Report: T-Mobile-MetroPCS deal could be made as early as Wednesday

German telecom giant Deutsche Telekom is reviewing a "sweeter bid" for U.S. wireless carrier MetroPCS, and could announce a deal as early as Wednesday, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

The deal could be improved by reducing the amount of debt transferred to the new company, according to the Journal's Archibald Preuschat and Thomas Gryta. The new report contradicts a Deutsche Telekom statement to FierceWireless last Thursday that denied a Reuters exclusive with the same news.

The he said, she said gyrations come as Deutsche Telekom faces considerable shareholder opposition to the terms of the proposed merger of its U.S. arm, T-Mobile USA, with MetroPCS. That deal -- which has been approved by regulators -- offers MetroPCS shareholders approximately $4 per share in cash and a 26 percent stake in the combined company; the new entity would take on more than $20 billion in debt.

Previously on ZDNet:

• T-Mobile draws back customers, adds half a million subscribers in Q1
• MetroPCS shareholders revolt against T-Mobile CEO's merger tirade
• T-Mobile USA launches rapid LTE expansion across US
• FCC approves T-Mobile USA, MetroPCS merger
• After MetroPCS merger completes, T-Mobile USA plans layoffs
• T-Mobile CMO affirms carrier's focus on prepaid customer base
• MetroPCS Q3: 1 million LTE subscribers, $193m profit
• T-Mobile, MetroPCS deal to close by Q2 2013, says parent firm
• T-Mobile, MetroPCS to merge in $1.5bn deal