The CEO of Deutsche Telekom said this week that selling T-Mobile US could still be an option, but that the German carrier is not looking for a “fire sale.” Timotheus Hoettges named Comcast, Dish Network and América Móvil as potential acquirers, but said he is not in active talks with any of them. Deutsche Telekom owns 74% of T-Mobile US (TMUS).
This is the second time this month that a possible purchase of T-Mobile US by América Móvil has made headlines. Earlier this month, a consulting firm run by Alex Besen said that América Móvil will make an offer for T-Mobile US. His prediction came on the heels of AT&T’s news that it will buy Mexico’s Iusacell, which competes with América Móvil. More specifically, América Móvil owns prepaid provider Tracfone, and T-Mobile US has become a major force in the U.S. prepaid market since its purchase of MetroPCS.
T-Mobile US, currently the fastest-growing carrier in the U.S., has been an acquisition target for years, most notably when AT&T tried unsuccessfully to buy its fellow GSM carrier. The U.S. Justice Department blocked that deal based on antitrust concerns. The expectation of a similar outcome kept Sprint from making a formal bid for T-Mobile US even though its parent company Softbank was clearly interested earlier this year. France’s Iliad did make a formal bid for T-Mobile US this year, but DT rejected that bid, saying the price was too low.
The Mobile Minute is sponsored by Juniper Networks.
