Support for handset recycling continues in the regions

  • Four regional cities will host events supporting environmentally sound behavior
  • Information, fun and beneficial workshop and fashion show of recycled outfits and accessories
  • The innovative AutoMOBIL by the designer Maxim Velčovský is among the exhibits

Prague, 19 May 2008 - The event supporting the recycling of unused mobile phones, organized by T­Mobile as a part of this year's celebrations of Mobile Etiquette Day from 1 to 3 April in Prague, will be extended to six selected regional cities from 19 May. During these two-day events, the local residents will be able to learn interesting facts about the beginning and end of the mobile-phone lifecycle and about the benefits of environmentally friendly behavior, while also having the opportunity to disassemble devices and view outfits and fashion accessories made from recycled materials. Visitors will also have a chance to see the AutoMOBIL, a sculpture created during the Prague celebrations of Mobile Etiquette Day by Maxim Velčovský, the winner of the 2007 Czech Grand Design award in the Designer of the Year category.

"Providing support for the recycling of unused handsets is an essential component of our program of corporate social responsibility. The number of obsolete mobile phones rises each year and only very few of them are recycled. This is what we would like to change," says Martina Kemrová, Senior Manager of Corporate Communication at T-Mobile, adding: "The Prague exposition at which we demonstrated to the public the rewards of environmentally sound behavior and the risks and burdens created when handsets are buried in a waste dump was a great success. That is why we would now like to present the exhibition to people in other parts of the Czech Republic, too."

The event is part of T-Mobile's successful jaXmobilem project. REMA Systém, a non-profit corporation involved in recycling electrical devices and electronics, will be the guarantor of the event. The exhibition and the workshops will be presented to the public within a 100-square-meter area and will be accessible from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the first day and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the second day of each of the six events.

Dates and locations of the events:

  • 19-20 May: Plzeň, náměstí Republiky
  • 22-23 May: České Budějovice, náměstí Přemysla Otakara II.
  • 26-27 May: Ústí nad Labem, Mírové náměstí
  • 29-30 May: Hradec Králové, Baťkovo náměstí
  • 9-10 June: Ostrava, Masarykovo náměstí
  • 16-17 June: Olomouc, Horní náměstí

Corporate social responsibility program and support for recycling
In addition to other projects, T­Mobile's comprehensive program of corporate social responsibility also includes, for example, the T­Mobile Fund, which supports local initiatives throughout the Czech Republic, a volunteer program for T­Mobile employees, and environmentally sound waste management on the company's premises. In 2005, T­Mobile became the first mobile operator in the market to have enabled customers to hand in their old handsets for the purpose of ecological disposal.

T-Mobile also supported handset recycling recently by conducting a campaign from 7 November 2007 to 31 January 2008 based on offering vouchers for unused mobile phones that were returned to a T­Mobile shop. The value of each voucher, called a Recyklístek (recycling voucher), was CZK 200 incl. VAT and it could be used when purchasing a new handset, Twist set or accessories at T­Mobile shops. The campaign was an immense success, as it persuaded customers to bid farewell to 50,554 unused mobile phones, which is 70 times more handsets than were collected in the whole of 2006. The total value of recycling vouchers given to customers was CZK 10,110,800.


 
About the Company

T-Mobile Czech Republic, a member of the international telecommunications group Deutsche Telekom, has almost 6.2 million customers, the number-one operator in the Czech market. T-Mobile is an integrated operator: in addition to telecommunications services, it offers comprehensive ICT solutions not only for companies, but also for other organizations and individuals. It provides outstanding services in the high-speed network, which was proved repeatedly by benchmark testing performed by umlaut (former P3) with Best-in-Test seal.

T-Mobile Czech Republic places emphasis on taking a responsible approach to the environment and society. It adheres to fair business practices, helps beneficial applications and services to see the light of day, supports non-profit organizations, small businesses and individuals, and lends a helping hand whenever crisis situations arise. The company’s employees serve as volunteers in many places across the entire Czech Republic.

More information about the company is available at www.t-mobile.cz, www.t-press.cz (the portal for journalists) and www.t-mobile.cz/pomahame (information on the company’s CSR activities).

Contact details of the press unit: press@t-press.cz.