T-Mobile is taking on Broadcom in a legal battle over VMware support fees, with the mobile giant claiming it was contractually entitled to renew its licenses. The dispute centres around tens of thousands of virtual machines across hundreds of thousands of CPU cores.

The case highlights the shifting landscape of cloud computing, where one-time purchases are being replaced by subscription models. T-Mobile initially bought perpetual VMware licenses but faced a roadblock when Broadcom ceased selling these options for new customers in favour of more expensive bundles.

With an injunction allowing limited support until August 2026, T-Mobile aims to secure a declaration that it was entitled to extend its support services and seeks further relief from the court. The outcome could set precedents for how tech companies handle legacy software contracts in a rapidly evolving market.