AT&T commits to ending DEI programs

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON, Dec 2 (Reuters) – U.S. wireless carrier AT&T said in a letter to the U.S. telecoms regulator that it ​had committed to ending diversity, equity and inclusion programs, a move ‌that comes as it seeks approval from the Trump administration to buy wireless spectrum assets.

In ‌November 2024, AT&T agreed to buy some wireless spectrum licenses from U.S. Cellular in a $1.02 billion deal that requires approval from the Federal Communications Commission. The FCC under President Donald Trump has required telecom firms to end DEI ⁠programs as a condition of ‌approving transactions.

FCC Chair Brendan Carr said AT&T’s letter on Tuesday confirmed its commitment announced earlier this year to ending ‍DEI-related policies.

AT&T said in its letter it “does not and will not have any roles focused on DEI.”

In July, wireless carrier T-Mobile US said it was ending its ​DEI programs as it sought regulatory approval for two major deals including ‌buying almost all of regional carrier United States Cellular’s wireless operations including customers, stores and 30% of its spectrum assets in a deal valued at $4.4 billion.

The FCC also in July approved a separate transaction in which T-Mobile established a joint venture with KKR to acquire internet service provider Metronet, ⁠which reaches more than 2 million homes ​and businesses in 17 states.

The FCC in May approved ​Verizon Communications’ $20 billion deal to acquire fiber-optic internet provider Frontier Communications after Verizon agreed to end its DEI program.

Carr, a Republican ‍designated by Trump ⁠in January as chair, told Comcast in February he was opening a probe into the NBC News-parent company’s promotion of DEI programs. In January, Trump ⁠issued sweeping executive orders to dismantle U.S. government DEI programs, and pressured the private ‌sector to join the initiative.

(Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington; Editing ‌by Leslie Adler and Deepa Babington)