Deutsche Telekom CEO Says T-Mobile US Can Survive on Its Own

Deutsche Telekom AG’s Timotheus Hoettges, who helped engineer the merger of its T-Mobile US Inc. with rival MetroPCS Communications Inc. two years ago, said a recovering outlook in the U.S. means the business can go it alone, at least for now.

“We have a standalone position which is good and which we’re building out,” Hoettges, the former Deutsche Telekom head of finance who is into his third month as chief executive officer, said at an earnings press conference in Bonn today. “You can’t build your planning on a potential transaction. It’s really difficult to judge.”