Yettel: We aim to reach one million recycled mobile devices by 2025

Belgrade, 7 July 2022 – After the last year's successful mobile phone recycling program, Yettel is expanding the program to other electronic devices. All people who are interested can recycle their laptops, routers, tablets, modems and smart watches, as well as their mobile phones, whether they are Yettel customers or not.

“So far, together with our customers, we have recycled more than 250 thousand phones. Now we are going one step further and expanding the program to other devices. We have set an ambitious goal to recycle at least one million mobile phones by 2025, and we invite our fellow citizens to help us reach it and safely dispose of and recycle the electronic waste we create”, said Saša Filipović, Chief Commercial Officer at Yettel.  

According to the Statista portal, over 1.5 billion smartphones are sold annually on a global level*, while GSMA data show that 86% of the European population is subscribed to mobile services.** People  usually use one mobile device for 18 months, although phones can last longer.*** Recycling just one mobile phone saves enough energy to power a laptop for up to 44 hours.****

Since the start of the campaign in April 2020, Yettel has disposed of 17 tons of electronic waste by recycling 250 thousand mobile phones, allowing 5100 grams of gold, 2380 grams of platinum and palladium, and 2380 kilograms of copper to be reused. In a new campaign, during July and August, for each device recycled, customers will receive a discount of 10 thousand dinars which they can use to purchase a new phone, smartwatch, and accessories in the next 30 days. The devices can be handed over at any of the 125 Yettel shops throughout Serbia.

In addition to the device recycling program, Yettel implements other environmental initiatives, such as paper bags and electronic bills issued to customers, waste recycling in the headquarter, and the use of electricity obtained from renewable energy sources.

Recently, a three-year strategic partnership agreement was signed with the Mountain Rescue Service, in order to increase the safety of all mountaineers and recreationists. The goal is to provide adequate support to people, whether it is about an emergency situation or an outdoor activity.

About Yettel

Yettel is a new telecommunications brand of PPF Telekom Group, introduced in 2022 in Bulgaria, Hungary, and Serbia. It provides digital services and connectivity, with a focus on customers and a simple mission: to help them find their balance.

Yettel, part of the PPF Telekom Group, has almost three million customers in Serbia and until March 2022 it operated under the name of Telenor Serbia. The company has been present on the market since 2006 and currently employs more than 1550 people. It has a rich offer of digital and fixed services, mobile handsets and accessories at more than 130 points of sale throughout the country. 

Yettel covers the entire territory of Serbia with fast and reliable internet, providing a superior customer experience. It is the first operator to launch a 5G test environment in Serbia. Yettel offers creative, innovative and simple solutions for customers on the mobile and fixed market, and it launched Hipernet in 2021, offering the best internet and digital television for the entire household.

For more information, please visit www.yettel.rs  

*Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/263437/global-smartphone-sales-to-end-users-since-2007/
**Source: https://www.gsma.com/mobileeconomy/europe/
***Source: https://www.bankmycell.com/support/e-waste-cell-phone-recycling-facts
**** Jung, Antun (2019): Mobile phone recycling technologies, University of Josip Juraj Strossmayer Osijek, Faculty of electrical engineering, computer science and information technology Osijek, https://repozitorij.etfos.hr/islandora/object/etfos:2368