Client Success Story | Deutsche Telekom
Automated refurbishment solution for Germany‘s largest communications group
Our refurbishment program for Deutsche Telekom processes over 1.5 million devices annually and enables returned devices to be prepared for further use.
The Initial situation
In 2009, Deutsche Telekom introduced a rental model for routers and media receivers, enabling customers to return devices for potential reuse. The initial remanufacturing process, managed internally and manually, proved costly and time-consuming. To address these challenges, in 2012, Deutsche Telekom chose us for our refurbishment solution, aiming to reduce processing times, ensure reliable logistics, and cut transport costs.
For more than ten years, Arvato has been our reliable partner in shaping our supply chain. With Arvato‘s expertise and commitment, we have overcome complex challenges, created seamless customer experiences and successfully maintained our leading position in the market.
Oliver Gerz Vice President SCM at Telekom Deutschland
OUR SOLUTION FOR SUCCESS
Our refurbishment solution for Deutsche Telekom began with the swift development of a comprehensive program focusing on routers and media receivers. In just six months, our in-house technical innovation team, leveraging its expertise, conceptualized and fully implemented a state-of-the-art refurbishment model.
The centerpiece of our solution is an advanced automated testing system, strategically designed to simultaneously and efficiently test multiple devices. This approach significantly reduces turnaround times, ensuring remanufactured devices are promptly made available for customer use. Our automated testing solution also guarantees consistent quality, eliminating the variability associated with manual processes.
Over the years, our refurbishment solution expanded its scope, covering additional router models, media receivers, business routers, and mesh repeaters. The adaptability of our software platform and model-independent test boxes allowed for rapid integration of new test scenarios for different device models within three weeks.
Sustainability Impact
By reusing more than 1.5 million devices annually in Germany and Austria, our solution generated substantial savings in refurbishment, spare parts, transport, and disposal costs. Based on the methodology applied for this assessment, the refurbishment program is estimated to have avoided more than 400,000 metric tons of CO₂e compared with the production of replacement devices, with an average of more than 44kg of CO₂e saved per refurbished device. This highlights not only the economic benefits but also how the refurbishment program supports circularity-related objectives by enabling the reuse of returned devices.
