Overview
- Deutsche Telekom shut off its last public phones in January 2023 but did not meet its pledge to clear all sites by the end of 2025.
- The company says dismantling is complete in roughly 70% of about 1,800 affected municipalities, with work still pending in nearly 30%.
- Telekom attributes the slow pace to multi‑trade coordination, utility disconnections that require deep excavation, and permitting timelines.
- Municipalities complain about lingering, damaged installations; Tübingen plans a special‑use fee after receiving no firm removal date.
- About 4,000 booths were sold for reuse since 2013, sales ended in late 2025, and remaining badly damaged units are slated for recycling.