Telekom
Deutschland
GmbH

Awards and memberships

• “connect” mobile network test and 5G network – test winner 
• “connect” fixed network test – test winner
• “connect” hotline test mobile provider – test winner
• “connect” mobile shop test – test winner
• “CHIP” mobile network test – first place in the “Best network” and “Best 5G network” categories
• “CHIP” internet provider test – test winner
• “CHIP” mobile shop test – test winner
• “Computer Bild” digital assistant test – first place in telecommunications

In the last few years, Telekom Deutschland has invested extensively in its fixed and mobile networks. These continuous investments are paying off for our customers – as proven by our repeat top placements in mobile network tests of “CHIP”, “connect”, and “Computer Bild” magazines. 

Steffen Wasmus is now representing the company in the context of the following initiatives:

• Eco Rating consortium (along with Michael Werner of GCR)
• Collaboration on various white papers of NGMN (of which one has already appeared) 
• Representative of Deutsche Telekom AG in the GSMA Circular Economy for Devices project

“Green power-purchase agreements” (PPAs) are playing a central role in Germany’s energy transition. Our Power & Air Solutions subsidiary supplies Telekom Deutschland with power, and within this portfolio we are continually increasing the share of our electricity requirements met through such long-term agreements. 

For example, a new PPA agreement with the renewable energy producer Statkraft, scheduled to run from 2023, will provide some 920 gigawatt hours of wind power for Telekom – and assure the continued operation of 16 wind farms in the process. 

This is already the second agreement that Statkraft and Power & Air Solutions have concluded. In addition to the power provided under the new agreement, amounting to 150 gigawatt hours of wind energy annually in the years 2023 through 2028, Statkraft will provide 90 gigawatt hours of renewable energy to Power & Air Solutions every year.

Energy storage plays an important role in renewable energy systems. The sun doesn’t always shine, and wind doesn’t blow on command. We are building large-scale storage facilities that can store surplus renewable energy and keep it available for use when required.

This effort sets a benchmark for the telecommunications industry.

Initially, we are installing storage facilities, at a total of four Telekom locations in Germany, with total storage capacity of 66 megawatt hours.

We continually strive to reduce the volume of our paper documents, such as bills, flyers, and other types of documents used for customer communication.

As part of these efforts, we encourage customers to opt for digital/paperless procedures. In 2022, customer transitions to online bills eliminated a total of some 3.1 million paper bills.

In our business customer segment, we increased our online-bill percentages for fixed-network services (to 71 percent) and mobile-network services (to 60 percent).

In our consumer segment, we were able to maintain our high online-bill percentages: 88 percent for fixed-network services and 94 percent for mobile services.

Sustainable circular economy for fixed-network devices
In 2022, we completely refurbished a total of one million customer devices. Most of the devices were fixed-network devices (routers, TV set-top boxes and WiFi repeaters). We sold/leased a total of 500 000 fully refurbished fixed-network devices, and offered our customers some 500 000 refurbished devices for replacement purposes.

Purchases and sales of used smartphones
Devices enter our sustainable smartphone circular economy by being sold to us at a Telekom Shop or online. Customers can use our “TradeMyMobile” service to save money and reduce their resource consumption. Provided they are suitable for refurbishment and reuse, the used mobile devices are professionally and certifiably refurbished and then resold. Instead of being replaced, their displays are durably restored using a new, innovative, deep-polish process. This conserves resources. Refurbished “ReUse MyMobile” smartphones cost up to EUR 130 less than new phones, and they come with a 24-month guarantee. The newly developed packaging is biodegradable. In addition, a new full-service mobile-phone insurance package, including “AppleCare Service,” is now available for ReUse MyMobile smartphones. 

We are working to build our circular economy for smartphones with the help of attractive offers and additional bonuses. Currently, we sell Samsung/ iPhone smartphones with 24-month guarantees in all of our German Telekom Shops and in other certified stores (both in the ReUse MyMobile framework).

Recycling: Electronic waste
In 2022, we collected and recycled a total of 1.15 million used devices. That figure consists of 1.05 million fixed-network devices (primarily, routers and TV set-top boxes) and 100 000 smartphones that were collected by partners (such as churches, social institutions, etc.) at our cellphone collection center. Details are available at https://www.handysammelcenter.de/.

Digital solutions for sustainability management and reporting make it easier to fulfill sustainability-related reporting obligations. Telekom Nachhaltigkeitsmanager (Telekom Sustainability Manager) is a digital solution that Deutsche Telekom began offering in 2022. It is a modular kit that is continually being expanded in light of new requirements. On a central platform, the solution consolidates sustainability data, calculates emissions for all scopes, and supports legally compliant preparation of sustainability reports. By determining their environmental impacts, companies can define sustainability goals and suitably manage measures to reduce emissions. 

Other digital solutions in the Deutsche Telekom portfolio support companies in reducing emissions, saving energy, and closing sustainability-relevant cycles.

Telekom’s Device-as-a-Service powered by everphone program offers companies lease and service plans for smartphones and tablets. It helps companies keep track of their costs – and does much more as well. Devices returned at the end of their lease periods reenter the circular economy for such devices. Either they continue to be used, by other users, or – if reuse is no longer an option – they are properly recycled. Solutions for virtual meetings and conferences, such as video- and event-conferencing solutions, eliminate the emissions that would otherwise be generated during business travel or employee commuting. 

AR Field Advisor is an augmented-reality-based solution for remote collaboration that enables remote sharing of the fields of view seen by on-site persons for guidance and instruction purposes. This reduces the need for on-site service calls – and thereby cuts down emissions and costs.

“Impact Measurement” is a group-wide method used to measure the impacts of our products on the environment and society. In addition, we use the method to analyze sustainable products and services for companies.

We improved our rank in employee rankings to number 15 (in 2021), and we received five stars as a “best training company.” 

Our employee satisfaction has improved, reaching a group-wide level of 79 percent. In 2021 and 2022, we were chosen as a top employer for women (“Brigitte” magazine’s survey of top employers for women).

As part of our efforts to enable as many people as possible to enjoy the benefits of digitalization, we offer an accessible customer hotline for people with hearing impairments. A total of 6 200 requests were handled in Germany in 2022. Only 516 in December 2022 made use of it.

We provided free SIM cards and Speedbox routers to Ukrainian refugees, directly on their arrival. In mid-July 2022, we launched a discount prepaid rate that a total of 438 000 Ukrainians had opted for. We have also been working closely with Germany’s Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (BMI) in connection with provision of “welcome” text messages (SMS) and registration of refugee numbers. In addition, employees at our various locations have collected donations of food and essential items and taken them to Ukraine’s international borders for distribution to needy Ukrainian citizens.