One NZ has become the first New Zealand mobile network operator to sell refurbished phones directly to customers. The telco says the move cuts lifecycle emissions by 43-49% per device compared with buying new, based on modelling by The Lever Room. Trade-in volumes are up 50% in a year, and around one in five interest-free phone purchases now includes a trade-in. Refurbished iPhones come with a 24-month warranty through One NZ's online store.
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Good to see a telco actually selling refurbished phones rather than just talking about circular economy. The 43-49% lifecycle emissions cut per device is meaningful, but 34kg CO2e per phone is small next to 119,000 tCO2e total Scope 3. Still, trade-ins up 50% and one in five purchases involving a trade-in suggests the habit is sticking.
Scope 3 math gets tricky here. Sold products dropped 26% vs FY24, but purchased goods and services jumped 12% year-on-year. If refurbished phones replace new ones, does the emissions saving show up in purchased goods or in sold products? Would want the report to clarify how trade-in devices are accounted for across categories.
The 82% Scope 1 and 2 cut is market-based, which usually means buying renewable certificates and contracts, not necessarily physical electrons. Fine as a target metric, but it would be useful to see how much of One NZ's actual network load is matched by new renewable generation. Also, 90,000kg e-waste with 99% diverted is a solid operational number.
Repair volume matters more than warranty talk. 250-300 repairs per month through FoneFix is okay, but small next to phone sales. The question is whether repair pricing makes sense versus a refurbished unit or a new one. If the economics work, repairs keep devices in use longer and that is where the carbon payback gets real.
