After Broadcom acquired VMware, it discontinued perpetual license support that T-Mobile had purchased in 2023 and refused to renew the company's existing support contract for a third year, instead directing customers toward subscription-based alternatives. T-Mobile sought to extend support for $5.3 million as originally contracted, but was denied, prompting a lawsuit filed in New York in August 2025 where T-Mobile argues Broadcom is contractually obligated to honour the renewal terms of the original licence agreement.

The dispute has necessitated T-Mobile's migration of tens of thousands of virtual machines and over 1,000 applications away from VMware, a technically demanding and time-intensive undertaking. Whilst a temporary court injunction permitted continued support through August 2026, the broader case underscores how licensing disputes can entangle large organisations in costly litigation. The situation has parallels with disputes involving other carriers, and observers note that smaller companies facing similar circumstances may forgo legal action due to the financial and technical burdens of challenging a technology conglomerate.