AT&T Throws Cold Water on Its U.S. Customers: Verizon Smiles

Despite having started 2025 with good financial results, AT&T faces new challenges that could directly affect its customers. The telecommunications giant managed to increase its profits and add hundreds of thousands of new users to its phone and internet services. However, the company now warns that recent changes in tariff policy could raise the cost of mobile devices.

AT&T and the Possible Price Increase

During its first-quarter financial report, AT&T revealed a net income of $4.7 billion, 19% more than in the same period the previous year. It also added 324,000 new postpaid phone customers and 261,000 new fiber internet users.

Despite these good numbers, AT&T's CEO, John Stankey, warned that the tariffs announced by President Donald Trump could have a negative impact. According to him, the tariffs imposed on the import of goods could raise the prices of smartphones and other technological equipment. If suppliers pass these costs on to the company, AT&T might be forced to do the same with its customers.

A Scenario of Uncertainty for Consumers

The situation is complicated because the United States imposed a base tariff of 10% on most imports and 145% for products from China. These increases could directly influence the retail prices of mobile phones, just when most devices are sold through operators like AT&T.

Stankey acknowledged that if costs increase, "unfortunately for the customer, we'll have to find new ways for them to digest those price increases." This means that in the coming months, buying a smartphone could become much more expensive for American consumers.

Changes in Customer Behavior

The uncertainty has already begun to change user behavior. AT&T reported that since the announcement of the new tariffs, there has been an increase in the number of customers upgrading their mobile phones. The fear of a price increase has accelerated purchasing decisions.

Meanwhile, Verizon, another giant in the sector, has also indicated that it will not absorb the additional costs resulting from the tariffs. This confirms that the main operators in the United States are prepared to pass those increases directly to consumers.

With the current economic outlook, mobile service users in the United States will need to prepare for possible price hikes in their devices. A trend that could mark the rest of the year and affect both new buyers and those looking to renew their phones.