AT&T bets on fiber, spectrum deals to forecast annual profit above expectations

Jan 28 (Reuters) - AT&T (T) forecast yearly nett supra marketplace expectations connected Wednesday, connected bets that its wireless and fibre web ​expansion would let the U.S. bearer to pat increasing 5G ‌and high-speed net demand.

AT&T's banal roseate 5% during premarket hours connected Wednesday.

The bullish forecast hinges connected AT&T's infrastructure push, anchored by 2 ‌major deals — a astir $6 cardinal acquisition of Lumen's user fibre concern and a $23 cardinal acquisition of EchoStar's spectrum licenses.

The deals are expected to adjacent aboriginal this twelvemonth and assistance AT&T lure customers from rivals with faster ⁠internet speeds and improved ‌mobile coverage, capitalizing connected request for broadband arsenic distant work, streaming and connected devices thrust information depletion higher.

The ‍company said 42% of fibre households person besides signed up for its 5G mobile service, drawn by discounts for bundling the services.

AT&T said it expects 2028 ​free currency travel to beryllium much than $21 billion, compared with analysts' ‌estimate for $19.61 billion, according to information compiled by LSEG.

Texas-based AT&T added 283,000 fibre customers successful the 4th quarter, supra 272,320 expected by analysts astatine Visible Alpha.

Starting archetypal quarter, AT&T volition reorganize its reporting into 3 segments, with the caller precocious connectivity conception covering home 5G and ⁠fiber services that accounted for astir ​90% of 2025 revenue.

The different 2 segments ​are legacy, which includes copper-based dependable and information services, and Latin America, representing the company's Mexico wireless operations.

AT&T said ‍it expected adjusted nett ⁠to beryllium betwixt $2.25 and $2.35 per stock successful 2026, supra estimates of $2.21, according to information compiled by LSEG.

The institution added 421,000 nett ⁠monthly bill-paying wireless telephone subscribers successful the 4th quarter, compared with 421,510 additions ‌expected by analysts from Visible Alpha.

(Reporting by Harshita Mary Varghese ‌in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur)