public health crises, terrorist attacks, political instability and volatility and acts of war;
• human error due to factors such as poor change management or policy compliance;
• risks to our access to and use of reliable energy and water;
• hardware or software failures or outages of our business systems or communications network;
• supplier failures or delays; and
• potential shifts in physical conditions due to climate change, such as sea-level rise or changes in temperature or precipitation patterns, may impact the operating conditions of our infrastructure or other infrastructure we rely on.

Such events could cause us to lose customers and revenue, incur expenses, suffer reputational damage, and subject us to fines, penalties, adverse actions or judgments, litigation, or governmental investigations. Remediation costs could include liability for information loss, costs of repairing infrastructure and systems, and/or costs of incentives offered to customers. Our insurance may not cover or may not be adequate to fully reimburse us for costs and losses associated with such events, and such events may also impact the availability of insurance at costs and other terms we find acceptable for future events.

The scarcity and cost of additional wireless spectrum, and regulations relating to spectrum use, may adversely affect our business, financial condition, and operating results.

We continue to deploy spectrum to expand and deepen our 5G coverage, maintain our quality of service, meet increasing customer demands, and deploy new technologies. In order to expand and differentiate from our competitors, we will continue to actively seek to make additional investment in spectrum, which could be significant.

The continued interest in, and acquisition of, spectrum by existing carriers and others, including speculators, may reduce our ability to acquire and/or increase the cost of acquiring spectrum in the secondary market, including leasing, or purchasing additional spectrum in the 2.5 GHz band, or negatively impact our ability to gain access to spectrum through other means, including government auctions. Additionally, increased interest from third parties in acquiring spectrum may make it difficult to renew leases of some of our existing 2.5 GHz spectrum holdings in the future. Furthermore, we have experienced delays in obtaining the spectrum from Auction 108, where we spent $304 million and won over 90% of the 2.5GHz licenses, due to the FCC losing its congressional auction authority to administer spectrum licenses. Subsequently, the FCC may not be able to provide sufficient additional spectrum to auction. In addition, we may be unable to secure the spectrum necessary to maintain or enhance our competitive position in any auction we may elect to participate in or in the secondary market, on favorable terms or at all. Any return on our investment in spectrum depends on our ability to attract additional customers, to provide additional services and usage to existing customers, and to efficiently manage network capacity.

The FCC, or other government entities, may impose conditions on the acquisition and use of new wireless broadband mobile spectrum that may negatively impact our ability to obtain spectrum economically or in appropriate configurations or coverage areas.

If we cannot acquire needed spectrum from the government or otherwise, if competitors acquire spectrum that will allow them to provide services competitive with our services, or if we cannot deploy services over acquired spectrum on a timely basis without burdensome conditions, at reasonable cost, and while maintaining network quality levels, our ability to attract and retain customers and our business, financial condition and operating results could be materially adversely affected.

As we work to modernize our existing applications and systems, challenges with execution could have adverse operational, financial, and reputational effects on our business.

We are currently integrating, upgrading, and replacing many of our existing applications and systems, including numerous legacy systems from previous acquisitions. This process is complex and involves challenges in integrating and modernizing outdated IT infrastructure within a limited timeframe. The success of these efforts depends on the effective allocation of resources, expansion of our technology development capabilities, leveraging artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, and ensuring access to subject-matter experts. Any delays or failures in these initiatives could impact our ability to comply with legal or regulatory requirements, ensure reliable system performance and effective cybersecurity, recover promptly from system outages, and maintain satisfactory customer and employee experiences. These issues could also hinder our ability to meet customer expectations in terms of future service capabilities and offerings and to grow our business, potentially affecting our operational and financial results and our reputational standing.

The challenges in satisfying the large number of Government Commitments in the required time frames and the significant cumulative cost incurred in tracking, monitoring, and complying with them over multiple years could continue to adversely impact our business, financial condition, and operating results.

In connection with the regulatory proceedings and approvals required to close the Transactions, we agreed to fulfill various Government Commitments. These Government Commitments include, among other things, extensive 5G network build-out commitments, obligations to deliver high-speed wireless services to the vast majority of Americans and marketing our in-home fixed wireless product to households where spectrum capacity is sufficient. Other Government Commitments relate to national security, pricing and availability of rate plans, employment, substantial monetary contributions to support several different organizations, and implementation of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Most Government Commitments have specified time frames for compliance and reporting, and we continue to focus on taking the actions required to fulfill them. Any failure to fulfill our obligations under these Government Commitments in a timely manner could result in substantial fines, penalties, or other legal and administrative actions and/or reputational harm.

We expect to continue incurring significant costs, expenses, and fees to track, monitor, comply with and fulfill our obligations under these Government Commitments over a number of years. In addition, abiding by the Government Commitments may divert our management’s time and energy away from other business operations and could force us to make business decisions we would not otherwise make and forego taking actions that might be beneficial to the Company. The challenges in continuing to satisfy the large number of Government Commitments in the required time frames and the cost incurred in tracking, monitoring, and complying with them could also adversely impact our business, financial condition, and operating results and hinder our ability to effectively compete.

Economic, political and market conditions may adversely affect our business, financial condition, and operating results.

Our business, financial condition, and operating results are sensitive to changes in general economic conditions, including interest rates, consumer credit conditions, consumer debt levels, consumer confidence, unemployment rates, economic growth, energy costs, rates of inflation (or concerns about deflation), supply chain disruptions, impacts of current geopolitical conflict or instability, such as the Ukraine-Russia and Israel-Hamas wars and further escalations thereof, and other macroeconomic factors.

The wireless industry, broadly, is dependent on population growth, as a result, we expect the wireless industry’s customer growth rate to be moderate in comparison with historical growth rates, leading to ongoing competition for customers. In addition, the Government Commitments place certain limitations on our ability to increase prices, which limits our ability to pass along growing costs to customers. Rising prices for goods, services, and labor due to inflation could adversely impact our margins and/or growth.

Our services and device financing plans are available to a broad customer base, a significant segment of which may be vulnerable to weak economic conditions, particularly our subprime customers. We may have greater difficulty in gaining new customers within this segment, and existing customers may be more likely to terminate service and default on device financing plans due to an inability to pay.

Weak economic and credit conditions may also adversely impact our suppliers, dealers, and wholesale partners or MVNOs, some of which may file for bankruptcy, or may experience cash flow or liquidity problems, or may be unable to obtain or refinance credit such that they may no longer be able to operate. Any of these could adversely impact our ability to distribute, market, or sell our products and services.

Sociopolitical volatility and polarization may adversely affect our business operations and reputation.

The current sociopolitical environment is characterized by deep complexity, volatility, and polarization on various social and political issues. The increasing intersection of technology and politics has led to rapid and unpredictable shifts in public sentiment. Social media and digital platforms have amplified the voices of various stakeholders, creating the potential for swift change in public opinion and stronger reactions to corporate actions. As a company that sells products and services across the nation to millions of customers, these dynamics increase the risk of potential reputational damage, boycotts, and shifts in consumer behavior that could adversely affect our sales and profitability. In this fluid and volatile sociopolitical environment, our ability to respond effectively, sensitively, and authentically to the expectations and concerns of our customers, employees, and other stakeholders is key to mitigating these risks. If we are unable to manage these challenges effectively, there may be adverse impacts to our business, reputation, financial condition, and operating results.

Our business may be adversely impacted if we are not able to successfully manage the ongoing arrangements entered into in connection with the Prepaid Transaction and known or unknown liabilities arising in connection therewith.

In connection with the closing of the Prepaid Transaction, we and DISH entered into certain arrangements, including a Master Network Services Agreement (the “MNSA”) and a License Purchase Agreement (as amended, the “DISH License Purchase Agreement”). Pursuant to the MNSA, DISH will receive network services from the Company for a period of seven years. As set forth in the MNSA, the Company provides DISH, among other things, (a) legacy network services for certain Boost Mobile prepaid end users on the Sprint network, (b) T-Mobile network services for certain end users that have been migrated to the T-Mobile network or provisioned on the T-Mobile network by or on behalf of DISH and (c) infrastructure mobile network operator services to assist in the access and integration of the DISH network. Pursuant to the DISH License Purchase Agreement, DISH has agreed to purchase all of Sprint’s 800 MHz spectrum (approximately 13.5 MHz of nationwide spectrum) for a total of $3.6 billion. Pursuant to an amendment to the DISH License Purchase Agreement (the “LPS Amendment”) executed by us and DISH and approved by the Court along with a proposed amendment to the Final Judgment on October 23, 2023, if DISH fails to purchase such spectrum on or prior to April 1, 2024, then DISH’s sole liability will be that the Company can retain a non-refundable extension fee of $100 million. In such instance, absent prior approval from the U.S. Department of Justice, T-Mobile is required to conduct an auction sale of all of Sprint’s 800 MHz spectrum under the terms set forth in the Final Judgment, but would not be required to divest such spectrum for an amount less than $3.6 billion.

Failure to successfully manage these ongoing arrangements entered into in connection with the Prepaid Transaction and liabilities arising in connection therewith may result in material unanticipated problems, including diversion of management time and energy, significant expenses and liabilities. There may also be other potential adverse consequences and unforeseen increased expenses or liabilities associated with the Prepaid Transaction, the occurrence of which could materially impact our business, financial condition, liquidity and operating results. In addition, there may be an increase in competition from DISH and other third parties that DISH may enter into commercial agreements with, who are significantly larger and have greater resources and scale advantages as compared to us. Such increased competition may result in our loss of customers and other business relationships.

Any acquisition, divestiture, investment, or merger may subject us to significant risks, any of which may harm our business.

We may pursue acquisitions of, investments in or mergers with other companies, or the acquisition of technologies, services, products or other assets, that we believe would complement or expand our business. We may also elect to divest some of our assets to third parties. Some of these potential transactions could be significant relative to the size of our business and operations. Any such transaction would involve a number of risks and could present financial, managerial and operational challenges, including:

• diversion of management attention from running our existing business;
• increased costs to integrate the networks, spectrum, technology, personnel, customer base and business practices of the company involved in any such transaction with our business;
• potential loss of talent during integration due to differences in culture, locations, or other factors;
• difficulties in effectively integrating the financial, operational and sustainability systems of the business involved in any such transaction into (or supplanting such systems with) our financial, operational and sustainability reporting infrastructure and internal control framework in an effective and timely manner;
• potential exposure to material liabilities not discovered in the due diligence process or as a result of any litigation arising in connection with any such transaction;
• significant transaction-related expenses in connection with any such transaction, whether consummated or not;
• risks related to our ability to obtain any required regulatory approvals necessary to consummate any such transaction; and
• any business, technology, service, or product involved in any such transaction may significantly under-perform relative to our expectations, and we may not achieve the benefits we expect from the transaction, which could, among other things, also result in a write-down of goodwill and other intangible assets associated with such transaction.

For any or all of these reasons, as well as unknown risks, acquisitions, divestitures, investments, or mergers may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and operating results.

We rely on third parties to provide products and services for the operation of our business, and the failure or inability of such parties to provide these products or services could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and operating results.

We have a diverse set of suppliers to help us develop, maintain, and troubleshoot products and services such as wireless and wireline network components, software development services, and billing and customer service support. However, in certain areas such as, billing services, voice, and data communications transport services, wireless or wireline network infrastructure equipment, handsets, other devices, back-office processes and payment processing, there are a limited number of suppliers who can provide adequate support for us, which decreases our flexibility to switch to alternative third parties. Unexpected termination of our arrangement with any of these suppliers or difficulties in renewing our commercial arrangements with them could have a material and adverse effect on our business operations.

Our suppliers are also subject to their own risks, including, but not limited to, economic, financial and credit conditions, labor force disruptions, geopolitical tensions, disruptions in global supply chain and the risks of natural catastrophic events (such as earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, storms, heatwaves and fires), energy shortages, power outages, equipment failures, terrorist attacks or other hostile acts, and public health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic (the “Pandemic”), which may result in performance below the levels required by their contracts. Our business could be severely disrupted if critical suppliers or service providers fail to comply with their contracts or if we experience delays or service degradation during any transition to a new outsourcing provider or other supplier or if we are required to replace the supplied products or services with those from another source, especially if the replacement becomes necessary on short notice. Any such disruptions could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and operating results.

Further, some of our suppliers may provide services from outside of the United States, which carries additional regulatory and legal obligations. We rely on suppliers to provide us with contractual assurances and to disclose accurate information regarding risks associated with their provision of products or services in accordance with our policies and standards, including our Supplier Code of Conduct and our third-party risk management practices. The failure of our suppliers to comply with our expectations and policies could expose us to additional legal and litigation risks and lead to unexpected contract terminations.

Risks Related to Our Indebtedness

Our substantial level of indebtedness could adversely affect our business flexibility and ability to service our debt, and increase our borrowing costs.

We have, and we expect that we will continue to have, a substantial amount of debt. Our substantial level of indebtedness could have the effect of, among other things, reducing our flexibility in responding to changing business, economic, market and industry conditions and increasing the amount of cash required to service our debt. In addition, this level of indebtedness may also reduce funds available for capital expenditures, any Board-approved share repurchases, dividends or other activities. Those impacts may put us at a competitive disadvantage relative to other companies with lower debt levels. Further, we may need to incur substantial additional indebtedness in the future, subject to the restrictions contained in our debt instruments, if any, which could increase the risks associated with our capital structure.

Our ability to service our substantial debt obligations will depend on future performance, which will be affected by business, economic, market and industry conditions and other factors. There is no guarantee that we will be able to generate sufficient cash flow to service our debt obligations when due. If we are unable to meet such obligations or fail to comply with the financial and other restrictive covenants contained in the agreements governing such debt obligations, we may be required to refinance all or part of our debt, sell important strategic assets at unfavorable prices or make additional borrowings. We may not be able to, at any given time, refinance our debt, sell assets, or make additional borrowings on commercially reasonable terms or at all, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and operating results.

Changes in credit market conditions and other factors could adversely affect our ability to raise debt favorably.

Instability in the global financial markets, inflation, policies of various governmental and regulatory agencies, including changes in monetary policy and interest rates, and other general economic conditions could lead to volatility in the credit and equity markets. This volatility could limit our access to the capital markets, leading to higher borrowing costs or, in some cases, the inability to obtain financing on terms that are acceptable to us or at all. Further, deterioration in our operating performance may lead to a decrease in our credit ratings, which could also impact our ability to access the debt capital markets at rates favorable or acceptable to us.

In addition, any hedging agreements we may enter into to limit our exposure to interest rate increases or foreign currency fluctuations may not offer complete protection from these risks or may be unsuccessful, and consequently may effectively increase the interest rate we pay on our debt or the exchange rate with respect to any debt we may incur in a foreign currency, and any portion not subject to such hedging agreements would have full exposure to interest rate increases or foreign currency fluctuations, as applicable. If any financial institutions that are parties to our hedging agreements were to default on their payment obligations to us, declare bankruptcy or become insolvent, we would be unhedged against the underlying exposures. Any posting of collateral by us under our hedging agreements and the modification or termination of any of our hedging agreements could negatively impact our liquidity or other financial metrics. Any of these risks could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and operating results.

Risks Related to Legal and Regulatory Matters

Failure to maintain effective internal controls in accordance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act could result in a loss of investor confidence regarding our financial statements and reputational damage.

Under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, we, along with our independent registered public accounting firm, are required to report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. There can be no assurance that remediation of any material weaknesses that may be identified would be completed in a timely manner or that the remedial measures will prevent other control deficiencies or material weaknesses. If we are unable to remediate material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting, then our ability to analyze, record and report financial information free of material misstatements, to prepare financial statements within the time periods specified by the rules and forms of the SEC and otherwise to comply with the requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act would be negatively impacted. As a result, we may experience negative impacts to our business financial condition or operating results, which would restrict our ability to access the capital markets, require the expenditure of significant resources to correct the weaknesses or deficiencies, subject us to fines, penalties, investigations, or judgments, harm our reputation, or otherwise cause a decline in trading price of our stock and investor confidence.

Changes in regulations or in the regulatory framework under which we operate could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and operating results.

We are subject to regulatory oversight by various federal, state, and local agencies, as well as judicial review and actions, on issues related to the wireless industry that include, but are not limited to, roaming, interconnection, spectrum allocation and licensing, facilities siting, pole attachments, intercarrier compensation, Universal Service Fund (“USF”), 911 services, robocalling/robotexting, consumer protection, consumer privacy, and cybersecurity. We are also subject to regulations in connection with other aspects of our business, including device financing and insurance activities.

The FCC regulates the licensing, construction, modification, operation, ownership, sale, and interconnection of wireless communications systems, as do some state and local regulatory agencies. In particular, the FCC imposes significant regulation on licensees of wireless spectrum with respect to how radio spectrum is used by licensees, the nature of the services that licensees may offer and how the services may be offered, and the resolution of issues of interference between operators in the same or adjacent spectrum bands. Changes necessary to resolve interference issues or concerns may have a significant impact on our ability to fully utilize our spectrum. Additionally, the FTC and other federal and state agencies have asserted that they have jurisdiction over some consumer protection matters, and the elimination and prevention of anticompetitive business practices with respect to the provision of wireless products and services.

We cannot assure that the FCC or any other federal, state, or local agencies will not adopt regulations, change or discontinue existing programs, implement new programs, or take enforcement or other actions that would adversely affect our business, impose new costs, or require changes in current or planned operations, including timing of the shutdown of legacy technologies. For example, in 2015 and 2016, the FCC established net neutrality and privacy regimes that applied to our operations. Both sets of rules potentially subjected some of our initiatives and practices to more burdensome requirements and heightened scrutiny by federal and state regulators, the public, edge providers, and private litigants regarding whether such initiatives or practices are compliant. While the FCC rules were largely rolled back in 2017, the FCC recently initiated a rulemaking proceeding proposing to reinstate the net neutrality rules, to reassert authority in the broadband privacy arena, and to subject broadband offerings to other forms of regulatory oversight. In addition, the current FCC updated transparency obligations to require nutrition-style broadband label disclosures in 2024 that could prompt regulatory inquiries. In addition, some states and other jurisdictions have enacted laws in these areas (including, for example, California and other states’ net neutrality laws, the CCPA and CPRA as discussed below) and others are considering enacting similar laws. It also is uncertain what rules may be promulgated under the current administration (e.g., the FTC has discussed promulgating privacy rules), perpetuating the risk and uncertainty regarding the regulatory environment and compliance around these issues.

In addition, states are increasingly focused on the quality of service and support that wireless communications service providers provide to their customers and several states have proposed or enacted new and potentially burdensome regulations in this area. We also face potential investigations by, and inquiries from or actions by state public utility commissions. We also cannot assure that Congress will not amend the Communications Act, from which the FCC obtains its authority, and which serves to limit state authority, or enact other legislation in a manner that could be adverse to our business.

Further, government funded programs, such as the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) or Lifeline program, may discontinue due to the exhaustion of funding, which could result in the reduction in low-income customers and the associated revenue.

Failure to comply with applicable regulations could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and operating results. We could be subject to fines, forfeitures, and other penalties (including, in extreme cases, revocation of our spectrum licenses) for failure to comply with the FCC or other governmental regulations, even if any such noncompliance was unintentional. The loss of any licenses, or any related fines or forfeitures, could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and operating results.

Laws and regulations relating to the handling of privacy and data protection may result in increased costs, legal claims, fines against us, or reputational damage.

Since 2020, a number of states have enacted new, comprehensive privacy laws that create new data privacy rights for residents of those states and new compliance obligations for us and the industry in general, in addition to private rights of action for certain types of data breaches. These include the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”), recently modified by the California Privacy Rights Act (“CPRA”), similar laws in Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, and Virginia that went into effect in 2023, and similar laws in Delaware, Indiana, Iowa, Montana, Oregon, Tennessee, and Texas that will go into effect in the next few years. Pending legislation in several other states would create similar laws elsewhere. All of these new privacy laws and others that we expect to be developed and enacted going forward will impose additional data protection obligations and potential liability on companies such as ours doing business in those states. Further, privacy laws also limit our ability to collect and use personal information.

We have incurred and will continue to incur significant implementation costs to ensure compliance with the CCPA, the CPRA, new privacy laws in other states, and their related regulations, including managing the complexity of laws that vary from state to state. Both federal and state governments are considering additional privacy laws and regulations which, if passed, could further impact our business, strategies, offerings, and initiatives and cause us to incur further costs. Any actual or perceived failure to comply with the CCPA, CPRA, other data privacy laws or regulations, or related contractual or other obligations, or any perceived privacy rights violation, could lead to investigations, claims, and proceedings by governmental entities and private parties, damages for contract breaches, and other significant costs, penalties, and other liabilities, as well as harm to our reputation and market position.

Unfavorable outcomes of legal proceedings may adversely affect our business, reputation, financial condition, cash flows and operating results.

We and our affiliates are involved in various disputes, governmental and/or regulatory inspections, investigations and proceedings, mass arbitrations and litigation matters. Such legal proceedings can be complex, costly, and highly disruptive to our business operations by diverting the attention and energy of management and other key personnel.

In connection with the Transactions, we became subject to a number of legal proceedings, including a putative shareholder class action and derivative lawsuit and a putative antitrust class action. For more information, see “– Contingencies and Litigation – Litigation and Regulatory Matters” in Note 17 – Commitments and Contingencies of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements. It is possible that stockholders of T-Mobile and/or Sprint may file additional putative class action lawsuits or shareholder derivative actions against the Company and the legacy T-Mobile board of directors and/or the legacy Sprint board of directors. Among other remedies, these stockholders could seek damages. The outcome of any litigation is uncertain, and any such potential lawsuits could result in substantial costs and may be costly and distracting to management.

Additionally, on April 1, 2020, in connection with the closing of the Merger, we assumed the contingencies and litigation matters of Sprint. Those matters include a wide variety of disputes, claims, government agency investigations and enforcement actions and other proceedings. Unfavorable resolution of these matters could require us to make additional reimbursements and pay additional fines and penalties.

On February 28, 2020, we received a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture and Admonishment from the FCC, which proposed a penalty against us for allegedly violating Section 222 of the Communications Act and the FCC’s regulations governing the privacy of customer information. We recorded an accrual for an estimated payment amount as of March 31, 2020, which is included in Accounts payable and accrued liabilities on our Consolidated Balance Sheets.

As a result of the August 2021 cyberattack, we are subject to numerous lawsuits, including consolidated class action lawsuits seeking unspecified monetary damages, mass consumer arbitrations, a shareholder derivative lawsuit and inquiries by various government agencies, law enforcement and other governmental authorities, and we may be subject to further regulatory inquiries and private litigation. We are cooperating fully with regulators and vigorously defending against the class actions and other lawsuits. On July 22, 2022, we entered into an agreement to settle the consolidated class action lawsuit. On June 29, 2023, the Court issued an order granting final approval of the settlement, which is subject to potential appeals. Under the terms of the settlement, we would pay an aggregate of $350 million to fund claims submitted by class members, the legal fees of plaintiffs’ counsel and the costs of administering the settlement. We would also commit to an aggregate incremental spend of $150 million for data security and related technology in 2022 and 2023. We previously paid $35 million for claims administration purposes. On July 31, 2023, a class member filed an appeal to the final approval order challenging the Court’s award of attorneys’ fees to class counsel. We expect the remaining portion of the $350 million settlement payment to fund claims to be made once that appeal is resolved. In connection with the class action settlement and other settlements of separate consumer claims that have been previously completed or are currently pending, we recorded a total pre-tax charge of approximately $400 million during the three months ended June 30, 2022. In light of the inherent uncertainties involved in such matters and based on the information currently available to us, we believe it is reasonably possible that we could incur additional losses associated with these proceedings and inquiries, and we will continue to evaluate information as it becomes known and will record an estimate for losses at the time or times when it is both probable that a loss has been incurred and the amount of the loss is reasonably estimable. In addition, in connection with the January 2023 cyberattack, we have received notices of consumer class actions and regulatory inquires, to which we will continue to respond in due course. Ongoing legal and other costs related to these proceedings and inquiries, as well as any potential future proceedings and inquiries related to the August 2021 cyberattack and the January 2023 cyberattack, may be substantial, and losses associated with any adverse judgments, settlements, penalties or other resolutions of such proceedings and inquiries could be significant and have a material adverse impact on our business, reputation, financial condition, cash flows and operating results.

We, along with equipment manufacturers and other carriers, are subject to current and potential future lawsuits alleging adverse health effects arising from the use of wireless handsets or from wireless transmission equipment such as cell towers. In addition, the FCC has from time to time gathered data regarding wireless device emissions, and its assessment of the risks associated with using wireless devices may evolve based on its findings. Any of these allegations or changes in risk assessments could result in customers purchasing fewer devices and wireless services, could result in significant legal and regulatory liability, and could have a material adverse effect on our business, reputation, financial condition, cash flows and operating results.

The assessment of the outcome of legal proceedings, including our potential liability, if any, is a highly subjective process that requires judgments about future events that are not within our control. The amounts ultimately received or paid upon settlement or pursuant to final judgment, order or decree may differ materially from amounts accrued in our financial statements. In addition, litigation or similar proceedings could impose restraints on our current or future manner of doing business. Such potential outcomes including judgments, awards, settlements or orders could have a material adverse effect on our business, reputation, financial condition, cash flows and operating results.

Our business may be adversely impacted if we are not able to protect our intellectual property rights or if we infringe on the intellectual property rights of others.

We rely on a variety of intellectual property assets, including patents, copyrights, trademarks, and domains, to maintain our competitiveness. If we are unable to protect our intellectual property due to factors such as changes in US intellectual property laws, the value of our intellectual property may become impaired, which may adversely impact our business and financial results.

Additionally, we have faced and will continue to face various litigations alleging that our products or services infringe patents or other intellectual property of third parties. If successful, these litigations could result in an award of financial compensation, including damages or royalties, business disruptions, reputational harm, or an order requiring that we cease offering, selling, and using the relevant products, equipment, services, and network functions. Defending against such litigation is not only costly and time-consuming, but it may also be disruptive to our business operations and divert resources and attention. Furthermore, the outcomes of these litigations are inherently uncertain.

Our suppliers and vendors also have and will continue to face intellectual property litigation related to the technology used in the products, equipment, and services they provide to us. If successful, such litigation against our suppliers and vendors might impact their ability to continue to provide the relevant products, equipment, and services to us.

We offer regulated financial services products. These products expose us to a wide variety of state and federal regulations.

The financing of devices, such as through our EIP, JUMP! On Demand or other leasing programs, such as those acquired in the Merger, has expanded our regulatory compliance obligations. Failure to remain compliant with applicable regulations may increase our risk exposure in the following areas:

• consumer complaints and potential examinations or enforcement actions by federal and state regulatory agencies, including, but not limited to, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, state attorneys general, the FCC and the FTC; and
• regulatory fines, penalties, enforcement actions, civil litigation, and/or class action lawsuits. Failure to comply with applicable regulations and the realization of any of these risks could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and operating results.

Our business may be impacted by new or amended tax laws or regulations or administrative interpretations and judicial decisions affecting the scope or application of tax laws or regulations.

In connection with the products and services we sell, we calculate, collect, and remit various federal, state, and local taxes, fees and regulatory charges (“tax” or “taxes”) to numerous federal, state and local governmental authorities, including federal and state USF contributions and common carrier regulatory charges and public safety fees. As many of our service plans offer taxes and fees inclusive, our business results could be adversely impacted by increases in taxes and fees. In addition, we incur and pay state and local transaction taxes and fees on purchases of goods and services used in our business.

Tax laws are dynamic and subject to change as new laws are passed and new interpretations of the laws are issued or applied. In many cases, the application of existing, newly enacted or amended tax laws may be uncertain and subject to different interpretations, especially when evaluated against new technologies and telecommunications services, such as broadband internet access and cloud-related services and in the context of our merger with Sprint. Legislative changes, administrative interpretations and judicial decisions affecting the scope or application of tax laws could also impact revenue reported and taxes due on tax inclusive plans. Additionally, failure to comply with any of the tax laws could subject us to additional taxes, fines, penalties, or other adverse actions.

In the event that federal, state, and/or local municipalities were to significantly increase taxes and regulatory or public safety charges on our network, operations, or services, or seek to impose new taxes or charges, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and operating results.

Our wireless licenses are subject to renewal and may be revoked in the event that we violate applicable laws.

Our existing wireless licenses are subject to renewal upon the expiration of the period for which they are granted. Our licenses have been granted with an expectation of renewal and the FCC has approved our license renewal applications. However, the Communications Act provides that licenses may be revoked for cause and license renewal applications denied if the FCC determines that a renewal would not serve the public interest. If we fail to timely file to renew any wireless license or fail to meet any regulatory requirements for renewal, including construction and substantial service requirements, we could be denied a license renewal. Many of our wireless licenses are subject to interim or final construction requirements and there is no guarantee that the FCC will find our construction, or the construction of prior licensees, sufficient to meet the build-out or renewal requirements. Accordingly, we cannot assure that the FCC will renew our wireless licenses upon their expiration. If any of our wireless licenses were to be revoked or not renewed upon expiration, we would not be permitted to provide services under that license, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and operating results.

Risks Related to Ownership of Our Common Stock

Our Certificate of Incorporation designates the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware as the sole and exclusive forum for certain actions and proceedings, which could limit the ability of our stockholders to obtain a judicial forum of their choice for disputes with the Company or its directors, officers or employees.

Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Company, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or employee of the Company to the Company or its stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, the Certificate of Incorporation or the Company's bylaws or (iv) any other action asserting a claim arising under, in connection with, and governed by the internal affairs doctrine. This choice of forum provision does not waive our compliance with our obligations under the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. Moreover, the provision does not apply to suits brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or by the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

This choice of forum provision may increase costs to bring a claim, discourage claims or limit a stockholder's ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that the stockholder finds favorable for disputes with the Company or its directors, officers or employees, which may discourage such lawsuits against the Company and its directors, officers and employees, even though an action, if successful, might benefit our stockholders. Alternatively, if a court were to find the choice of forum provision to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could increase our costs of litigation and adversely affect our business and financial condition.

DT controls a majority of the voting power of our common stock and the T-Mobile trademarks we utilize in our business and may have interests that differ from the interests of our other stockholders.

DT is a party to that certain Proxy, Lock-Up and ROFR Agreement, dated as of April 1, 2020, by and between DT and SoftBank (the “SoftBank Proxy Agreement”). Pursuant to the SoftBank Proxy Agreement, at any meeting of our stockholders, the shares of our common stock beneficially owned by SoftBank will be voted in the manner as directed by DT. In addition, DT holds direct and indirect call options that give DT the right to acquire up to approximately 35 million shares of our common stock held by SoftBank.

Accordingly, DT controls a majority of the voting power of our common stock and therefore we are a “controlled company,” as defined in the NASDAQ Stock Market LLC (“NASDAQ”) listing rules, and we are not subject to NASDAQ requirements that would otherwise require us to have a majority of independent directors, a nominating committee composed solely of independent directors or a compensation committee composed solely of independent directors. Accordingly, our stockholders will not be afforded the same protections as stockholders of other NASDAQ-listed companies generally receive with respect to corporate governance for so long as we rely on these exemptions from the corporate governance requirements.

In addition, pursuant to our Certificate of Incorporation and the Second Amended and Restated Stockholders’ Agreement, as long as DT beneficially owns 30% or more of our outstanding common stock, we are restricted from taking certain actions without DT’s prior written consent, including (i) incurring indebtedness above certain levels based on a specified debt to cash flow ratio, (ii) taking any action that would cause a default under any instrument evidencing indebtedness involving DT or its affiliates, (iii) acquiring or disposing of assets or entering into mergers or similar acquisitions in excess of $1.0 billion, (iv) changing the size of our Board of Directors, (v) subject to certain exceptions, issuing equity of 10% or more of the then-outstanding shares of our common stock, or issuing equity to redeem debt held by DT, (vi) repurchasing or redeeming equity securities or making any extraordinary or in-kind dividend other than on a pro rata basis, or (vii) making certain changes involving our CEO. We are also restricted from amending our Certificate of Incorporation and bylaws in any manner that could adversely affect DT’s rights under the Second Amended and Restated Stockholders’ Agreement for as long as DT beneficially owns 5% or more of our outstanding common stock. These restrictions could prevent us from taking actions that our Board of Directors might otherwise determine are in the best interests of the Company and our stockholders, or that may be in the best interests of our other stockholders.

DT effectively has control over all matters submitted to our stockholders for approval, including the election or removal of directors, changes to our Certificate of Incorporation, a sale or merger of our Company and other transactions requiring stockholder approval under Delaware law. DT’s controlling interest may have the effect of making it more difficult for a third party to acquire, or discouraging a third party from seeking to acquire, the Company and DT, as the controlling stockholder, may have strategic, financial, or other interests different from those of our other stockholders, including as the holder of a portion of our debt and as the counterparty in a number of commercial arrangements, and may make decisions adverse to the interests of our other stockholders.

In addition, we license certain trademarks from DT, including the right to use the trademark “T-Mobile” as a name for the Company and our flagship brand under a trademark license agreement, as amended, with DT. As described in more detail in our Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on April 27, 2022 under the heading “Transactions with Related Persons and Approval,” we are obligated to pay DT a royalty in an amount equal to 0.25% (the “royalty rate”) of the net revenue (as defined in the trademark license) generated by products and services sold by the Company under the licensed trademarks subject to a cap of $80 million per calendar year through December 31, 2028. We and DT are obligated to negotiate a new trademark license when (i) DT has 50% or less of the voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company or (ii) any third party owns or controls, directly or indirectly, 50% or more of the voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company, or otherwise has the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of the Company. If we and DT fail to agree on a new trademark license, either we or DT may terminate the trademark license and such termination shall be effective, in the case of clause (i) above, on the third anniversary after a notice of termination and, in the case of clause (ii) above, on the second anniversary after a notice of termination. A further increase in the royalty rate or termination of the trademark license could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and operating results.

We cannot guarantee that our 2023-2024 Stockholder Return Program will be fully utilized or that it will enhance long-term stockholder value.

On September 6, 2023, our Board of Directors authorized a stockholder return program of up to $19.0 billion through December 31, 2024 (the “2023-2024 Stockholder Return Program”). The 2023-2024 Stockholder Return Program consists of repurchases of shares of our common stock and the payment of cash dividends, with the amount available under the 2023-2024 Stockholder Return Program for share repurchases reduced by the amount of any cash dividends declared by us. As of December 31, 2023, we had used $2.2 billion to repurchase shares and paid $747 million in dividends, leaving up to $16.0 billion available for repurchases and dividends through December 31, 2024. We expect to pay quarterly dividends totaling approximately $3.0 billion in 2024 and to repurchase up to approximately $13.0 billion of additional shares.

The specific timing and amount of any share repurchases, and the specific timing and amount of any dividend payments, under the 2023-2024 Stockholder Return Program will depend on prevailing share prices, general economic and market conditions, Company performance and other considerations, such as whether the Company determines that there are other uses for the funds currently authorized for the program that would be more advantageous for our business. In addition, the specific timing and amount of any dividend payments are subject to declaration on future dates by the Board in its sole discretion. The 2023-2024 Stockholder Return Program could impact our cash flows and affect the trading price of our common stock and increase volatility. We cannot guarantee that the 2023-2024 Stockholder Return Program will be fully consummated or that it will enhance long-term stockholder value. The 2023-2024 Stockholder Return Program does not obligate the Company to acquire any particular amount of common stock or to declare and pay any particular amount of dividends, and the 2023-2024 Stockholder Return Program may be suspended or discontinued at any time at the Company’s discretion. Any announcement of termination of the 2023-2024 Stockholder Return Program may result in a decrease in the price of our common stock.

Future sales of our common stock by DT and SoftBank and foreign ownership limitations by the FCC could have a negative impact on our stock price and decrease the value of our stock.

We cannot predict the effect, if any, that market sales of shares of our common stock by DT or SoftBank will have on the prevailing trading price of our common stock. Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock could cause our stock price to decline.

We and DT are parties to the Second Amended and Restated Stockholders’ Agreement pursuant to which DT is free to transfer its shares in public sales without notice, as long as such transactions would not result in a third party owning more than 30% of the outstanding shares of our common stock. If a transfer were to exceed the 30% threshold, it would be prohibited unless the transfer were approved by our Board of Directors, or the transferee were to make a binding offer to purchase all of the other outstanding shares on the same price and terms. The Second Amended and Restated Stockholders’ Agreement does not otherwise impose any other restrictions on the sales of common stock by DT. Moreover, the Second Amended and Restated Stockholders’ Agreement generally requires us to cooperate with DT to facilitate the resale of our common stock or debt securities held by DT under shelf registration statements we have filed.

The sale of shares of our common stock by DT or SoftBank (other than in transactions involving the purchase of all of our outstanding shares) could significantly increase the number of shares available in the market, which could cause a decrease in our stock price. In addition, even if DT or SoftBank does not sell a large number of their shares into the market, their rights to transfer a large number of shares into the market could depress our stock price.

Furthermore, under existing law, no more than 20% of an FCC licensee’s capital stock may be directly owned, or no more than 25% indirectly owned, or voted by non-U.S. citizens or their representatives, by a foreign government or its representatives or by a foreign corporation. If an FCC licensee is controlled by another entity, up to 25% of that entity’s capital stock may be owned or voted by non-U.S. citizens or their representatives, by a foreign government or its representatives or by a foreign corporation. Foreign ownership above the 25% holding company level may be allowed if the FCC finds such higher levels consistent with the public interest. The FCC has ruled that higher levels of foreign ownership, even up to 100%, are presumptively consistent with the public interest with respect to investors from certain nations. If our foreign ownership by previously unapproved foreign parties were to exceed the permitted level without further FCC authorization, the FCC could subject us to a range of penalties, including an order for us to divest the foreign ownership in part, fines, license revocation or denials of license renewals. If ownership of our common stock by an unapproved foreign entity were to become subject to such limitations, or if any ownership of our common stock violates any other rule or regulation of the FCC applicable to us, our Certificate of Incorporation provides for certain redemption provisions at a pre-determined price which may be less than fair market value. These limitations and our Certificate of Incorporation may limit our ability to attract additional equity financing outside the United States and decrease the value of our common stock.

Risk Management and Strategy

Our Cybersecurity Approach and Integration

We have implemented processes for overseeing and identifying material risks from cybersecurity threats, and our cybersecurity processes are integrated into the Company’s overall risk management system and processes. As part of management’s oversight of cybersecurity, our Chief Security Officer (“CSO”) presents on our cybersecurity practices to the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of our Board of Directors (the “NCG Committee”) and to our full Board of Directors on a periodic basis. Our Senior Vice President, Internal Audit & Risk Management (the “Chief Audit Executive”), periodically presents enterprise risks, including cybersecurity risks, to the Audit Committee of our Board of Directors (the “Audit Committee”). Our Chief Compliance Officer regularly attends meetings at the NCG Committee providing insights from the compliance perspective relating to cybersecurity.

Cyber risk management is a core component of the Company's governance structure. We utilize the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Cybersecurity Framework (“NIST CSF”) as a guide in cyber risk management to identify, assess, and assist the CSO in managing cybersecurity risks. Cyber risk management encompasses partnerships among teams that are responsible for cyber governance, prevention, detection, and remediation activities within the Company’s cybersecurity environment. As part of our cyber risk management efforts, we conduct periodic reviews and collaborate with enterprise-wide risk assessments to assess and manage cybersecurity risks. Our cybersecurity team also provides enterprise-wide cybersecurity training for employees to continuously improve our mitigation against human-driven vulnerabilities.

Our management also conducts a quarterly enterprise-wide risk assessment that considers a wide spectrum of risks facing the Company, including cybersecurity. Through these quarterly risk assessments, management informs the Audit Committee on the cyber risk landscape facing the Company and the Company’s preparedness to manage such risk. The enterprise-wide risk assessment is a top-down risk assessment that leverages the assessments performed by cyber risk management.

Engagement with External Experts

The Company engages top-tier external cyber security firms, as needed, leveraging their expertise as part of our ongoing effort to evaluate and enhance our cybersecurity program. They help with cyber defense capabilities (including staff enhancement of certain functions) and transformation to mitigate associated threats, reduce risk, enhance our cybersecurity posture, and meet the Company's evolving needs.

Oversight of Third-Party Service Providers

Our third-party risk management program includes processes for identifying and managing material cybersecurity risks arising from third-party providers. Our third-party risk management program actively engages with the enterprise-wide risk assessment process and partners with cyber risk management to report relevant risks to the NCG Committee, the Audit Committee and our internal Enterprise Risk & Compliance Committee. Our third-party risk management program includes cybersecurity as an aspect of its risk assessment of third parties with the objective that key risks are identified and addressed. Moreover, the program also considers risks associated with certain fourth parties, entities that are partners or subcontractors of our direct third-party vendors, through assessments carried out by our third-party service providers.

Cybersecurity Incident Impact

As previously disclosed, in August 2021, we experienced a cybersecurity incident that resulted in numerous lawsuits, including mass arbitration claims and multiple class action lawsuits. In January 2023, we experienced another cybersecurity incident that also resulted in consumer class actions and regulatory inquires. As a result of the August 2021 cyberattack and the January 2023 cyberattack, we have incurred and may continue to incur significant costs or experience other material financial impacts, which may not be covered by, or may exceed the coverage limits of, our cyber liability insurance, and such costs and impacts may have a material adverse effect on our business, reputation, financial condition, cash flows and operating results. For additional details regarding the impact of both cybersecurity incidents, see Note 17 – Commitments and Contingencies of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

We have not identified other known risks from previous cybersecurity threats that have materially affected or are reasonably likely to materially affect us. However, we face ongoing risks from certain cybersecurity threats that, if realized, are reasonably likely to materially affect business strategy, results of operations, or financial condition. See “Risk Factors – We have experienced criminal cyberattacks and could in the future be further harmed by disruption, data loss or other security breaches, whether directly or indirectly through third parties whose products and services we rely on in operating our business.”

Governance

Disclosure of Management’s Responsibilities

Transformation and Chief Information & Digital Officer

The Transformation and Chief Information & Digital Officer under the direction of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, is responsible for overseeing the Company’s information technology systems, digital capabilities, and cybersecurity practices. The

CSO, under the direction of the Transformation and Chief Information & Digital Officer, is responsible for overseeing the cybersecurity organization and promoting a security-centric culture throughout our business and operational functions. The CSO is at the forefront of enhancing our cybersecurity framework and strengthening the overall cybersecurity program. This involves upgrading tools and capabilities, which are part of a broader, multi-year strategy to continue to enhance security measures. The CSO oversees the cyber risk management function, which identifies cybersecurity threats, assesses cybersecurity risks and supports the Transformation and Chief Information & Digital Officer and the Company in managing such risks.

As the Company’s Executive Vice President, Transformation and Chief Information & Digital Officer, Néstor Cano has served in several leadership positions at both the Company and Sprint, including as Sprint’s Chief Operating Officer, overseeing, among other things, Sprint’s digital architecture and delivery. Mr. Cano studied industrial engineering at Barcelona Polytechnic University, attended the Executive Distribution Academy by INSEAD Business School in Fontainebleau, France, and also completed his post-graduate degree in executive management at IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain.

As the Company’s CSO, Jeff Simon has extensive experience in risk management and information security, including serving as the Chief Information Security Officer at Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. Mr. Simon received his Master of Science in Computer Science, Software Engineering & Artificial Intelligence from the Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Applied Economics from Marquette University. Mr. Simon is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional.

Enterprise Risk & Compliance Committee

Our Enterprise Risk & Compliance Committee is comprised of a collective of senior management representatives and subject matter experts from across the Company. The Enterprise Risk & Compliance Committee is chaired by the Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”) of the Company, with the Executive Vice President & General Counsel as the co-chair and comprises core members including the Transformation and Chief Information & Digital Officer, while the CSO serves in an advisory capacity. The purpose of the Enterprise Risk & Compliance Committee is to oversee and govern the Company’s risk management, environmental, social, corporate governance, cybersecurity, and operational compliance activities, as well as provide a means of bringing risk issues to the attention of management. Specific to cybersecurity, the Transformation and Chief Information & Digital Officer and the CSO have the expertise to provide insights into the nature of cyber threats, the Company’s readiness, and actions taken to mitigate such risks.

Disclosure of the Board’s Roles and Responsibilities

Our Board of Directors oversees risks from cybersecurity threats using a multi-faceted approach that involves the NGC Committee and Audit Committee and various executive roles. Additionally, our Transformation and Chief Information & Digital Officer and CSO report on cybersecurity to the full Board.

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

The NCG Committee oversees risks associated with data privacy and information security, which encompasses cybersecurity. Our CSO and Chief Compliance Officer, among other executives, provide periodic reports to the NCG Committee and also meet with the NCG Committee to discuss any material events when they arise. The periodic reports are designed to keep the NCG Committee abreast of the Company’s cybersecurity practices, risks and trends in cybersecurity threats. The NCG Committee also has discussions with management focused on evaluating the Company’s exposure to cybersecurity risks and cybersecurity practices in place to mitigate such risks. These discussions enable the NCG Committee to be informed of the steps management is taking to detect, monitor and manage cybersecurity risks. These reports to the NCG Committee typically include information on any significant incidents that have occurred, how they were managed, and any changes to the risk profile of the Company. The NCG Committee seeks updates to facilitate proactive governance and to allow the NCG Committee to address emerging cybersecurity issues with management.

Audit Committee

The Audit Committee is integral to overseeing the Company’s overall risk management strategies, including cybersecurity risks and disclosures. To keep the Audit Committee informed, the Chief Audit Executive maintains a direct and open communication channel with the Audit Committee. Regular meetings are held for the Chief Audit Executive to report to the Audit Committee. These include an enterprise-wide risk assessment that highlights cybersecurity risks and cybersecurity risk mitigation actions. Additionally, the Audit Committee receives updates on significant incidents and cybersecurity risks that have been presented to or discussed with the Enterprise Risk and Compliance Committee.

Our properties are best described on a collective basis, as no individual property is material. Our property and equipment consists of the following:

Wireless communications systems primarily consist of assets used to operate our wireless network and information technology data centers, including switching equipment, radio frequency equipment, tower assets, High Speed Internet routers, construction in progress and leasehold improvements related to the wireless network and asset retirement costs.

Land, buildings and building equipment primarily consist of land and land improvements, central office buildings or any other buildings that house network equipment, buildings used for administrative and other purposes, related construction in progress and certain network service equipment.

Data processing equipment and other primarily consist of data processing equipment, office equipment, capitalized software, leased wireless devices, construction in progress and leasehold improvements.

We also lease distributed antenna systems and small cell sites, as well as properties throughout the United States that contain data and switching centers, customer call centers, retail locations, warehouses and administrative spaces.

For more information regarding the legal proceedings in which we are involved, see Note 17 – Commitments and Contingencies of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Overview

The objectives of our Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”) are to provide users of our consolidated financial statements with the following:

• A narrative explanation from the perspective of management of our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, liquidity and certain other factors that may affect future results;
• Context to the consolidated financial statements; and
• Information that allows assessment of the likelihood that past performance is indicative of future performance.

Our MD&A is provided as a supplement to, and should be read together with, our audited consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2023, included in Part II, Item 8 of this Form 10-K. Except as expressly stated, the financial condition and results of operations discussed throughout our MD&A are those of T-Mobile US, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries.

Sprint Merger, Network Integration and Decommissioning Activities

Transaction Overview

On April 1, 2020, we completed the Merger with Sprint, a communications company offering a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications products and services. As a result, Sprint and its subsidiaries became wholly owned consolidated subsidiaries of T-Mobile.

Contingent Consideration

As previously reported, on February 20, 2020, T-Mobile, SoftBank and DT entered into a letter agreement (the “Letter Agreement”) concurrently with an amendment to the Business Combination Agreement. The Letter Agreement required SoftBank to cause its applicable affiliates to surrender to T-Mobile, for no additional consideration, 48,751,557 shares of T-Mobile’s common stock immediately following the effective time of the Merger. The Letter Agreement also required T-Mobile to issue to SoftBank an equivalent number of shares (the “SoftBank Specified Shares”), for no additional consideration, if the trailing 45-trading day volume-weighted average price per share (“VWAP”) of T-Mobile’s common stock on NASDAQ was equal to or greater than $150.00, as adjusted in accordance with the Letter Agreement (the “Threshold Price”), at any time during the period from April 1, 2022, through December 31, 2025 (the “Measurement Period”).

As of the close of trading on December 22, 2023, the 45-trading day VWAP exceeded $149.35, the then-current Threshold Price. On December 28, 2023, T-Mobile issued the SoftBank Specified Shares to SoftBank in accordance with the Letter Agreement.

Merger-Related Costs

Merger-related costs associated with the Merger and acquisitions of affiliates generally include:

• Integration costs to achieve efficiencies in network, retail, information technology and back office operations, migrate customers to the T-Mobile network and billing systems and the impact of legal matters assumed as part of the Merger;
• Restructuring costs, including severance, store rationalization and network decommissioning; and
• Transaction costs, including legal and professional services related to the completion of the transactions.

Restructuring costs are disclosed in Note 18 – Restructuring Costs of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements. Merger-related costs have been excluded from our calculations of Adjusted EBITDA and Core Adjusted EBITDA, which are non-GAAP financial measures, as we do not consider these costs to be reflective of our ongoing operating performance. See “Adjusted EBITDA and Core Adjusted EBITDA” in the “Performance Measures” section of this MD&A. Net cash payments for Merger-related costs, including payments related to our restructuring plan, are included in Net cash provided by operating activities on our Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

Merger-related costs are presented below:

(in millions)

We expect to incur all of the remaining restructuring and integration costs associated with the Merger by the first half of 2024, with the cash expenditure for the Merger-related costs extending beyond 2024. Cash payments extending beyond 2024 primarily relate to operating and financing leases for which we have recognized accelerated lease expense. See the “Contractual Obligations” section of this MD&A for more details on the expected amount and timing of lease payments.

Network Integration

To achieve Merger synergies in network costs, we performed rationalization activities to identify duplicative networks, backhaul services and other agreements, in addition to decommissioning certain small cell sites and distributed antenna systems. Our integration and decommissioning initiatives also included the acceleration or termination of certain of our operating and financing leases for cell sites, switch sites and network equipment. As of December 31, 2022, we had decommissioned substantially all Sprint macro sites targeted for shut down, resulting in a significant decrease in network decommissioning costs in 2023, and we expect to incur all of the remaining restructuring costs by the first half of 2024, with the related cash outflows extending beyond the first half of 2024.

To allow for the realization of these synergies associated with network integration, we retired certain legacy networks, including the legacy Sprint CDMA network in the second quarter and the legacy Sprint LTE network in the third quarter of 2022. Customers impacted by the decommissioning of these networks have been excluded from our customer base and postpaid account base. See the “Performance Measures” section of this MD&A for more details.

Restructuring

Upon the close of the Merger, we began implementing restructuring initiatives to realize cost efficiencies from the Merger. The major activities associated with the restructuring initiatives included:

• Contract termination costs associated with rationalization of retail stores, distribution channels, duplicative network and backhaul services and other agreements;
• Severance costs associated with the reduction of redundant processes and functions; and
• The decommissioning of certain small cell sites and distributed antenna systems to achieve Merger synergies in network costs.

For more information regarding our restructuring activities, see Note 18 – Restructuring Costs of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

2023 Workforce Reduction

In August 2023, we implemented an initiative to reduce the size of our workforce by approximately 5,000 positions, just under 7% of our total employee base, primarily in corporate and back-office functions and some technology roles.

For more information regarding our restructuring activities, see Note 18 – Restructuring Costs of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Wireline

Previously, the operation of the legacy Sprint CDMA and LTE wireless networks was supported by the legacy Sprint Wireline network. During the second quarter of 2022, we retired the legacy Sprint CDMA network and began the orderly shut-down of the LTE network, which was completed during the third quarter of 2022. As a result of these actions during the second quarter of 2022, we determined that the retirement of the legacy Sprint CDMA and LTE wireless networks triggered the need to assess the Wireline long-lived assets for impairment, as these assets no longer support our wireless network and the associated customers and cash flows in a significant manner. The results of this assessment indicated that certain Wireline long-lived assets were impaired, and as a result, we recorded non-cash impairment expense of $477 million related to Wireline Property and equipment, Operating lease right-of-use assets and Other intangible assets for the year ended December 31, 2022, all of which relates to the impairment recognized during the three months ended June 30, 2022.

For more information regarding this non-cash impairment, see Note 14 – Wireline of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

On September 6, 2022, we entered into the Wireline Sale Agreement to sell the Wireline Business for a total purchase price of $1. We also committed to make payments totaling $700 million under an IP transit services agreement, consisting of (i) $350 million in equal monthly installments during the first year after the closing of the Wireline Transaction and (ii) $350 million in equal monthly installments over the subsequent 42 months (the transactions as contemplated by the Wireline Sale Agreement and the IP transit services agreement are collectively referred to as the “Wireline Transaction”). Prior to the closing of the Wireline Transaction, we recognized a pre-tax loss of $1.1 billion during the year ended December 31, 2022, which is included within (Gain) loss on disposal group held for sale on our Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income. On May 1, 2023, pursuant to the Wireline Sale Agreement, upon the terms and subject to the conditions thereof, we completed the Wireline Transaction.

For more information regarding the Wireline Sale Agreement, see Note 14 – Wireline of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Acquisition of Ka’ena Corporation

On March 9, 2023, we entered into a Merger and Unit Purchase Agreement for the acquisition of 100% of the outstanding equity of Ka’ena Corporation and its subsidiaries including, among others, Mint Mobile LLC (collectively, “Ka’ena”), for a maximum purchase price of $1.35 billion to be paid out 39% in cash and 61% in shares of T-Mobile common stock. The purchase price is variable dependent upon specified performance indicators of Ka’ena during certain periods before and after closing and consists of an upfront payment at closing of the transaction, subject to certain agreed-upon working capital and other adjustments, and a variable earnout payable 24 months after closing of the transaction. Our estimate of the upfront payment is subject to Ka’ena’s underlying business performance and the timing of transaction close, and has been updated to $1.2 billion, before working capital and other adjustments. The acquisition is subject to certain customary closing conditions, including certain regulatory approvals, and is expected to close by the end of the first quarter of 2024.

Ka’ena is currently one of our wholesale partners, offering wireless telecommunications services to customers leveraging our network. Upon closing of the transaction, we expect to recognize customers of Ka’ena as prepaid customers and we expect to see an increase in Prepaid revenues, partially offset by a decrease in Wholesale and other service revenues.

Revenue Trends

In 2024, we expect Postpaid service revenues to continue to grow, primarily due to continued postpaid account and customer growth as well as Postpaid Average Revenue per Account (“postpaid ARPA”) growth driven by the execution of our strategy to continuously deepen our account relationships, including growth in High Speed Internet. We also expect an increase in Prepaid revenues, partially offset by a decrease in Wholesale and other service revenues, upon the closing of our previously announced acquisition of Ka’ena. In addition, Wholesale and other service revenues are expected to continue to decline due to the migration by Verizon of legacy TracFone customers off of the T-Mobile network and as DISH services more of its Boost customers with their standalone network.

Operating Expense Trends

In 2024, we expect Total operating expenses to increase, primarily driven by higher Depreciation and amortization from assets placed into service associated with the accelerated build-out of our nationwide 5G network and the acceleration of certain technology assets as we continue to modernize our network and technology systems and platforms, as well as higher Cost of equipment sales, driven by higher expected unit sales from a growing customer base. We expect these increases to be partially offset by the full year synergy realization from the Merger benefiting Cost of services and Selling, general and administrative expense as well as a significant decrease in Merger-related costs, as substantially all of our restructuring and integration activities have been completed. We also expect benefits to Cost of services and Selling, general and administrative expense from reduced personnel-related expenses as a result of the 2023 workforce reduction.

Macroeconomic Trends

Macroeconomic trends may result in adverse impacts on our business, and we continue to monitor these potential impacts, including potential economic recession, changes in the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy, as well as geopolitical risks, including the Ukraine-Russia and Israel-Hamas wars and further escalations thereof. Such scenarios and uncertainties may affect, among others, expected credit loss activity as well as certain fair value estimates.

To date, price inflation has not had a significant impact on our operations as we have fixed rates established through long-term contracts for many of our most significant costs, including tower agreements and backhaul contracts. Similarly, our exposure to the impact of rising interest rates is limited, primarily to any new debt issuances or draws on our revolving credit facility, as interest is paid on our Senior Notes at a fixed rate. We continue to monitor the impact of these trends on the payment performance of our customers.

Results of Operations

Set forth below is a summary of our consolidated financial results:

(in millions)

NM - Not Meaningful

The following discussion and analysis is for the year ended December 31, 2023, compared to the same period in 2022, unless otherwise stated. For a discussion and analysis of the year ended December 31, 2022, compared to the same period in 2021, please refer to Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included in Part II, Item 7 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, filed with the SEC on February 14, 2023.

Total revenues decreased $1.0 billion, or 1%. The components of these changes are discussed below.

Postpaid revenues increased $2.8 billion, or 6%, primarily from:

• Higher average postpaid accounts; and
• Higher postpaid ARPA. See “Postpaid ARPA” in the “Performance Measures” section of this MD&A.

Prepaid revenues decreased slightly, primarily from:

• Lower prepaid ARPU. See “Prepaid ARPU” in the “Performance Measures” section of this MD&A; mostly offset by
• Higher average prepaid customers.

Wholesale and other service revenues decreased $765 million, or 14%, primarily from:

• Lower Wireline revenues due to the sale of the Wireline Business on May 1, 2023. See Note 14 - Wireline of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information; and
• Lower MVNO revenues, primarily due to the migration of legacy TracFone customers off of the T-Mobile network and as DISH services more of its Boost customers with their standalone network, partially offset by growth in other MVNO partners.

Equipment revenues decreased $3.0 billion, or 17%, primarily from:

• A decrease of $1.5 billion in device sales revenue, excluding purchased leased devices, primarily from:
• A decrease in the number of devices sold, primarily driven by higher postpaid upgrades in the prior year period related to facilitating the migration of Sprint customers to the T-Mobile network and longer device lifecycles, as well as lower prepaid and Assurance Wireless device sales; partially offset by
• Slightly higher average revenue per device sold, primarily driven by an increase in the high-end phone mix, including from the impact of a decrease in sales of low-end Assurance Wireless devices, and higher promotions in the prior year period, which included promotions for Sprint customers to facilitate the migration to the T-Mobile network;
• A decrease of $1.1 billion in lease revenues and a decrease of $228 million in customer purchases of leased devices, primarily due to a lower number of customer devices under lease as a result of the continued strategic shift in device financing from leasing to EIP; and
• A decrease of $286 million in accessory revenue, primarily due to a decrease in the number of associated devices sold.

Other revenues increased $61 million, or 5%, primarily from:

• Higher interest income driven by higher imputed interest rates on EIP, which is recognized over the device financing term.

Total operating expenses decreased $8.7 billion, or 12%. The components of this change are discussed below.

Cost of services, exclusive of depreciation and amortization, decreased $3.0 billion, or 21%, primarily from:

• A decrease of $2.0 billion in Merger-related costs related to network decommissioning and integration as the majority of our decommissioning efforts were completed in 2022;
• Higher realized Merger synergies; and
• Lower costs due to the sale of the Wireline Business on May 1, 2023. See Note 14 – Wireline of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information; partially offset by
• $141 million of severance and related costs associated with the August 2023 workforce reduction; and
• Higher site costs related to the continued build-out of our nationwide 5G network.

Cost of equipment sales, exclusive of depreciation and amortization, decreased $3.0 billion, or 14%, primarily from:

• A decrease of $2.7 billion in device cost of equipment sales, excluding purchased leased devices, primarily from:
• A decrease in the number of devices sold, primarily driven by higher postpaid upgrades in the prior year period related to facilitating the migration of Sprint customers to the T-Mobile network and longer device lifecycles, as well as lower prepaid and Assurance Wireless device sales; partially offset by
• Slightly higher average cost per device sold driven by an increase in the high-end phone mix, including from the impact of a decrease in sales of low-end Assurance Wireless devices; and
• A decrease of $132 million in accessory costs, primarily due to a decrease in the number of associated devices sold.
• Cost of equipment sales for the year ended December 31, 2023, included $12 million of Merger-related recoveries, compared to $1.5 billion of Merger-related costs for the year ended December 31, 2022.

Selling, general and administrative expense decreased slightly, primarily from:

• A decrease of $381 million in Merger-related costs and higher realized Merger synergies;
• Lower legal-related expenses, including from the impact of $400 million recognized in June 2022 associated with the settlement of certain litigation resulting from the August 2021 cyberattack;
• Lower costs related to outsourced functions; and
• A decrease of $177 million in bad debt expense and losses from sales of receivables; mostly offset by
• $321 million of severance and related costs associated with the August 2023 workforce reduction;
• Higher commission amortization expense;
• Higher advertising expense; and
• Gains from the sale of certain IP addresses held by the Wireline Business of $121 million recognized during the year ended December 31, 2022.
• Selling, general and administrative expense for the year ended December 31, 2023, included $394 million of Merger-related costs, which were net of legal settlement gains of $134 million, compared to $775 million of Merger-related costs for the year ended December 31, 2022, which were net of legal settlement gains of $333 million.

Impairment expense was $477 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, due to the non-cash impairment of certain Wireline Property and equipment, Operating lease right-of-use assets and Other intangible assets. There was no impairment expense for the year ended December 31, 2023. See Note 14 – Wireline of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.

(Gain) loss on disposal group held for sale was a gain of $25 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, and a loss of $1.1 billion for the year ended December 31, 2022. See Note 14 – Wireline of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.

Depreciation and amortization decreased $833 million, or 6%, primarily from:

• A decrease of $959 million in depreciation expense on leased devices, resulting from a lower number of total customer devices under lease; and
• Certain 4G-related network assets becoming fully depreciated, including assets impacted by the decommissioning of the legacy Sprint CDMA and LTE networks in 2022; partially offset by
• Higher depreciation expense, excluding leased devices, from the continued build-out of our nationwide 5G network and increased in-service internally developed and purchased software.

Operating income, the components of which are discussed above, increased $7.7 billion, or 118%.

Interest expense, net decreased slightly, primarily from:

• Higher interest income, primarily due to higher average balances and higher average interest rates on short-term cash equivalents; and
• Higher capitalized interest, primarily driven by deployment activities associated with our C-band spectrum licenses; mostly offset by
• Higher interest expense, primarily due to higher average debt outstanding and a higher average effective interest rate.

Other income (expense), net changed $101 million, from net expense of $33 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, to net income of $68 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, primarily from:

• Amortization of actuarial gains related to our Pension Plan; and
• Gains on certain investments.

Income before income taxes, the components of which are discussed above, was $11.0 billion and $3.1 billion for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Income tax expense increased $2.1 billion, primarily from:

• Higher income before income taxes; and
• Tax benefits recognized during the year ended December 31, 2022, associated with certain entity restructuring, that did not impact 2023.

Our effective tax rate was 24.4% and 17.7% for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Net income, the components of which are discussed above, was $8.3 billion and $2.6 billion for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Net income included:

• Merger-related costs, net of tax, of $775 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, compared to $3.7 billion for the year ended December 31, 2022.
• Gain on disposal group held for sale of $19 million, net of tax, for the year ended December 31, 2023, compared to a loss on disposal group held for sale of $815 million, net of tax, for the year ended December 31, 2022.
• Impairment expense of $358 million, net of tax, for the year ended December 31, 2022, compared to no impairment expense for the year ended December 31, 2023.
• Severance and related costs associated with the August 2023 workforce reduction of $347 million, net of tax, for the year ended December 31, 2023.
• Legal-related recoveries, net, associated with the settlement of certain litigation resulting from the August 2021 cyberattack, of $32 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, compared to $293 million in Legal-related expenses, net, for the year ended December 31, 2022.

Guarantor Financial Information

Pursuant to the applicable indentures and supplemental indentures, the Senior Notes to affiliates and third parties issued by T-Mobile USA, Inc., Sprint and Sprint Capital Corporation (collectively, the “Issuers”) are fully and unconditionally guaranteed, jointly and severally, on a senior unsecured basis by T-Mobile (“Parent”) and certain of Parent’s 100% owned subsidiaries (“Guarantor Subsidiaries”).

The guarantees of the Guarantor Subsidiaries are subject to release in limited circumstances only upon the occurrence of certain customary conditions. Generally, the guarantees of the Guarantor Subsidiaries with respect to the Senior Notes issued by T-Mobile USA, Inc. (other than $3.5 billion in principal amount of Senior Notes issued in 2017 and 2018) and the credit agreement entered into by T-Mobile USA, Inc. will be automatically and unconditionally released if, immediately following such release and any concurrent releases of other guarantees, the aggregate principal amount of indebtedness of non-guarantor subsidiaries (other than certain specified subsidiaries) would not exceed $2.0 billion. The indentures, supplemental indentures and credit agreements governing the long-term debt contain covenants that, among other things, limit the ability of the Issuers or borrowers and the Guarantor Subsidiaries to incur more debt, create liens or other encumbrances, and merge, consolidate or sell, or otherwise dispose of, substantially all of their assets.

Basis of Presentation

The following tables include summarized financial information of the obligor groups of debt issued by T-Mobile USA, Inc., Sprint and Sprint Capital Corporation. The summarized financial information of each obligor group is presented on a combined basis with balances and transactions within the obligor group eliminated. Investments in and the equity in earnings of non-guarantor subsidiaries, which would otherwise be consolidated in accordance with GAAP, are excluded from the below summarized financial information pursuant to SEC Regulation S-X Rule 13-01.

The summarized balance sheet information for the consolidated obligor group of debt issued by T-Mobile USA, Inc. is presented in the table below:

(in millions)

The summarized results of operations information for the consolidated obligor group of debt issued by T-Mobile USA, Inc. is presented in the table below:

(in millions)

The summarized balance sheet information for the consolidated obligor group of debt issued by Sprint is presented in the table below:

(in millions)

The summarized results of operations information for the consolidated obligor group of debt issued by Sprint is presented in the table below:

(in millions)

(1) Net income for the year ended December 31, 2022, includes tax benefits recognized associated with certain entity restructuring.

The summarized balance sheet information for the consolidated obligor group of debt issued by Sprint Capital Corporation is presented in the table below:

(in millions)

The summarized results of operations information for the consolidated obligor group of debt issued by Sprint Capital Corporation is presented in the table below:

(in millions)

(1) Net income for the year ended December 31, 2022, includes tax benefits recognized associated with certain entity restructuring.

Performance Measures

In managing our business and assessing financial performance, we supplement the information provided by our consolidated financial statements with other operating or statistical data and non-GAAP financial measures. These operating and financial measures are utilized by our management to evaluate our operating performance and, in certain cases, our ability to meet liquidity requirements. Although companies in the wireless industry may not define each of these measures in precisely the same way, we believe that these measures facilitate comparisons with other companies in the wireless industry on key operating and financial measures.

Postpaid Accounts

A postpaid account is generally defined as a billing account number that generates revenue. Postpaid accounts generally consist of customers that are qualified for postpaid service utilizing phones, High Speed Internet modems, mobile internet devices (including tablets and hotspots), wearables, DIGITS and other connected devices, including SyncUP and IoT, where they generally pay after receiving service.

The following table sets forth the number of ending postpaid accounts:

(in thousands)

(1) Customers impacted by the decommissioning of the legacy Sprint CDMA and LTE and T-Mobile UMTS networks have been excluded from our postpaid account base resulting in the removal of 57,000 postpaid accounts in the first quarter of 2022 and 69,000 postpaid accounts in the second quarter of 2022.

(2) In the first quarter of 2021, we acquired 4,000 postpaid accounts through our acquisition of an affiliate. In the third quarter of 2021, we acquired 270,000 postpaid accounts through our acquisition of the Wireless Assets of Shentel.

Postpaid Net Account Additions

The following table sets forth the number of postpaid net account additions:

(in thousands)

39

Postpaid net account additions decreased 165,000, or 11%, primarily from:

• Continued moderation of industry growth;
• Higher postpaid account deactivations from a growing customer base; and
• Fewer High Speed Internet only net account additions.

Customers

A customer is generally defined as a SIM number with a unique T-Mobile identifier which is associated with an account that generates revenue. Customers are qualified either for postpaid service utilizing phones, High Speed Internet modems, mobile internet devices (including tablets and hotspots), wearables, DIGITS and other connected devices, including SyncUP and IoT, where they generally pay after receiving service, or prepaid service, where they generally pay in advance of receiving service.

The following table sets forth the number of ending customers:

(in thousands)

(1) Customers impacted by the decommissioning of the legacy Sprint CDMA and LTE and T-Mobile UMTS networks have been excluded from our customer base resulting in the removal of 212,000 postpaid phone customers and 349,000 postpaid other customers in the first quarter of 2022 and 284,000 postpaid phone customers, 946,000 postpaid other customers and 28,000 prepaid customers in the second quarter of 2022. In the fourth quarter of 2023, we recognized an additional base adjustment to increase postpaid phone customers by 20,000 and increase postpaid other customers by 150,000 due to fewer customers than expected whose service was deactivated as a result of the network shut-downs. In connection with our acquisition of companies, we included a base adjustment in the first quarter of 2022 to increase postpaid phone customers by 17,000 and reduce postpaid other customers by 14,000. Certain customers now serviced through reseller contracts were removed from our reported postpaid customer base resulting in the removal of 42,000 postpaid phone customers and 20,000 postpaid other customers in the second quarter of 2022.

(2) In the first quarter of 2021, we acquired 11,000 postpaid phone customers and 1,000 postpaid other customers through our acquisition of an affiliate. In the third quarter of 2021, we acquired 716,000 postpaid phone customers and 90,000 postpaid other customers through our acquisition of the Wireless Assets from Shentel.

High Speed Internet customers included in Postpaid other customers were 4,288,000 and 2,410,000 as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. High Speed Internet customers included in Prepaid customers were 488,000 and 236,000 as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Net Customer Additions

The following table sets forth the number of net customer additions:

(in thousands)

Total net customer additions decreased 825,000, or 12%, primarily from:

• Lower postpaid other net customer additions, primarily due to
• Deactivations from mobile internet devices in the educational sector that were originally activated during the Pandemic and no longer needed, including from the impact of the expiration of the Emergency Connectivity Fund Program; and
• Lower net additions from wearables; partially offset by
• Higher net additions from other connected devices; and
• Higher High Speed Internet net customer additions, primarily due to continued growth in gross additions driven by increasing customer demand, partially offset by increased deactivations from a growing customer base; and
• Lower prepaid net customer additions, primarily due to continued moderation of industry growth and continued industry migration of prepaid to postpaid, partially offset by growth in High Speed Internet.
• High Speed Internet net customer additions included in postpaid other net customer additions were 1,878,000 and 1,764,000 for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. High Speed Internet net customer additions included in prepaid net customer additions were 252,000 and 236,000 for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Churn

Churn represents the number of customers whose service was deactivated as a percentage of the average number of customers during the specified period further divided by the number of months in the period. The number of customers whose service was deactivated is presented net of customers that subsequently had their service restored within a certain period of time and excludes customers who received service for less than a certain minimum period of time. We believe that churn provides management, investors and analysts with useful information to evaluate customer retention and loyalty.

The following table sets forth the churn:

Postpaid phone churn decreased 1 basis point, primarily from improved customer retention driven by a differentiated value proposition and network experience.

Prepaid churn decreased 1 basis point, primarily from improved customer retention, partially offset by the continued industry migration of prepaid to postpaid.

Postpaid Average Revenue Per Account

Postpaid ARPA represents the average monthly postpaid service revenue earned per account. Postpaid ARPA is calculated as Postpaid revenues for the specified period divided by the average number of postpaid accounts during the period, further divided by the number of months in the period. We believe postpaid ARPA provides management, investors and analysts with useful information to assess and evaluate our postpaid service revenue realization and assists in forecasting our future postpaid service revenues on a per account basis. We consider postpaid ARPA to be indicative of our revenue growth potential given the increase in the average number of postpaid phone customers per account and increases in postpaid other customers, including High Speed Internet, mobile internet devices (including tablets and hotspots), wearables, DIGITS and other connected devices, including SyncUP and IoT.

The following table sets forth our operating measure ARPA:

Postpaid ARPA increased slightly, primarily from:

• Higher premium services, primarily high-end rate plans, net of contra-revenue for content included in such plans, and discounts for specific affinity groups, such as 55+, Military and First Responder; and
• An increase in customers per account, including growth in Enterprise business and continued adoption of High Speed Internet; partially offset by
• Increased promotional activity; and
• An increase in High Speed Internet only accounts.

Average Revenue Per User

Average Revenue per User (“ARPU”) represents the average monthly service revenue earned per customer. ARPU is calculated as service revenues for the specified period divided by the average number of customers during the period, further divided by the number of months in the period. We believe ARPU provides management, investors and analysts with useful information to assess and evaluate our service revenue per customer and assist in forecasting our future service revenues generated from our customer base. Postpaid phone ARPU excludes postpaid other customers and related revenues, which include High Speed Internet, mobile internet devices (including tablets and hotspots), wearables, DIGITS and other connected devices, including SyncUP and IoT.

The following table sets forth our operating measure ARPU:

Postpaid Phone ARPU

Postpaid phone ARPU was relatively flat, primarily from:

• Higher premium services, primarily high-end rate plans, net of contra-revenue for content included in such plans, and discounts for specific affinity groups, such as 55+, Military and First Responders; offset by
• Increased promotional activity; and
• Growth in business with lower ARPU given larger account sizes.

Prepaid ARPU

Prepaid ARPU decreased $0.84, or 2%, primarily from dilution from promotional rate plan mix.

Adjusted EBITDA and Core Adjusted EBITDA

Adjusted EBITDA represents earnings before Interest expense, net of Interest income, Income tax expense, Depreciation and amortization, stock-based compensation and certain income and expenses not reflective of our ongoing operating performance. Core Adjusted EBITDA represents Adjusted EBITDA less device lease revenues. Adjusted EBITDA margin represents Adjusted EBITDA divided by Service revenues. Core Adjusted EBITDA margin represents Core Adjusted EBITDA divided by Service revenues.

Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Core Adjusted EBITDA and Core Adjusted EBITDA margin are non-GAAP financial measures utilized by our management to monitor the financial performance of our operations. We historically used Adjusted EBITDA and we currently use Core Adjusted EBITDA internally as a measure to evaluate and compensate our personnel and management for their performance. We use Adjusted EBITDA and Core Adjusted EBITDA as benchmarks to evaluate our operating performance in comparison to our competitors. Management believes analysts and investors use Adjusted EBITDA and Core Adjusted EBITDA as supplemental measures to evaluate overall operating performance and to facilitate comparisons with other wireless communications services companies because they are indicative of our ongoing operating performance and trends by excluding the impact of interest expense from financing, non-cash depreciation and amortization from capital investments, stock-based compensation, Merger-related costs, including network decommissioning costs, impairment expense, loss and gain on disposal groups held for sale and certain legal-related recoveries and expenses, as well as other special income and expenses, including severance and related costs associated with the August 2023 workforce reduction, which are not reflective of our core business activities. Management believes analysts and investors use Core Adjusted EBITDA because it normalizes for the transition in the Company’s device financing strategy, by excluding the impact of device lease revenues from Adjusted EBITDA, to align with the exclusion of the related depreciation expense on leased devices from Adjusted EBITDA. Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Core Adjusted EBITDA and Core Adjusted EBITDA margin have limitations as analytical tools and should not be considered in isolation or as substitutes for income from operations, net income or any other measure of financial performance reported in accordance with GAAP.

The following table illustrates the calculation of Adjusted EBITDA and Core Adjusted EBITDA and reconciles Adjusted EBITDA and Core Adjusted EBITDA to Net income, which we consider to be the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure:

(in millions, except percentages)

(1) Stock-based compensation includes payroll tax impacts and may not agree with stock-based compensation expense on the consolidated financial statements. Additionally, certain stock-based compensation expenses associated with the Transactions have been included in Merger-related costs.

(2) Legal-related (recoveries) expenses, net, consists of the settlement of certain litigation associated with the August 2021 cyberattack and is presented net of insurance recoveries.

(3) Other, net, primarily consists of certain severance, restructuring and other expenses and income not directly attributable to the Merger which are not reflective of T-Mobile’s core business activities (“special items”) and are, therefore, excluded from Adjusted EBITDA and Core Adjusted EBITDA. Other, net, for the year ended December 31, 2023, includes $462 million of severance and related costs associated with the August 2023 workforce reduction.

NM - Not meaningful

Core Adjusted EBITDA increased $2.7 billion, or 10%, for the year ended December 31, 2023. The components comprising Core Adjusted EBITDA are discussed further above.

The increase was primarily from:

• Higher Total service revenues;
• Lower Cost of equipment sales, excluding Merger-related costs; and
• Lower Cost of services, excluding Merger-related costs and other special items, such as severance and related costs associated with the August 2023 workforce reduction; partially offset by
• Lower Equipment revenues, excluding lease revenues.

Adjusted EBITDA increased $1.6 billion, or 6%, for the year ended December 31, 2023, primarily due to the fluctuations in Core Adjusted EBITDA, discussed above, partially offset by lower lease revenues, which decreased $1.1 billion for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Our principal sources of liquidity are our cash and cash equivalents and cash generated from operations, proceeds from issuance of debt, financing leases, the sale of certain receivables, the Revolving Credit Facility (as defined below) and, beginning in July 2023, an unsecured short-term commercial paper program. Further, the incurrence of additional indebtedness may inhibit our ability to incur new debt in the future to finance our business strategy under the terms governing our existing and future indebtedness.

Cash Flows

The following is a condensed schedule of our cash flows:

(in millions)

Operating Activities

Net cash provided by operating activities increased $1.8 billion, or 11%, primarily from:

• A $5.8 billion increase in Net income, adjusted for non-cash income and expense; partially offset by
• A $4.0 billion increase in net cash outflows from changes in working capital, primarily due to higher use of cash from Accounts payable and accrued liabilities, Operating lease right-of-use assets, Other current and long-term liabilities, Short- and long-term operating lease liabilities and Inventory, partially offset by lower use of cash from Equipment installment plan receivables and Other current and long-term assets.
• Net cash provided by operating activities includes the impact of $2.0 billion and $3.4 billion in net payments for Merger-related costs for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Investing Activities

Net cash used in investing activities decreased $6.5 billion, or 53%. The use of cash was primarily from:

• $9.8 billion in Purchases of property and equipment, including capitalized interest, from the accelerated build-out of our nationwide 5G network; and
• $1.0 billion in Purchases of spectrum licenses and other intangible assets, primarily from relocation costs associated with our C-band spectrum licenses acquired in Auction 107; partially offset by
• $4.8 billion in Proceeds related to beneficial interests in securitization transactions.

Financing Activities

Net cash used in financing activities increased $5.6 billion, or 88%. The use of cash was primarily from:

• $13.1 billion in Repurchases of common stock;
• $5.1 billion in Repayments of long-term debt;
• $1.2 billion in Repayments of financing lease obligations;
• $747 million in Dividends on common stock; and
• $297 million in Tax withholdings on share-based awards; partially offset by
• $8.4 billion in Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

As of December 31, 2023, our Cash and cash equivalents were $5.1 billion compared to $4.5 billion at December 31, 2022.

Adjusted Free Cash Flow

Adjusted Free Cash Flow represents Net cash provided by operating activities less cash payments for Purchases of property and equipment, plus Proceeds from sales of tower sites and Proceeds related to beneficial interests in securitization transactions and less Cash payments for debt prepayment or debt extinguishment costs. Adjusted Free Cash Flow is a non-GAAP financial measure utilized by management, investors and analysts of our financial information to evaluate cash available to pay debt, repurchase shares, pay dividends and provide further investment in the business. Starting in the first quarter of 2023, we renamed Free Cash Flow to Adjusted Free Cash Flow. This change in name did not result in any change to the definition or calculation of this non-GAAP financial measure. Adjusted Free Cash Flow margin is calculated as Adjusted Free Cash Flow divided by Service Revenues. Adjusted Free Cash Flow margin is utilized by management, investors, and analysts to evaluate the Company’s ability to convert service revenue efficiently into cash available to pay debt, repurchase shares, pay dividends and provide further investment in the business.

The table below provides a reconciliation of Adjusted Free Cash Flow to Net cash provided by operating activities, which we consider to be the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure:

(in millions, except percentages)

Adjusted Free Cash Flow increased $5.9 billion, or 77%, primarily impacted by the following:

• Higher Net cash provided by operating activities, as described above; and
• Lower Cash purchases of property and equipment, including capitalized interest, driven by increased capital efficiencies from accelerated investments in our nationwide 5G network in 2022.
• Adjusted Free Cash Flow includes the impact of $2.0 billion and $3.4 billion in net payments for Merger-related costs for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

During the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, there were no significant net cash proceeds from securitization.

Borrowing Capacity

We maintain a revolving credit facility (the “Revolving Credit Facility”) with an aggregate commitment amount of $7.5 billion. As of December 31, 2023, there was no outstanding balance under the Revolving Credit Facility.

On July 25, 2023, we established an unsecured short-term commercial paper program with the ability to borrow up to $2.0 billion from time to time. This program supplements our other available external financing arrangements and proceeds are expected to be used for general corporate purposes. As of December 31, 2023, there was no outstanding balance under this program.

For more information regarding our Revolving Credit Facility and commercial paper program, see Note 8 - Debt of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Debt Financing

As of December 31, 2023, our total debt and financing lease liabilities were $77.5 billion, excluding our tower obligations, of which $71.4 billion was classified as long-term debt and $1.2 billion was classified as long-term financing lease liabilities.

During the year ended December 31, 2023, we issued long-term debt for net proceeds of $8.4 billion and redeemed and repaid short-term debt with an aggregate principal amount of $5.1 billion.

Subsequent to December 31, 2023, on January 12, 2024, we issued $1.0 billion of 4.850% Senior Notes due 2029, $1.3 billion of 5.150% Senior Notes due 2034 and $750 million of 5.500% Senior Notes due 2055.

For more information regarding our debt financing transactions, see Note 8 - Debt of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Spectrum Auctions

In March 2021, the FCC announced that we were the winning bidder of 142 licenses in Auction 107 (C-band spectrum) for an aggregate purchase price of $9.3 billion, excluding relocation costs.

In September 2022, the FCC announced that we were the winning bidder of 7,156 licenses in Auction 108 (2.5 GHz spectrum) for an aggregate price of $304 million. At inception of Auction 108 in June 2022, we deposited $65 million. We paid the FCC the remaining $239 million for the licenses won in the auction in September 2022. The timing of when the licenses will be issued will be determined by the FCC after all post-auction procedures have been completed, which has been delayed due to the suspension of auction authority to the FCC by Congress. In December 2023, Congress passed the 5G Spectrum Authority Licensing Enforcement (SALE) Act, which gives the FCC temporary authority to grant licenses from previous auctions. As a result, we expect the Auction 108 licenses to be issued in the first quarter of 2024.

For more information regarding our spectrum licenses, see Note 6 – Goodwill, Spectrum License Transactions and Other Intangible Assets of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

License Purchase Agreements

On August 8, 2022, we entered into License Purchase Agreements to acquire spectrum in the 600 MHz band from Channel 51 License Co LLC and LB License Co, LLC in exchange for total cash consideration of $3.5 billion. On March 30, 2023, we and the Sellers entered into Amended and Restated License Purchase Agreements pursuant to which we and the Sellers agreed to bifurcate the transaction into two tranches of licenses, with the closings on the acquisitions of certain licenses in Chicago, Dallas and New Orleans being deferred in order to potentially expedite the regulatory approval process for the remainder of the licenses. Subsequently, on August 25, 2023, we and the Sellers entered into Amendments No. 1 to the Amended and Restated License Purchase Agreements, whereby we deferred the closings of certain additional licenses in Chicago and Dallas into the second closing tranche. Together, the licenses with closings deferred into the second closing tranche represent approximately $1.1 billion of the aggregate $3.5 billion cash consideration.

The FCC approved the purchase of the first tranche on December 29, 2023, and we expect the closing of the first tranche to occur in the second quarter of 2024. We anticipate that the second closing (on the deferred licenses) will occur in late 2024 or early 2025.

The parties have agreed that each of the closings will occur within 180 days after the receipt of the applicable required regulatory approvals, and payment of each portion of the aggregate $3.5 billion purchase price will occur no later than 40 days after the date of each respective closing.

On September 12, 2023, we entered into a License Purchase Agreement with Comcast pursuant to which we will acquire spectrum in the 600 MHz band from Comcast in exchange for total cash consideration of between $1.2 billion and $3.3 billion, subject to an application for FCC approval. The licenses are subject to an exclusive leasing arrangement between us and Comcast entered into contemporaneously with the License Purchase Agreement. We anticipate the closing will occur in the first half of 2028.

For more information regarding our License Purchase Agreements, see Note 6 – Goodwill, Spectrum License Transactions and Other Intangible Assets of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Acquisition of Ka’ena Corporation

On March 9, 2023, we entered into a Merger and Unit Purchase Agreement for the acquisition of 100% of the outstanding equity of Ka’ena for a maximum purchase price of $1.35 billion to be paid out 39% in cash and 61% in shares of T-Mobile common stock. The purchase price is variable dependent upon specified performance indicators of Ka’ena during certain periods before and after closing and consists of an upfront payment at closing of the transaction, subject to certain agreed-upon working capital and other adjustments, and a variable earnout payable 24 months after closing of the transaction. Our estimate of the upfront payment is subject to Ka’ena’s underlying business performance and the timing of transaction close, and has been updated to $1.2 billion, before working capital and other adjustments. The acquisition is subject to certain customary closing conditions, including certain regulatory approvals, and is expected to close by the end of the first quarter of 2024.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

We have arrangements, as amended from time to time, to sell certain EIP accounts receivable and service accounts receivable on a revolving basis as a source of liquidity. As of December 31, 2023, we derecognized net receivables of $2.4 billion upon sale through these arrangements.

For more information regarding these off-balance sheet arrangements, see Note 4 – Sales of Certain Receivables of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Future Sources and Uses of Liquidity

We may seek additional sources of liquidity, including through the issuance of additional debt, to continue to opportunistically acquire spectrum licenses or other long-lived assets in private party transactions, repurchase shares, pay dividends or for the refinancing of existing long-term debt on an opportunistic basis. Excluding liquidity that could be needed for acquisitions of businesses, spectrum and other long-lived assets or for any potential stockholder returns, we expect our principal sources of funding to be sufficient to meet our anticipated liquidity needs for business operations for the next 12 months as well as our longer-term liquidity needs. Our intended use of any such funds is for general corporate purposes, including for capital expenditures, spectrum purchases, opportunistic investments and acquisitions, redemption of debt, tower obligations, workforce restructuring, share repurchases, and dividend payments.

We determine future liquidity requirements for operations, capital expenditures, share repurchases and dividend payments based in large part upon projected financial and operating performance, and opportunities to acquire additional spectrum or repurchase shares. We regularly review and update these projections for changes in current and projected financial and operating results, general economic conditions, the competitive landscape and other factors. We have incurred, and will incur, substantial expenses to comply with the Government Commitments, and we also expect to incur all of the remaining restructuring and integration costs associated with the Merger by the first half of 2024, with the cash expenditures for the Merger-related costs extending beyond 2024. There are a number of additional risks and uncertainties that could cause our financial and operating results and capital requirements to differ materially from our projections, which could cause future liquidity to differ materially from our assessment.

The indentures, supplemental indentures and credit agreements governing our long-term debt to affiliates and third parties, excluding financing leases, contain covenants that, among other things, limit the ability of the Issuers or borrowers and the Guarantor Subsidiaries to incur more debt, create liens or other encumbrances, and merge, consolidate or sell, or otherwise dispose of, substantially all of their assets. We were in compliance with all restrictive debt covenants as of December 31, 2023.

Financing Lease Facilities

We have uncommitted financing lease facilities with certain third parties that provide us with the ability to enter into financing leases for network equipment and services. As of December 31, 2023, we have entered into $8.7 billion of financing leases under these financing lease facilities, of which $1.2 billion was executed during the year ended December 31, 2023. We expect to enter into up to a total of $1.2 billion in financing lease commitments during the year ending December 31, 2024.

Capital Expenditures

Our liquidity requirements have been driven primarily by capital expenditures for spectrum licenses, the construction, expansion and upgrading of our network infrastructure and the integration of the networks, spectrum, technology, personnel and customer base of T-Mobile and Sprint. Property and equipment capital expenditures primarily relate to the integration of our network and spectrum licenses, including acquired Sprint PCS and 2.5 GHz spectrum licenses, as we build out our nationwide

5G network. We expect a reduction in capital expenditures related to these efforts in 2024 compared to 2023. Future capital expenditure requirements will include the deployment of our recently acquired C-band and 3.45 GHz spectrum licenses.

For more information regarding our spectrum licenses, see Note 6 - Goodwill, Spectrum License Transactions and Other Intangible Assets of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Stockholder Returns

On September 8, 2022, our Board of Directors authorized our 2022 Stock Repurchase Program for up to $14.0 billion of our common stock through September 30, 2023, which was utilized as of September 30, 2023. During the nine months ended September 30, 2023, we repurchased shares of our common stock for a total purchase price of $11.0 billion, all of which were purchased under the 2022 Stock Repurchase Program.

On September 6, 2023, our Board of Directors authorized our 2023-2024 Stockholder Return Program for up to $19.0 billion that will run from October 1, 2023, through December 31, 2024. The 2023-2024 Stockholder Return Program consists of additional repurchases of shares of our common stock and the payment of cash dividends.

During the year ended December 31, 2023, we repurchased 15,464,107 shares of our common stock at an average price per share of $144.95 for a total purchase price of $2.2 billion under the 2023-2024 Stockholder Return Program, all of which were repurchased during the three months ended December 31, 2023. As of December 31, 2023, we had up to $16.0 billion remaining under the 2023-2024 Stockholder Return Program.

On September 25, 2023, our Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.65 per share on our issued and outstanding shares of common stock, which was paid in the fourth quarter of 2023. We intend to declare and pay approximately $3.0 billion in total additional dividends in 2024, with payments occurring each quarter during the year, beginning with the dividend declared in the first quarter of 2024. The dividend amount paid per share is expected to grow by around 10% annually with the first increase expected in the fourth quarter of 2024; however, the declaration and payment of all dividends is subject to the discretion of our Board of Directors and will depend on financial and legal requirements and other considerations. The amount available under the 2023-2024 Stockholder Return Program for share repurchases will be reduced by the amount of any cash dividends declared and paid by us.

Subsequent to December 31, 2023, on January 24, 2024, our Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.65 per share on our issued and outstanding common stock, which is payable on March 14, 2024, to stockholders of record as of the close of business on March 1, 2024.

Subsequent to December 31, 2023, from January 1, 2024, through January 31, 2024, we repurchased 9,024,185 shares of our common stock at an average price per share of $162.98 for a total purchase price of $1.5 billion. As of January 31, 2024, we had up to $14.5 billion remaining under the 2023-2024 Stockholder Return Program, less the amount to be paid pursuant to the dividends declared in the first quarter of 2024.

For additional information regarding the 2022 Stock Repurchase Program and the 2023-2024 Stockholder Return Program, see Note 13 – Stockholder Return Programs of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Contractual Obligations

In connection with the regulatory approvals of the Transactions, we made commitments to various state and federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice and FCC.

For more information regarding these commitments, see Note 17 – Commitments and Contingencies of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

The following table summarizes our material contractual obligations and borrowings as of December 31, 2023, and the timing and effect that such commitments are expected to have on our liquidity and capital requirements in future periods:

(in millions)

(1) Represents principal amounts of long-term debt to affiliates and third parties at maturity, excluding unamortized premiums, discounts, debt issuance costs, consent fees, and financing lease obligations. See Note 8 – Debt of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further information.

(2) Future minimum payments, including principal and interest payments, related to the tower obligations. See Note 9 – Tower Obligations of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further information.

(3) The minimum commitment for certain obligations is based on termination penalties that could be paid to exit the contracts. Termination penalties are included in the above table as payments due as of the earliest we could exit the contract, typically in less than one year. For certain contracts that include fixed volume purchase commitments and fixed prices for various products, the purchase obligations are calculated using fixed volumes and contractually fixed prices for the products that are expected to be purchased. This table does not include open purchase orders as of December 31, 2023 under normal business purposes. See Note 17 – Commitments and Contingencies of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further information.

(4) On August 8, 2022, we entered into License Purchase Agreements to acquire spectrum in the 600 MHz band from Channel 51 License Co LLC and LB License Co, LLC in exchange for total cash consideration of $3.5 billion. The FCC approved the purchase of the first tranche, totaling $2.4 billion, on December 29, 2023. The closing of the second tranche remains subject to regulatory approval. Additionally, on September 12, 2023, we entered into a License Purchase Agreement to acquire spectrum in the 600 MHz band from Comcast in exchange for total cash consideration of between $1.2 billion and $3.3 billion. The agreement remains subject to an application for FCC approval. Total consideration for these License Purchase Agreements is excluded from our reported purchase obligations above.

(5) On March 9, 2023, we entered into the Merger and Purchase Agreement for the acquisition of 100% of the outstanding equity of Ka’ena, for a maximum purchase price of $1.35 billion to be paid out 39% in cash and 61% in shares of T-Mobile common stock. Our estimate of the upfront payment is subject to Ka’ena’s underlying business performance and the timing of transaction close, and has been updated to $1.2 billion, before working capital adjustments. The agreement remains subject to regulatory approval, and the estimated purchase price is excluded from our reported purchase commitments above. See Note 2 – Business Combinations of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further information.

(6) Spectrum lease agreements are typically for terms of five to 10 years with automatic renewal provisions, bringing the total term of the agreements up to 30 years.

Certain commitments and obligations are included in the table based on the year of required payment or an estimate of the year of payment. Other long-term liabilities have been omitted from the table above due to the uncertainty of the timing of payments, combined with the lack of historical trends to predict future payments.

The purchase obligations reflected in the table above are primarily commitments to purchase spectrum licenses, wireless devices, network services, equipment, software, marketing sponsorship agreements and other items in the ordinary course of business. These amounts do not represent our entire anticipated purchases in the future but represent only those items for which we are contractually committed. Where we are committed to make a minimum payment to the supplier regardless of whether we take delivery, we have included only that minimum payment as a purchase obligation. The acquisition of spectrum licenses is subject to regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions.

Related Party Transactions

We have related party transactions associated with DT, SoftBank or their respective affiliates in the ordinary course of business, including intercompany servicing and licensing.

As of January 31, 2024, DT and SoftBank held, directly or indirectly, approximately 50.7% and 7.8%, respectively, of the outstanding T-Mobile common stock, with the remaining approximately 41.5% of the outstanding T-Mobile common stock held by other stockholders. As a result of the Proxy, Lock-Up and ROFR Agreement, dated April 1, 2020, by and between DT and SoftBank, DT has voting control, as of January 31, 2024, over approximately 58.1% of the outstanding T-Mobile common stock.

Disclosure of Iranian Activities under Section 13(r) of the Exchange Act

Section 219 of the Iran Threat Reduction and the Syria Human Rights Act of 2012 added Section 13(r) to the Exchange Act. Section 13(r) requires an issuer to disclose in its annual or quarterly reports, as applicable, whether it or any of its affiliates knowingly engaged in certain activities, transactions or dealings relating to Iran or with designated natural persons or entities involved in terrorism or the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Disclosure is required even where the activities, transactions or dealings are conducted outside the U.S. by non-U.S. affiliates in compliance with applicable law, and whether or not the activities are sanctionable under U.S. law.

As of the date of this report, we are not aware of any activity, transaction or dealing by us or any of our affiliates for the year ended December 31, 2023, that requires disclosure in this report under Section 13(r) of the Exchange Act, except as set forth below with respect to affiliates that we do not control and that are our affiliates solely due to their common control with either DT or SoftBank. We have relied upon DT and SoftBank for information regarding their respective activities, transactions and dealings.

DT, through certain of its non-U.S. subsidiaries, is party to roaming and interconnect agreements with the following mobile and fixed line telecommunication providers in Iran, some of which are or may be government-controlled entities: Irancell Telecommunications Services Company, Telecommunication Kish Company, Mobile Telecommunication Company of Iran, and Telecommunication Infrastructure Company of Iran. In addition, during the year ended December 31, 2023, DT, through certain of its non-U.S. subsidiaries, provided basic telecommunications services to five customers in Germany identified on the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List maintained by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control: Bank Melli, Europäisch-Iranische Handelsbank, CPG Engineering & Commercial Services GmbH, Golgohar Trade and Technology GmbH and International Trade and Industrial Technology ITRITEC GmbH. These services have been terminated or are in the process of being terminated. For the year ended December 31, 2023, gross revenues of all DT affiliates generated by roaming and interconnection traffic and telecommunications services with the Iranian parties identified herein were less than $0.1 million, and the estimated net profits were less than $0.1 million.

In addition, DT, through certain of its non-U.S. subsidiaries that operate a fixed-line network in their respective European home countries (in particular Germany), provides telecommunications services in the ordinary course of business to the Embassy of Iran in those European countries. Gross revenues and net profits recorded from these activities for the year ended December 31, 2023, were less than $0.1 million. We understand that DT intends to continue these activities.

Separately, SoftBank, through one of its non-U.S. subsidiaries, provides roaming services in Iran through Irancell Telecommunications Services Company. During the year ended December 31, 2023, SoftBank had no gross revenues from such services and no net profit was generated. We understand that the SoftBank subsidiary intends to continue such services. This subsidiary also provides telecommunications services in the ordinary course of business to accounts affiliated with the Embassy of Iran in Japan. During the year ended December 31, 2023, SoftBank estimates that gross revenues and net profit generated by such services were both under $0.1 million. We understand that the SoftBank subsidiary is obligated under contract and intends to continue such services.

In addition, SoftBank, through one of its non-U.S. indirect subsidiaries, provides office supplies to the Embassy of Iran in Japan. SoftBank estimates that gross revenues and net profit generated by such services during the year ended December 31, 2023, were both under $0.1 million. We understand that the SoftBank subsidiary intends to continue such activities.

Critical Accounting Estimates

Our significant accounting policies are fundamental to understanding our results of operations and financial condition as they require that we use estimates and assumptions that may affect the value of our assets or liabilities and financial results. See Note 1 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further information.

Two of these policies, discussed below, relate to critical estimates because they require management to make difficult, subjective and complex judgments about matters that are inherently uncertain and because it is likely that materially different amounts would be reported under different conditions or using different assumptions. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Management and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors have reviewed and approved the accounting policies associated with these critical estimates.

Depreciation

Our property and equipment balance represents a significant component of our consolidated assets. We record property and equipment at cost, and we generally depreciate property and equipment on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the assets. If all other factors were to remain unchanged, we expect that a one-year increase in the useful lives of our in-service property and equipment, exclusive of leased devices, would have resulted in a decrease of approximately $3.0 billion in our 2023 depreciation expense and that a one-year decrease in the useful life would have resulted in an increase of approximately $4.5 billion in our 2023 depreciation expense.

See Note 1 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Note 5 – Property and Equipment of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for information regarding depreciation of assets, including management’s underlying estimates of useful lives.

Income Taxes

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized based on temporary differences between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates expected to be in effect when these differences are realized. A valuation allowance is recorded when it is more likely than not that some portion or all of a deferred tax asset will not be realized. The ultimate realization of a deferred tax asset depends on the ability to generate sufficient taxable income of the appropriate character and in the appropriate taxing jurisdictions within the carryforward periods available.

We account for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in the financial statements in accordance with the accounting guidance for the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. We assess whether it is more likely than not that a tax position will be sustained upon examination based on the technical merits of the position and adjust the unrecognized tax benefits in light of changes in facts and circumstances, such as changes in tax law, interactions with taxing authorities and developments in case law.

The income tax laws of the jurisdictions in which we operate are complex and subject to different interpretations by management and the relevant government taxing authorities. In establishing a provision for income tax expense, we must make judgments about the application of these inherently complex tax laws. We must also make estimates about when in the future certain items will affect taxable income in the various tax jurisdictions. Our interpretations may be subjected to review during examination by taxing authorities and disputes may arise over the respective tax positions. We attempt to resolve these disputes during the tax examination and audit process and ultimately through the court system when applicable.

We monitor relevant tax authorities and revise our estimate of accrued income taxes due to changes in income tax laws and their interpretation by the courts and regulatory authorities on a quarterly basis. Revisions of our estimate of accrued income taxes also may result from our own income tax planning and from the resolution of income tax controversies. Such revisions in our estimates may be material to our Income tax expense for any given quarter.

Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

For information regarding recently issued accounting standards, see Note 1 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

We are exposed to economic risks in the normal course of business, primarily from changes in interest rates, including changes in investment yields and changes in spreads due to credit risk and other factors. These risks, along with other business risks, impact our cost of capital. Our policy is to manage exposure related to fluctuations in interest rates in order to manage capital costs, control financial risks and maintain financial flexibility over the long term. We have established interest rate risk limits that are closely monitored by measuring interest rate sensitivities of our debt portfolio. We do not foresee significant changes in the strategies used to manage market risk in the near future.

Certain potential sources of financing available to us, including our Revolving Credit Facility, bear interest that is indexed to a benchmark rate plus a fixed margin. As of December 31, 2023, we did not have outstanding balances under these facilities. See Note 8 – Debt of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

We maintain disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act) designed to ensure information required to be disclosed in our reports filed or submitted under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. Our disclosure controls are also designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the reports we file or submit under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer, we carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures. Based upon that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of the end of the period covered by this Form 10-K.

The certifications required by Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 are filed as exhibits 31.1 and 31.2, respectively, to this Form 10-K.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting, as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act, during our most recently completed fiscal quarter that materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting. Internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of our financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Internal control over financial reporting includes maintaining records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect our transactions, providing reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary for preparation of our financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, providing reasonable assurance that receipts and expenditures are made in accordance with management authorization, and providing reasonable assurance that unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of company assets that could have a material effect on our financial statements would be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with policies and procedures may deteriorate.

Management conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based on the framework and criteria established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013), issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Based on this evaluation, management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2023.

The effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023 has been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report herein.