ATLANTA, DUBLIN and REGINA — In two separate announcements, SaskTel has chosen to deploy software and services from Atlanta-based Phobio and Dublin-based Openet to manage different aspects of its wireless business.
On Tuesday, Phobio announced in a news release that SaskTel has selected Phobio’s SafeTrade software platform to manage SaskTel’s wireless device trade-in program in all of its corporate and dealer retail locations.
Phobio provides an omni-channel trade-in service that allows for simplified consumer and business technology device upgrades. The company’s SafeTrade platform enables the buyback and recapture of smartphones, tablets, computers, accessories, and any other pre-owned technology device in exchange for payment and/or recycling.
Integrated with SaskTel’s point-of-sale system, the SafeTrade platform will manage all device trade-ins across 110 locations throughout Saskatchewan, Phobio said in the news release.
“With the SafeTrade platform powering out wireless device trade-in program, our customers will receive greater value for their trade-ins, helping them to upgrade to the latest technology for less,” said Doug Burnett, SaskTel president and CEO, in the news release. “And we’re confident that the savings realized by our customers combined with the versatility of the SafeTrade platform will lead to a strong increase in the number of trade-ins we take in going forward.”
Once trade-in devices are examined, all data is erased. When date erasure cannot be performed, Phobio will recycle the device instead of reselling it. Every year, Phobio prevents more than 500 metric tons of electronic waste from entering landfills, according to the company.
“We’re pleased to have been selected by SaskTel,” said Stephen Wakeling, co-founder and CEO of Phobio, in the news release. “This expansion brings us into a new geographical territory that we’re excited to explore. It’s just another proof point for our continued success in the technology trade-in space.”
In an unrelated announcement, Openet and SaskTel said they have entered into a multi-year partnership that will see Openet provide integrated policy and charging systems that will manage and monetize SaskTel’s wireless services.
Openet’s policy and charging systems will allow SaskTel to quickly develop, manage and monetize new digital services for SaskTel as well as provide a clear, futureproof evolution path to enable new charging and policy use cases, Openet said in a news release announcing the two companies’ partnership.
“At SaskTel, we are committed to delivering a differentiated customer experience that stands us apart from our competitors,” said Jim Dundas, SaskTel chief information officer, in the news release. “Our decision to partner with Openet underlines this commitment and provides us with the technology and capabilities to meet and exceed our customers’ expectations, both now and in the future. This includes ensuring we stay committed to innovation by identifying, creating and launching new offers that deliver healthy choice to our customers and helps maintain our competitive advantage.”
Niall Norton, CEO of Dublin-based Openet, added: “Openet is thrilled to partner with SaskTel. They are a very innovative company who really place customers first and is committed to their community and province. I am looking forward to working with the team at SaskTel to help them develop and offer an increased range of ICT services and build towards the future.”
