Verizon

Deutsche Telekom Doubles Buyback, Calm on Starlink Threat

Deutsche Telekom said it will more than double its ongoing share buyback by up to €3 billion to a total of up to €5 billion, and together with dividends expects to return as much as €10 billion to shareholders in 2026. The Bonn-based group reported revenue of €29.93 billion (up 4.4%) and adjusted operating profit of €11.82 billion (up 7.5%), with free cash flow of €5.03 billion (up 3.1%). Tim Höttges called competition from Starlink manageable, saying satellite signals cannot reliably guarantee in-building coverage and Starlink currently holds only a fraction of spectrum capacity. The IT services unit T-Systems saw new orders fall 6.6% to €4.1 billion; a consortium including T-Systems won a €250 million federal contract. Analysts read the bigger buyback as reducing the likelihood of a merger with US sister company T-Mobile US.

Brands see mixed ROI from 2026 World Cup sponsorships

Major brands delivered mixed earnings results after sponsoring the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Coca‑Cola and Visa reported notable revenue and transaction lifts tied to the event, while McDonald’s and Adidas underperformed relative to expectations despite heavy World Cup activations and increased marketing spend. Verizon and American Airlines reported growth but did not attribute results to FIFA. Nike had not yet reported at the time of publication. The article assesses whether the estimated $2.8 billion spent by official sponsors delivered adequate return.

T‑Mobile launches no-upfront-cost wireless plans

T‑Mobile announced new wireless plans that eliminate upfront out-of-pocket costs to make switching carriers easier. The plans launch on August 6, 2026 and include two 36-month device financing options — EIP Flex 36 (which can finance device, taxes, and fees and offers a limited-time $0 upfront option with 0% APR for well-qualified customers) and EIP Standard 36 (traditional 36-month financing with 0% APR). T‑Mobile also introduced Student Perks plans offering a $30/month line with AutoPay plus taxes and fees and a student 5G Home Internet bundle that includes a virtual prepaid card up to $200. Existing plan tiers (Essentials 2.0, Experience More 2.0, Experience Beyond 2.0) remain available, with Experience Beyond 2.0 advertised as saving customers up to $750 in the first year through combined benefits.