T-Mobile US said on Wednesday it is ending all diversity, equity, and inclusion programs as it seeks regulatory approval for two major deals currently under review by the Federal Communications Commission.
In a letter to FCC Chair Brendan Carr, the company said it is eliminating DEI-related policies, roles, teams, website references, and training content, describing the move as a full withdrawal “not just in name, but in substance.”
T-Mobile is awaiting FCC approval for its proposed $4.4 billion acquisition of nearly all of U.S. Cellular’s wireless operations, including customers, stores, and about 30 percent of its spectrum assets. The FCC is also reviewing a separate agreement in which T-Mobile would form a joint venture with KKR to acquire internet provider Metronet.
Under the Metronet deal, T-Mobile plans to invest $4.9 billion to buy a 50 percent stake in the joint venture and take full control of Metronet’s residential fiber retail operations and customers.
Commissioner Carr welcomed the DEI decision, saying in a message that the move supports equal opportunity, nondiscrimination, and the public interest. Commissioner Anna Gomez, however, criticized T-Mobile, saying the change undermines the company’s stated values on fairness and representation.
In recent months, the FCC has reviewed company policies as part of its merger review process. In May, it approved Verizon’s $20 billion purchase of Frontier Communications after Verizon agreed to end its own DEI programs.
Carr, appointed FCC chair by former President Donald Trump in January, opened a probe earlier this year into Comcast’s DEI efforts. Trump has issued executive orders dismantling DEI programs in the federal government and has urged the private sector to follow.
