NEW YORK — Wireless infrastructure capital expenditure by the big four U.S. wireless operators totalled $23.65 billion for the first six months of 2017, as the industry begins work on next-generation 5G technology, according to the latest data compiled by S&P Global Market Intelligence.
Looking at the individual companies’ capex figures, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint increased their first-half capital expenditures to $11.22 billion, $2.88 billion and $2.54 billion, respectively, while Verizon Communications’ capex decreased slightly to $7.01 billion.
While AT&T and Verizon are more diversified telecommunications companies, T-Mobile and Sprint are smaller in size given that they are more squarely focused on wireless service and therefore their capital spending is significantly smaller, S&P Global said.
To read S&P Global Market Intelligence’s full data dispatch on H1 2017 capital expenditure among the big four U.S. wireless operators, click here.
