T-Mobile, which is owned by Deutsche Telekom AG, may be in violation of a federal rule barring more than 20 per cent foreign ownership, according to a letter sent to the company by a US regulator.
"T-Mobile USA's level of foreign ownership through the existing ownership structure appears to be in violation" of federal law, the Federal Communications Commission wrote in a letter dated October 17 to T-Mobile obtained by Reuters. T-Mobile disputed the assertion, and said it was in talks with regulators to find a regulatory fix.
"We're perplexed by this," said Kathleen Ham, vice president of federal regulatory affairs for T-Mobile, which was acquired by Deutsche Telekom in 2001.