T-Mobile’s wireless home internet service has been a success story, but the carrier is now facing a reality that’s forcing it to change course. The company is focusing more on buying existing fiber internet companies rather than trying to build everything from scratch using its wireless network.

According to a report from PhoneArena, T-Mobile’s Chief Broadband Officer Allan Samson made a surprisingly candid admission during a November 2025 presentation. He acknowledged that T-Mobile won’t be building wired networks, saying plainly that companies need to know what they’re not good at. It’s a rare moment of humility from a carrier that’s typically aggressive about promoting its capabilities.

The admission comes as T-Mobile finds its wireless internet service gaining unexpected traction in cities. Suburban and urban markets now make up 65 percent of the carrier’s 5G internet sales every quarter, with city customers choosing the service because of improved quality. That’s a departure from the typical narrative that wireless home internet is mainly for rural areas without other options.

But there’s a catch. While T-Mobile’s wireless internet averages respectable download speeds, fiber connections are simply faster and more reliable. That’s pushing the carrier to acquire fiber companies like Metronet and Lumos to fill the gap. The strategy also addresses another issue: rival fiber companies offer low introductory prices that jump significantly later and charge extra for Wi-Fi equipment and routers, giving them a pricing advantage T-Mobile wants to counter.

The carrier’s competitors aren’t standing still either. Verizon recently acquired fixed wireless provider Starry Internet to reach more urban communities, while AT&T is using newly acquired spectrum to boost speeds for its wireless internet customers.

For T-Mobile customers, the takeaway is clear: the company knows wireless internet has its limits, and it’s willing to buy its way into the fiber market rather than pretend its wireless-only approach can compete everywhere. Whether that honesty translates into better service options remains to be seen.

Source: PhoneArena