T-Mobile USA has been trying to migrate away from VMware for some time. Meanwhile, the telco is fighting in court for extended support, which it claims Broadcom is obligated to provide. According to court documents, the telco runs VMware on at least 303,000 CPU cores, which form the foundation of its entire internal network.
The dispute stems from a deal T-Mobile struck with VMware in August 2023, which The Register has been reporting on for some time. Under that agreement, the telecom company purchased perpetual licenses (i.e., with no expiration date) and two years of support for certain software, plus an option for an additional year. Shortly thereafter, Broadcom acquired VMware and stopped selling these perpetual licenses and standalone support contracts.
T-Mobile US has been using VMware since 2008. During a hearing, the carrier’s attorney described the implementation as “the foundation of the entire internal network” and the platform on which a thousand applications run. According to the documents, Broadcom announced in 2024 that it would not renew support after the two-year deal expired in 2025.
For its part, T-Mobile USA itself appears to be moving away from VMware. VP of Technology Kevin Luu says his company is seeking a solution to complete the migration away from VMware in a “more deliberate” manner.
A familiar battle
This battle is not unique. The Register cites AT&T and Tesco as other examples of companies that have tried to enforce their right to extended support, only to be refused by Broadcom. AT&T settled under confidential terms; Tesco is still in litigation. Broadcom repeatedly asserts that it can no longer support the products in question because they no longer exist and subscriptions have since become the norm.
Broadcom has been ramping up the pressure on customers for some time. Since the acquisition, the company has intensified its license audits and reduced its product portfolio from more than 150 products to two subscription bundles. In a similar case against Siemens, VMware was recently ruled in favor by the competent court.
A bill running into the millions
The judge granted T-Mobile US an order requiring Broadcom to provide support beyond August 2025, in exchange for a payment of $5.28 million and a bond of $500,000. Broadcom subsequently offered $24 million to support six products, requiring more than twenty employees. The telco countered that it made only two support calls in 2026.