AT&T leans on bundled plans to beat estimates for subscriber additions

Group 1 - AT&T exceeded Wall Street estimates for wireless subscriber additions in Q1, gaining 324,000 net monthly bill-paying wireless phone subscribers compared to the expected 258,300 [1] - The company's strategy of bundling high-speed fiber services with 5G mobile offerings and aggressive trade-in promotions contributed to this growth [1][3] - AT&T's total revenue increased by 2% to $30.6 billion, surpassing analysts' expectations of $30.35 billion [6] Group 2 - The company has seen a higher-than-expected trend in device upgrades since the announcement of reciprocal tariffs in early April, which may lead to increased demand in the second half of the year [3] - More than 40% of AT&T customers using fiber also opted for wireless plans, indicating a strong cross-selling opportunity [6] - AT&T plans to commence share repurchases in Q2 and has reaffirmed its free cash flow and adjusted profit forecasts for the year [7] Group 3 - In contrast, rival Verizon reported higher subscriber losses in Q1 due to recent price hikes and increased industry-wide promotions [8] - T-Mobile is expected to report its results after the market closes on Thursday, indicating ongoing competitive dynamics in the telecom sector [8]