Bermuda-based telecommunications carrier "operated from New York'', according to an advance copy of Germany's Der Spiegel magazine.

A spokesman at Telekom declined to comment, saying his company would not participate in speculation.

Dow Jones & Company, Inc. reported over the weekend that, according to Der Spiegel, a Telekom delegation has travelled to New York to negotiate with RSL founder Ronald Lauder. The price for RSL is reported in"the high millions'' of Deutschmarks, Der Spiegel said. In an interview in German weekend newspaper Bild am Sonntag, Telekom chairman Ron Sommer said the company has some extra cash on hand for new linkups, especially in the United States.

Its stake in Sprint Corp., which is merging with MCI Worldcom Inc., is expected to bring in about 17 billion marks ($9.29 billion), Mr. Sommer said.

"We have a lot of money at hand and can thus look around for partners,'' Mr.

Sommer told the newspaper. "Even a mega-deal can't be ruled out,'' he said.

He added that his company prefers acquisitions and mergers to strategic partnerships.