UPDATE 2-D. Telekom says German mobile phone network down

Published: 21 Apr 2009 10:47:30 PST

* T-Mobile German voice, text message services collapse

* Networks seen back up over the course of the evening

* Glitch in software caused breakdown (Adds reason for and time of collapse, prediction of restoration)

FRANKFURT, April 21 - The German mobile phone network of Deutsche Telekom AG's T-Mobile unit collapsed on Tuesday after a glitch in the software system, Deutsche Telekom said on Tuesday.

The main disruption of T-Mobile's voice and text message services happened between 1400 GMT and 1700 GMT, the company said, adding that the network, which has about 40 million users in Germany, would be back up over the course of the evening.

The network problem struck on the same day Deutsche Telekom slashed its earnings forecasts for 2009 and saw its share price tumble 7.2 percent.