Zeta-Jones faces being cut off by T-Mobile
Catherine Zeta-Jones is to be dropped as the face of telephone giant T-Mobile, according to US reports.
The Wall St Journal newspaper says the company is planning to launch new Internet phone services in coming months, and will dump the actress in a massive re-brand.
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The actress, who has advertised T-Mobile since 2003, is said to have a contract with the company worth several millions of dollars.
She appears in TV and print ads for the firm in the US.
According to the Wall St Journal, the company plans to release cellphones as early as October that can roam onto wireless Internet connections at home and in T-Mobile's thousands of Wi-Fi hot spots.
Other US cellular carriers are considering offering similar products, but T-Mobile is leading the way.
And it may become the first US carrier to provide an Internet calling service, insiders told the newspaper.
Both services could mean less-expensive monthly phone bills for millions of consumers.
The new initiatives are expected to be followed by a major rebranding effort.
The Wall St Journal reported: "The company has decided to drop Ms. Zeta-Jones from its advertising in favor of a more man-on-street approach to marketing, people familiar with the matter say.
"Ms Zeta-Jones may continue to appear in some ads until her contract expires next year, but eventually she will be phased out."
T-Mobile did not return calls or emails last night.
A spokesman for Zeta-Jones, 37, did not return calls.
With 23 million customers, T-Mobile is the fourth-largest US cellular carrier.
