T-Mobile US is currently awaiting approval from US authorities for two major transactions.
In a letter to Brendan Carr, head of the US telecoms regulator FCC, published on Wednesday, T-Mobile US stated that it would end its DEI-related policies "not just in name, but in substance." There will no longer be individual roles or teams dedicated to DEI, it said. In addition, all references to DEI would be removed from T-Mobile US websites and employee training materials.
T-Mobile is awaiting FCC approval for the purchase of nearly all of United States Cellular's mobile phone business for $4.4 billion, as well as for a separate transaction to form a joint venture with financial investor KKR to acquire internet service provider Metronet.
The abolition of diversity programs is one of US President Trump's goals. Shortly after taking office, he overturned regulations, some of which were decades old, designed to achieve equal opportunities and a balanced workforce in terms of characteristics such as skin color, gender, and religion. Carr, the FCC chairman appointed by Trump, had launched investigations into various companies over their DEI programs. In mid-May, US telecommunications company Verizon received the green light from the FCC to proceed with its $20 billion takeover of Frontier Communications after discontinuing its diversity program.
(Report by David Shepardson, written by Ralf Bode. If you have any questions, please contact our editorial team at berlin.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com)
