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T-Mobile USA saw its mobile subscriptions drop by 77,000 in Q3 2009. At the same time, the company's average revenue per user (APRU) fell, bringing down operating revenue and profit. This contrasts poorly with Deutsche Telekom's reasonable performance at home in Germany and in other countries which saw profit for the group increase by 7.2%.



The USA subsidiary's Q2 operating profit increased by 1% on the previous year. The company credited this increases with "focused efforts on reducing operating expenses", which included decreasing performance bonuses paid to retail staff. As UNI reported at the time, this amounted to attempt to force workers to pay for the company's profits. Q3 results for T-Mobile USA compared to Deutsche Telekom group beg questions about the effectiveness of the USA strategy.



In the long-run, business strategies which promote union, worker and human rights may be more sustainable, provide for greater stability and better financial results.



Might it not be more profitable for T-Mobile USA to respect its workers labour rights and to work with trade unions, as do the company's other, more socially responsible businesses around the world?