Tangoe offers companies ways to dispose of old electronic gadgets
Orange, Connecticut-based, (not-California-based) Tangoe, Inc., has launched a new mobile device reuse-retire-recycle program called, Tangoe MobileRenew. According to Tangoe, the service offers much more than just the recycling of corporate mobile communication devices environmentally, but provides enterprises with a “secure, compliant, and financially beneficial means” of handling all end-of-life mobile devices.
“Organizations that have struggled to manage the retirement of an ever-expanding number of corporate devices are now able to take advantage of a program that can deliver substantial financial returns by maximizing device residual value, managing and tracking discarded devices, negotiating ‘green’ carrier contracts, as well as calculating and reporting enterprise carbon offset metrics,” Tangoe said. “Clients who wish to further optimize their economic return may elect a Technology Refresh option, where Tangoe can align mobile carrier contract terms with the MobileRenew program to maximize overall benefits.”
In addition, the the service offers enterprises “full reporting regarding device handling security, reuse/recycle value and payment, in addition to comprehensive carbon offset credit tracking and ISO 4001 compliant certificates of destruction,” Tangoe said.
“It’s been Tangoe’s experience that most companies don’t have or enforce any consistent policy around the return of mobile assets. In the past when they were fairly inexpensive, there was no compelling reason to do so. Enterprises literally have boxes of devices stored in IT or their employees keep their old non-working phones in their desks. So in most cases there is no end of life policy in place,” Tangoe added. “Some organizations may have quasi ad-hoc replacement program, but by and large the old devices still wind up in someone’s drawer. The fact that only 10% of 130 million discarded mobile devices are recycled or reused backs that up.”
That situation is changing, according to Tangoe. The popularity of smartphones means that the cost of devices have gone as high as US$700, leaving significant residual value. MobileRenew gives companies a way to recoup some of that value, Tangoe said.
“Our program stresses reuse which is highest form of recycling. If a device is in working order, our preference is to put the device into a secondary market where it can be used, meaning of course that one less cell phone needs to be produced,” the company said. “We sell devices in blocks to prepaid mobile providers overseas where these devices are used by both individuals and enterprises. It’s a way for them to get unlocked, unsubsidized access to mobile rate plans. Buying a prepaid mobile plan and a used phone is a lot cheaper than signing up for a subsidized phone and a long term contract with one of the carriers.”
Devices that aren’t sold are destroyed and the parts recycled in compliance with the ISO 14000 destruction process, the company said. “We work with U.S.-based electronic recycling partners. Devices are components are shredded and a Certificate of Destruction from the recycling partner is provided along with a report on all the devices processed and their carbon offsets.”
Category: Climate change, Green corporations, Green ICT, Mobile, Recycling
