Verizon Warns of Sluggish Subscriber Growth in Competitive Wireless Market

The telecom giant cites strong promotional activity from rivals and economic concerns as factors impacting first-quarter performance.

Verizon expects 'soft' first-quarter subscriber growth due to intensified competition and reduced promotional activity after the holiday season.
Chief Revenue Officer Frank Boulben highlighted a slow start to phone upgrades, reflecting consumer caution tied to U.S. economic uncertainties.
Verizon shares fell over 6%, with rival carriers AT&T and T-Mobile also seeing stock declines as the industry faces profitability concerns.
Despite early challenges, Verizon projects adding more monthly-bill-paying wireless subscribers in 2025 than the 900,000 added in 2024, supported by its customizable myPlan offering.
The U.S. telecom market is nearing saturation, prompting companies to rely on bundled 5G, fiber, and streaming plans to attract and retain cost-conscious customers.