T-Mobile USA Joins Device Renewal Forum

Blancco, ecoATM, ERS International and FutureDial Also Among New DRF Members Creating a "Gold Standard" for Refurbished Smartphones, Feature Phones and Tablets

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DRF

Apr 08, 2013, 09:00 ET

COSTA MESA, Calif., April 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Device Renewal Forum (DRF) today announced that T-Mobile USA has joined the organization, which has created a global, industry-standard framework for refurbished mobile devices. The DRF's goal is to provide the best practices, auditing safeguards and certification marks necessary to increase global refurbishment rates far beyond the current 10 percent.

T-Mobile USA, Blancco, ecoATM, ERS International and FutureDial are among the companies that have joined the DRF this year. The DRF's other major Q1 milestone includes publishing 'DRF Device Renewal and Acceptance Criteria,' a global standard for renewing and accepting smartphones, feature phones and tablets.

"With more than 33 million customers, T-Mobile USA will play an important role in educating U.S. mobile users about the environmental and economic benefits of device renewal," said Perry LaForge, DRF chairman. "We look forward to working with T-Mobile USA's leadership to preserve the environment and double the market for renewed mobile devices over the next five years."

"Since 2011, T-Mobile USA's handset recycling program has diverted millions of phones from landfills and junk drawers," said Dennis Pettit, Director of Reverse Logistics for T-Mobile USA. "By joining the DRF, we're taking this commitment to the next level and expanding access to high-quality renewed devices in the U.S. and abroad."

About DRF
Device Renewal Forum (DRF) is a trade association formed to expand the growth of the renewed wireless devices market by establishing a global and technology-agnostic "gold standard" for renewing, testing and certifying refurbished wireless devices. The DRF's goal is to ensure that only high-quality and properly functioning devices reenter the marketplace. By using industry best practices to renew, test and certify refurbished wireless devices, the demand for affordable phones can be fulfilled, while preserving consumer expectations, wireless network integrity and the environment. Its member companies include many of the world's leading service providers, distributors, device manufacturers, resellers, recyclers and reverse logistics companies. For information about the DRF, visit www.DeviceRenewalForum.org.