About this project
Organisation
Proximus
Partners
Umicore
Work agendas
Organisations
Proximus devices get second life with refurbishing
Proximus is committed to giving returned devices such as smartphones, modems and decoders a new life by refurbishing them. This initiative reduces waste and reduces the need for new devices. In this way, Proximus promotes sustainable consumption within a circular economy.
The Proximus Distribution Centre in Courcelles is the place where experts refurbish modems and decoders and repair mobile phones belonging to our customers. From 2014 to 2024, more than 3 million devices have already been refurbished. In Proximus shops, we sell refurbished smartphones refurbished by external partners. These are cheaper than new models, including a 2-year warranty. Thanks to repairs and updates, more than 90% of our modems and decoders are perfectly reusable. We put these devices back on the market up to four times before they are recycled by trusted partners.
The time is ripe for the initiative. After all, refurbished appliances are gaining in popularity: research shows that a significant proportion of Belgians are listening to the economic and ecological benefits. With this sustainability strategy, Proximus is taking an important step towards a fully circular business model.
Proximus is also working with Umicore to recycle irreparable appliances. Thanks to urban mining, Umicore extracts the valuable raw materials from these ‘end-of-life’ copies.
