T-Mobile is Gaining on Sprint

T-Mobile US (NYSE:TMUS) said Thursday it added 2.1 million net customers during the second quarter, putting the nation’s No. 4 wireless carrier within striking distance of Sprint (NYSE:S).

T-Mobile’s net subscriber additions marked a 41% increase over the same period a year earlier. It was also a 14% increase compared to the first quarter.

By June 30, the Bellevue, Wash.-based company counted 58.9 million total customers. Its chief rival, Sprint, ended the first quarter with 57.1 million subscribers. Sprint has yet to disclose second-quarter subscriber figures.

The battle for mobile customers is heating up as Sprint looks to combat steady gains made by T-Mobile in recent years. After the first quarter, T-Mobile was about 300,000 customers behind Sprint, which is aggressively trying to court new users.

John Legere, T-Mobile’s outspoken CEO, has pledged that T-Mobile will take the No. 3 spot from Sprint by the end of this year. Verizon (NYSE:VZ) leads the industry with 108.6 million wireless customers as of the first quarter, ahead of AT&T (NYSE:T).

Legere will be a guest on Countdown to the Closing Bell with Liz Claman on Thursday at 3 p.m. ET.

T-Mobile shares jumped 2.6% to $39.49 in early trading. The stock is up 46% since the start of 2015. Sprint also traded higher Thursday, rising 1.5%.