At&t surprises with record subscriber gains in q1 2026

AT&T has kicked off 2026 in a major way, reporting a whopping 294,000 net new postpaid phone subscribers for the first quarter - significantly higher than the 272,000 expected by Wall Street.

Subscriber growth momentum builds

This marks a strong start to the year for the carrier, as it continues to gain traction in the competitive US wireless market. The robust subscriber additions indicate that AT&T's customer acquisition efforts are paying off, despite increasing competition from rivals T-Mobile and Verizon.

While AT&T's postpaid phone churn rate improved month-over-month to 0.89%, it remained flat year-over-year at 0.87%. The carrier is prioritizing retaining its existing customer base while aggressively pursuing new subscribers.

The company's success in bundling services also contributed to its Q1 performance. Around 42% of AT&T's home internet customers now have a wireless service subscription with the carrier, highlighting the value of offering integrated services to customers.