public company

T-Mobile US

A public wireless and home-internet carrier competing with AT&T and Verizon. T-Mobile provides useful price competition, but recurring-plan capture, concentrated telecom power, location-data enforcement history, and repeated data-security problems make it a weak institutional actor.

Why this matters: T-Mobile is often the cheaper telecom competitor, but lower price does not erase privacy and infrastructure-power concerns.

Letter grade F Malignant Medium confidence (AI) Rubric gcd-rubric-v1 Last reviewed May 11, 2026

Final Score -7* F - Malignant

FMALIGNANT-7 pts

* Tentative scaffolding score. Not human-checked or final.

Base Material12

Bonus+1

Cap35Ownership <= 2 and Governance <= 2

After Cap13

Penalties-20

Private Government badge

T-Mobile US receives the Private Government badge because it combines large-scale private rule-setting over customers, workers, users, members, or counterparties with OpenLobby-documented lobbying of about $1.5M on public policy issues.

Evidence: [10]

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Evaluation Overview

F - Malignant

The score turns mainly on Product Integrity, with the largest penalty coming from Policy Capture.

Strengths

Product Integrity3/5
Market Conduct2/5
Ownership1/10

Penalties

Policy Capture-5
Surveillance Capture-5
Human Harm-4
Subscription Capture-3

Evidence state

ConfidenceMedium confidence (AI)
ThoroughnessDeveloped (AI)
Linked claims10
Direct axis claims9
Coverage9/16

Scoring Axes

Axis	Score	Why this score
Ownership ? Control rights: shareholder-dominated at 0, worker cooperative control at 10.	1 / 10	T-Mobile US is a shareholder-governed public company, so control over network and plan design is investor-centered rather than customer-controlled. T-Mobile US is a shareholder-governed public company, so control over network and plan design is investor-centered rather than customer-controlled. That keeps T-Mobile US low on Ownership: decisive control remains with shareholders, private owners, executives, or state insiders rather than affected people. The value is above zero only where the linked record still shows some real function, constraint, or public value on this axis. Linked evidence T-Mobile US is a shareholder-governed public company, so control over network and plan design is investor-centered rather than customer-controlled. [1]
Governance ? Binding decision authority: centralized control at 0, democratic stakeholder control at 10.	1 / 10	T-Mobile US sells wireless service, home internet, devices, and business connectivity as a major U.S. carrier. Linked evidence context T-Mobile US sells wireless service, home internet, devices, and business connectivity as a major U.S. carrier. [2] context T-Mobile US is a shareholder-governed public company, so control over network and plan design is investor-centered rather than customer-controlled. [1] context The FCC fined T-Mobile and other major carriers over selling access to customer location information without reasonable safeguards. [3] context T-Mobile has faced major data-security incidents, including a large 2021 breach settlement and later FCC data-security settlement, creating material consumer harm risk. [4] context T-Mobile depends on recurring wireless, device-financing, upgrade, and home-internet relationships with switching friction. [5] context T-Mobile plan terms, device financing, data security, and location-data practices are difficult for ordinary customers to evaluate comparatively. [6]
Extraction ? Surplus allocation, wage share, CEO pay ratio, margins, and structured extraction judgment.	1 / 10	T-Mobile US sells wireless service, home internet, devices, and business connectivity as a major U.S. carrier. T-Mobile US sells wireless service, home internet, devices, and business connectivity as a major U.S. carrier. That keeps T-Mobile US low on Extraction: the business model makes extraction from workers, users, suppliers, customers, or the public central rather than incidental. The value is above zero only where the linked record still shows some real function, constraint, or public value on this axis. Linked evidence context T-Mobile US sells wireless service, home internet, devices, and business connectivity as a major U.S. carrier. [2] context T-Mobile US is a shareholder-governed public company, so control over network and plan design is investor-centered rather than customer-controlled. [1] context The FCC fined T-Mobile and other major carriers over selling access to customer location information without reasonable safeguards. [3] context T-Mobile has faced major data-security incidents, including a large 2021 breach settlement and later FCC data-security settlement, creating material consumer harm risk. [4] context T-Mobile depends on recurring wireless, device-financing, upgrade, and home-internet relationships with switching friction. [5] context T-Mobile plan terms, device financing, data security, and location-data practices are difficult for ordinary customers to evaluate comparatively. [6]
Labor Sovereignty ? Worker power: coercive conditions at 0, co-determination or ownership at 7. Employee dissatisfaction matters only when source-backed evidence shows concrete limits on worker agency, such as coercive scheduling, retaliation, wage theft, harassment, unsafe conditions, suppression of worker voice, or extreme turnover.	1 / 7	T-Mobile US sells wireless service, home internet, devices, and business connectivity as a major U.S. carrier. T-Mobile US sells wireless service, home internet, devices, and business connectivity as a major U.S. carrier. That keeps T-Mobile US low on Labor Sovereignty: labor remains managerially controlled, replaceable, or exposed to coercive employment and contracting conditions. The value is above zero only where the linked record still shows some real function, constraint, or public value on this axis. Linked evidence context T-Mobile US sells wireless service, home internet, devices, and business connectivity as a major U.S. carrier. [2] context T-Mobile US is a shareholder-governed public company, so control over network and plan design is investor-centered rather than customer-controlled. [1] context The FCC fined T-Mobile and other major carriers over selling access to customer location information without reasonable safeguards. [3] context T-Mobile has faced major data-security incidents, including a large 2021 breach settlement and later FCC data-security settlement, creating material consumer harm risk. [4] context T-Mobile depends on recurring wireless, device-financing, upgrade, and home-internet relationships with switching friction. [5] context T-Mobile plan terms, device financing, data security, and location-data practices are difficult for ordinary customers to evaluate comparatively. [6]
Solidarity with the Unemployed ? Treatment of exits and nonworkers, including severance, redeployment, and non-competes.	1 / 7	T-Mobile US sells wireless service, home internet, devices, and business connectivity as a major U.S. carrier. T-Mobile US sells wireless service, home internet, devices, and business connectivity as a major U.S. carrier. That keeps T-Mobile US low on Solidarity with the Unemployed: the model provides little protection for people who leave, are excluded, or cannot bargain from employment. The value is above zero only where the linked record still shows some real function, constraint, or public value on this axis. Linked evidence context T-Mobile US sells wireless service, home internet, devices, and business connectivity as a major U.S. carrier. [2] context T-Mobile US is a shareholder-governed public company, so control over network and plan design is investor-centered rather than customer-controlled. [1] context The FCC fined T-Mobile and other major carriers over selling access to customer location information without reasonable safeguards. [3] context T-Mobile has faced major data-security incidents, including a large 2021 breach settlement and later FCC data-security settlement, creating material consumer harm risk. [4] context T-Mobile depends on recurring wireless, device-financing, upgrade, and home-internet relationships with switching friction. [5] context T-Mobile plan terms, device financing, data security, and location-data practices are difficult for ordinary customers to evaluate comparatively. [6]
Loss-Bearing Fidelity ? Willingness to absorb costs to preserve values, workers, users, and public obligations.	1 / 7	T-Mobile US sells wireless service, home internet, devices, and business connectivity as a major U.S. carrier. T-Mobile US sells wireless service, home internet, devices, and business connectivity as a major U.S. carrier. That keeps T-Mobile US low on Loss-Bearing Fidelity: losses, hazards, or adjustment costs are routinely pushed onto workers, customers, suppliers, communities, or the public. The value is above zero only where the linked record still shows some real function, constraint, or public value on this axis. Linked evidence context T-Mobile US sells wireless service, home internet, devices, and business connectivity as a major U.S. carrier. [2] context T-Mobile US is a shareholder-governed public company, so control over network and plan design is investor-centered rather than customer-controlled. [1] context The FCC fined T-Mobile and other major carriers over selling access to customer location information without reasonable safeguards. [3] context T-Mobile has faced major data-security incidents, including a large 2021 breach settlement and later FCC data-security settlement, creating material consumer harm risk. [4] context T-Mobile depends on recurring wireless, device-financing, upgrade, and home-internet relationships with switching friction. [5] context T-Mobile plan terms, device financing, data security, and location-data practices are difficult for ordinary customers to evaluate comparatively. [6]
Market Conduct ? Pricing fairness, switching costs, lock-in, and rent extraction.	2 / 5	T-Mobile US sells wireless service, home internet, devices, and business connectivity as a major U.S. carrier. T-Mobile US sells wireless service, home internet, devices, and business connectivity as a major U.S. carrier. That places T-Mobile US in the middle of Market Conduct: the product has real value but still uses meaningful lock-in, gatekeeping, market power, or dependency. The value stays below the top tier because the linked record does not show full democratic control, non-extractive lock-in, or complete stakeholder protection on this axis. Linked evidence context T-Mobile US sells wireless service, home internet, devices, and business connectivity as a major U.S. carrier. [2] context T-Mobile US is a shareholder-governed public company, so control over network and plan design is investor-centered rather than customer-controlled. [1] context The FCC fined T-Mobile and other major carriers over selling access to customer location information without reasonable safeguards. [3] context T-Mobile has faced major data-security incidents, including a large 2021 breach settlement and later FCC data-security settlement, creating material consumer harm risk. [4] context T-Mobile depends on recurring wireless, device-financing, upgrade, and home-internet relationships with switching friction. [5] context T-Mobile plan terms, device financing, data security, and location-data practices are difficult for ordinary customers to evaluate comparatively. [6]
Product Integrity ? Preservation of quality rather than degradation for monetization.	3 / 5	T-Mobile US sells wireless service, home internet, devices, and business connectivity as a major U.S. carrier. T-Mobile US sells wireless service, home internet, devices, and business connectivity as a major U.S. carrier. That places T-Mobile US in the middle of Product Integrity: the product has real use value but is compromised by incentives, monetization, lock-in, quality degradation, or risk. The value stays below the top tier because the linked record does not show full democratic control, non-extractive lock-in, or complete stakeholder protection on this axis. Linked evidence T-Mobile US sells wireless service, home internet, devices, and business connectivity as a major U.S. carrier. [2]
Scale Integrity ? Whether growth improves or degrades fairness and accountability.	1 / 5	T-Mobile US sells wireless service, home internet, devices, and business connectivity as a major U.S. carrier. Linked evidence context T-Mobile US sells wireless service, home internet, devices, and business connectivity as a major U.S. carrier. [2] context T-Mobile US is a shareholder-governed public company, so control over network and plan design is investor-centered rather than customer-controlled. [1] context The FCC fined T-Mobile and other major carriers over selling access to customer location information without reasonable safeguards. [3] context T-Mobile has faced major data-security incidents, including a large 2021 breach settlement and later FCC data-security settlement, creating material consumer harm risk. [4] context T-Mobile depends on recurring wireless, device-financing, upgrade, and home-internet relationships with switching friction. [5] context T-Mobile plan terms, device financing, data security, and location-data practices are difficult for ordinary customers to evaluate comparatively. [6]

Penalties

Penalty	Applied	Why this penalty
Human Harm ? Severity, scale, culpability, vulnerable targets, willful reoffense, reputation laundering, pattern escalation, and time decay. Range: -20 to 0.	-4	T-Mobile has faced major data-security incidents, including a large 2021 breach settlement and later FCC data-security settlement, creating material consumer harm risk. T-Mobile has faced major data-security incidents, including a large 2021 breach settlement and later FCC data-security settlement, creating material consumer harm risk. That warrants a limited Human Harm penalty because ordinary operation, documented misconduct, or institutional power creates serious injury, deprivation, abuse, or foreseeable human damage. The value is limited because the linked record shows a real problem but not one that dominates the profile on this axis. Linked evidence T-Mobile has faced major data-security incidents, including a large 2021 breach settlement and later FCC data-security settlement, creating material consumer harm risk. [4]
Policy Capture ? Private-interest attempts to bend law, regulation, subsidies, taxes, enforcement, trade, labor, safety, competition, environmental, healthcare, housing, surveillance, civil-liberties, or consumer policy against workers, customers, citizens, affected communities, or ecological life. Public-interest advocacy is not penalized merely because it is lobbying. Range: -15 to 0.	-5	OpenLobby records T-MOBILE US INC. lobbying on tax and technology with about $1.5M in spending across 21 filings; the reviewed filings document private institutional lobbying over public rules rather than a public-interest advocacy role. OpenLobby records T-MOBILE US INC. lobbying on tax and technology with about $1.5M in spending across 21 filings; the reviewed filings document private institutional lobbying over public rules rather than a public-interest advocacy role. That warrants a limited Policy Capture penalty because private institutional pressure is being applied to public rules while affected people cannot democratically govern that agenda. The value is limited because the linked record shows a real problem but not one that dominates the profile on this axis. Linked evidence OpenLobby records T-MOBILE US INC. lobbying on tax and technology with about $1.5M in spending across 21 filings; the reviewed filings document private institutional lobbying over public rules rather than a public-interest advocacy role. [9]
Subscription Capture ? Manipulative recurring-payment, automatic-renewal, cancellation-friction, bundling, trial-conversion, or refund designs that profit from inertia or confusion. Range: -5 to 0.	-3	T-Mobile depends on recurring wireless, device-financing, upgrade, and home-internet relationships with switching friction. T-Mobile depends on recurring wireless, device-financing, upgrade, and home-internet relationships with switching friction. That warrants a substantial Subscription Capture penalty because recurring-payment design profits from inertia, confusion, bundling, renewal friction, or cancellation difficulty. The value is substantial but not at the floor because the linked record shows serious conduct without the strongest aggravating factors on this axis. Linked evidence T-Mobile depends on recurring wireless, device-financing, upgrade, and home-internet relationships with switching friction. [5]
Accountability Opacity ? Material opacity, reputation laundering, or hidden accountability structures that prevent public accountability. Range: -2 to 0.	-2	T-Mobile plan terms, device financing, data security, and location-data practices are difficult for ordinary customers to evaluate comparatively. T-Mobile plan terms, device financing, data security, and location-data practices are difficult for ordinary customers to evaluate comparatively. That warrants a severe Accountability Opacity penalty because material facts, risks, conflicts, ownership, or accountability information are obscured from the public. The value is near the floor because the conduct appears central, large-scale, repeated, or institutionally powerful rather than incidental. Linked evidence T-Mobile plan terms, device financing, data security, and location-data practices are difficult for ordinary customers to evaluate comparatively. [6]
Surveillance Capture ? Invasive surveillance, unreasonably non-optional tracking, facial recognition, biometric identification, or AI behavior scanning of customers, workers, bystanders, or the public. Range: -5 to 0.	-5	The FCC fined T-Mobile and other major carriers over selling access to customer location information without reasonable safeguards. The FCC fined T-Mobile and other major carriers over selling access to customer location information without reasonable safeguards. That warrants a severe Surveillance Capture penalty because customers, workers, users, bystanders, or the public are exposed to invasive tracking, biometrics, or behavior scanning. The value is near the floor because the conduct appears central, large-scale, repeated, or institutionally powerful rather than incidental. Linked evidence The FCC fined T-Mobile and other major carriers over selling access to customer location information without reasonable safeguards. [3]
Ideological Disavowal ? Concealed ideology presented as neutrality, expertise, professional necessity, public-service administration, market inevitability, or non-ideological common sense while exercising power. Range: -3 to 0.	-1	T-Mobile retains conduct relevant to the Ideological Disavowal penalty: it presents telecom pricing, location-data handling, and data-security tradeoffs as ordinary customer service while exercising concentrated network power. T-Mobile retains conduct relevant to the Ideological Disavowal penalty: it presents telecom pricing, location-data handling, and data-security tradeoffs as ordinary customer service while exercising concentrated network power. That warrants a limited Ideological Disavowal penalty because the institution presents situated, contested choices as neutrality, expertise, inevitability, safety, or common sense. The value is limited because the linked record shows a real problem but not one that dominates the profile on this axis. Linked evidence T-Mobile retains conduct relevant to the Ideological Disavowal penalty: it presents telecom pricing, location-data handling, and data-security tradeoffs as ordinary customer service while exercising concentrated network power. [8]

Bonus Credits

Bonus	Credit	Why this credit
Good Deal ? Credit for unusually fair value: durable quality, fair pricing, low lock-in, and clear customer surplus.	1 / 3	It has historically competed aggressively on wireless pricing and plan access compared with AT&T and Verizon, even while preserving telecom lock-in and privacy risks. It has historically competed aggressively on wireless pricing and plan access compared with AT&T and Verizon, even while preserving telecom lock-in and privacy risks. That supports partial Good Deal credit because ordinary users receive unusually fair value, durability, access, or surplus. The value remains partial because the linked record does not show the practice as comprehensive, durable, or central enough for full credit. Linked evidence T-Mobile receives limited Good Deal credit because it has historically competed aggressively on wireless pricing and plan access compared with AT&T and Verizon, even while preserving telecom lock-in and privacy risks. [7]

Confidence Basis

Confidence is computed from the evidence trail and review state, not typed into the profile by hand.

Medium 77/100

9 verified linked claims 9 direct axis claims 0 disputed claims 9/16 components covered

This confidence label measures the source-backed evidence trail. AI-scaffolded scores remain tentative until human review.

Claim confidence 18/20

9 verified linked claims

Source quality 16/18

Best source per verified claim, weighted by institutional reliability

Direct axis-specific claims 9/18

9 direct claims across 16 active components

Dispute load 12/12

0 disputed claims on this entity

Recency 10/10

Newest accepted timestamp: May 13, 2026

Reviewer status 7/12

Human-reviewed components score higher than AI scaffolding

Component coverage 6/10

9/16 evidence-bearing components have direct support

Evidence State

Profile stateAI draft / human-pending

VerificationUnverified

ConfidenceMedium confidence (AI)

ThoroughnessDeveloped (AI)

Correction routeUse “Challenge this rating” for factual errors, missing counterevidence, source problems, or calculation mistakes.

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Claims and Sources

Claims are the evidence record. Each claim needs a source link, axis category, status, confidence level, and timestamp before it can support a score.

* Tentative scaffolding score. Not human-checked or final.

1T-Mobile US is a shareholder-governed public company, so control over network and plan design is investor-centered rather than customer-controlled.

Ownership Verified High confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 11, 2026

AI scaffold

T-Mobile annual reportsPrimary institutional record · 90%

2T-Mobile US sells wireless service, home internet, devices, and business connectivity as a major U.S. carrier.

Product Integrity Verified High confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 11, 2026

AI scaffold

T-Mobile annual reportsPrimary institutional record · 90%

3The FCC fined T-Mobile and other major carriers over selling access to customer location information without reasonable safeguards.

Surveillance Capture Verified High confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 11, 2026

AI scaffold

FCC carrier location-data finesPrimary public record · 100%

4T-Mobile has faced major data-security incidents, including a large 2021 breach settlement and later FCC data-security settlement, creating material consumer harm risk.

Human Harm Verified High confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 11, 2026

AI scaffold

FCC T-Mobile data breach settlementPrimary public record · 100%
FTC T-Mobile data breach settlement noticePrimary public record · 100%

5T-Mobile depends on recurring wireless, device-financing, upgrade, and home-internet relationships with switching friction.

Subscription Capture Verified High confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 11, 2026

AI scaffold

T-Mobile annual reportsPrimary institutional record · 90%

6T-Mobile plan terms, device financing, data security, and location-data practices are difficult for ordinary customers to evaluate comparatively.

Accountability Opacity Verified High confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 11, 2026

AI scaffold

T-Mobile privacy noticeGeneral web source · 58%
FCC carrier location-data finesPrimary public record · 100%

7T-Mobile receives limited Good Deal credit because it has historically competed aggressively on wireless pricing and plan access compared with AT&T and Verizon, even while preserving telecom lock-in and privacy risks.

Good Deal Verified Medium confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 11, 2026

AI scaffold

T-Mobile annual reportsPrimary institutional record · 90%

8T-Mobile retains conduct relevant to the Ideological Disavowal penalty: it presents telecom pricing, location-data handling, and data-security tradeoffs as ordinary customer service while exercising concentrated network power.

Ideological Disavowal Verified Medium confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 11, 2026

AI scaffold

T-Mobile annual reportsPrimary institutional record · 90%

9OpenLobby records T-MOBILE US INC. lobbying on tax and technology with about $1.5M in spending across 21 filings; the reviewed filings document private institutional lobbying over public rules rather than a public-interest advocacy role.

Policy Capture Verified Medium confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 11, 2026

AI scaffold

OpenLobby — T-MOBILE US INC. lobbying profileGeneral web source · 58%

10T-Mobile US receives the Private Government badge because it combines large-scale private rule-setting over customers, workers, users, members, or counterparties with OpenLobby-documented lobbying of about $1.5M on public policy issues.

Private Government Verified Medium confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 11, 2026

AI scaffold

OpenLobby — T-MOBILE US INC. lobbying profileGeneral web source · 58%

Alternatives

Competitors

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