Summary
- T-Mobile and EQT acquire Lumos, gaining access to 7,500 miles of fiber network and aiming to reach 3.5 million homes by 2028.
- T-Mobile ventures into fiber internet through the Lumos acquisition, transitioning customers to T-Mobile Fiber while providing unlimited data.
- Things should remain mostly unchanged for existing Lumos users, with extra perks like Magenta Status and T-Mobile customer support.
Roughly a year ago, we first heard about T-Mobile’s plans to form a joint venture with EQT to acquire Lumos, a major fiber provider/ISP providing service to almost half a million homes. Now, this acquisition is finally closing.
T-Mobile and global investment firm EQT have officially closed their previously announced joint venture to acquire Lumos. Under the terms of the deal, the joint venture now controls Lumos’s fiber network, which currently spans approximately 7,500 miles and offers connectivity to around 475,000 homes, primarily in the Mid-Atlantic region. T-Mobile has stated that many existing Lumos customers will transition to become T-Mobile Fiber customers. Financially, T-Mobile says it has contributed $950 million to the joint venture at closing. The company anticipates investing an additional $500 million between 2027 and 2028 to fuel further network expansion.
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The main thing we can expect from this joint venture and, therefore, this acquisition, is a big expansion building on Lumos’ current infrastructure. The partners have set a target of expanding the fiber network’s reach to 3.5 million homes by the end of 2028. This represents a substantial increase from Lumos’s current footprint and means T-Mobile will be going all-in on fiber throughout the next three years. The long-term plans are much more ambitious—T-Mobile aims to make fiber internet available to between 12 and 15 million households, or potentially more, by the end of 2030.
T-Mobile didn’t have much fiber infrastructure actually deployed before this—the company’s main home internet offering right now is its 5G Home Internet service, which uses the same cell signal your phone uses to give you unlimited home internet. So it will just be building on what Lumos has done until now and greatly invest in it to expand it across the country.
If you’re a Lumos customer, you’ll notice some changes as your internet connection gradually turns magenta, but they shouldn’t be a bad thing—for now, at least. Existing Lumos customers are expected to retain their current fiber internet service and pricing, at least at first. As they transition to being T-Mobile Fiber customers, they will gain access to T-Mobile’s customer support channels and retail stores. Additionally, these customers will be eligible for T-Mobile’s Magenta Status program, which offers various discounts and benefits through the T-Life app. T-Mobile noted that plans will include unlimited data, and they will also include Wi-Fi equipment and installation.
As per Mike Katz, T-Mobile’s President of Marketing, “T-Mobile is already the fastest-growing broadband provider in America, and expanding into fiber helps us take the next big step in delivering what customers truly want—faster, more reliable internet that simply works.” He went on to add that “people deserve better when it comes to their home internet: fewer disruptions, more value, and support that actually feels supportive. We’re excited to welcome Lumos customers to the T-Mobile family and bring them the Un-carrier experience – built around their needs, fueled by innovation, and focused on making life easier.”
If you’re a Lumos user, you’ll soon be able to take advantage of all the perks that come from being a T-Mobile customer. And if you’re not, depending on how aggressive T-Mobile’s rollout plans are, you might see it pop up in your area soon—branded as T-Mobile Fiber this time.
Source: T-Mobile
