Deutsche Telekom’s Latest Innovation: MagentaTV One Goes #GreenMagenta
Deutsche Telekom has unveiled its latest premium product, the MagentaTV One, featuring innovative and sustainable design elements. In a bid to create a more environmentally friendly device without compromising on performance, the telecommunications giant turned to Covestro for a solution.
The challenge was to find a material that not only met the high-performance requirements for the TV box and remote control but also aligned with Deutsche Telekom’s commitment to sustainability. Traditional mechanical recycling methods couldn’t achieve the necessary infrared transparency for remote control due to remaining additives from previous uses. Additionally, the company sought an alternative to fossil-based plastics.
Collaborating with Covestro, Deutsche Telekom discovered that the Makrolon® RE series of polycarbonates was a perfect fit. These polycarbonates are ISCC PLUS-certified, meaning they are made from biological waste and residues allocated via the mass balance approach.
Compared to standard fossil-based plastics, Makrolon® RE polycarbonate boasts an impressive 80% reduction in CO2 footprint during production, with over 85% renewable raw materials. This material is part of Covestro’s CQ family, which signifies products with a minimum of 25% alternative raw materials.
In addition to material selection, energy efficiency during use was a key focus of the MagentaTV One’s development. Deutsche Telekom estimates that 1,000 devices in energy-saving mode can save around 15,500 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalents per year. To highlight its eco-friendly design and energy efficiency, the device is marked with the #GreenMagenta label.
Dr. Steffen Wasmus, Group Partnering & Devices at Deutsche Telekom, emphasizes the importance of reducing CO2 emissions from plastic parts to meet the company’s ambitious climate targets. He notes, “Makrolon® RE makes a valuable contribution to this. The collaboration with the global Covestro team was extremely helpful, as they significantly supported us in the selection and application of suitable materials.”
Deutsche Telekom aims to achieve net-zero emissions in scope categories 1 to 3 by 2040 across its entire value chain, from production to product use. Dr. Niklas Meine, Industrial Marketing Electrical & Electronics in the EMEA region at Covestro, underscores the partnership’s commitment to climate goals and renewable resources, stating, “Makrolon® RE makes it possible to use biowaste as a renewable carbon source for the telecommunications value chain without compromising on performance and design.”
The MagentaTV One’s design emphasizes high-quality processing, intuitive handling, and user-friendly plug-and-play installation. The mass-balanced polycarbonates from Covestro’s RE portfolio offer virgin product quality and cover a wide range of applications while maintaining the excellent product and processing properties of their fossil-based counterparts. For MagentaTV One, Deutsche Telekom is breaking new ground by using Makrolon® RE, which offers high near-infrared radiation transmittance for the TV box and remote.
