An industry in flux: 2025 saw telecoms stretch skyward and inward—expanding into satellites while tightening control over ad tech and data. T-Mobile led both fronts, betting on connectivity everywhere and monetization anywhere.

Consolidation and the ad tech push: T-Mobile’s $775 million bet on Vistar Media and Blis made it the last major US carrier still building its own ad stack, as Verizon and AT&T stepped back. 

Owning the network and the data gives T-Mobile leverage against Google and Meta’s duopoly. The challenge: proving that first-party mobile and digital out-of-home data can drive measurable ROI.

• Vistar brings 1.1 million connected screens, and Blis adds privacy-first, location-based targeting. The acquisitions could trigger more telecom mergers or acquisitions in ad tech, echoing 2024’s near-doubling of sector deals.
• Yet limits remain—T-Mobile’s ad reach depends on its 100 million subscribers and owned inventory. Saturating mobile markets makes wider expansion challenging. 

The satellite frontier: T-Mobile’s Starlink-powered T-Satellite now works across rival carriers, extending SMS and soon MMS to dead zones over 500,000 square miles. Verizon and AT&T are following with their own constellations.

• Connectivity becomes carrier-agnostic, opening new terrain for marketers, from highways to oceans.
• Satellite-enabled devices expand ad inventory, rural targeting, and brand touchpoints in emergencies or travel.

The caveat: “Initially, the service options available through satellite phone connectivity will be limited to basic text and SOS messaging,” said Jeff Johnston, lead communications economist for CoBank. “But as new satellites are launched over the next several years, voice calling and more advanced data applications should become available.”

This means there is an imperative for networks to secure satellite connectivity pipelines now, even though the payoff might not come for a while. 

Apple, which pioneered satellite communications on smartphones, is offering the service for free. Altering consumer perception that satellite access should be a paid service will require marketing and pricing savvy.

Moving forward: Telecom’s next chapter blends orbit and ownership—satellites for reach, ad tech for revenues, and targeted data for precision. Expect network owners to diversify reach and become their own advertising providers as they expand and capture new markets.

The more nimble networks are adapting early—building transparent consent systems and preparing for a world where every connection is also an impression. 

Market leaders will balance ubiquity with trust. For brands, this means rethinking audience maps as rural, mobile, and even off-grid users are coming online sooner rather than later.

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