9 Investments accounted for using the equity method

Deutsche Telekom publishes the following information on significant investments included in the consolidated financial statements using the equity method:

Description of the nature of the activities of the joint arrangement or associate

Hrvatske telekomunikacije d.d. (HT Mostar d.d.) provides mobile and fixed-network communications services in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Ströer SE & Co. KGaA is a leading digital multi-channel media house that offers advertisers customized, fully integrated premium communications solutions. Deutsche Telekom holds 11.42 percent (2017: 11.60 percent) of the shares in Ströer SE & Co. KGaA. In addition, Deutsche Telekom is represented by two of the six members on the supervisory board of Ströer SE & Co. KGaA. This representation comprising a third of all seats on the supervisory board gives Deutsche Telekom a significant influence on the financial and operating policies of Ströer SE & Co. KGaA. Consequently, Deutsche Telekom includes the investment in its consolidated financial statements as an associate using the equity method.

T-Mobile USA Tower LLC and T-Mobile West Tower LLC are structured entities founded by T-Mobile US in each of which it holds a 100-percent stake for the purpose of contributing cell sites in accordance with a framework agreement signed in 2012 between T-Mobile US and Crown Castle International Corp., Houston, United States, concerning the leasing and use of the cell sites. The sole right to continue to use and lease out these sites was transferred to Crown Castle. T-Mobile US continues to operate its mobile equipment on these cell towers and, to this end, leases back the required capacity from Crown Castle. Previously unused infrastructure is thus available for Crown Castle to lease to third parties. In return, the owners of the land on which the cell towers are built will no longer receive lease payments from T-Mobile US for those cell towers which were contributed to the two associates and those that were disposed of. Both entities were deconsolidated as of the date of the closing of the transaction in 2012, because Crown Castle independently operates the cell towers, generates revenues from the lease out of the sites for an average of 27 years, and determines the finance and business activities of both entities that are relevant for consolidation purposes. It is expected that the leasing of tower space will allow Crown Castle to generate sufficient ongoing profits and cash flows to be able to meet its contractual obligations. Thus Deutsche Telekom has only a significant influence and includes these companies in the consolidated financial statements as associates. Under certain conditions, T Mobile US will continue to be held liable for any default in the lease payment by Crown Castle to the owners of the underlying land of the cell sites. The agreement includes a considerably low maximum guarantee amount for Deutsche Telekom, since in the unlikely event that this case occurs, T-Mobile US could take over the further use of the relevant cell sites or alternatively terminate the contracts with the owners of the cell site land at short notice. At closing T-Mobile US established an immaterial cash reserve in the entities sufficient to fund the payment of ongoing administrative expenses not payable by Crown Castle. Aside from the guarantee and the payment of administrative expenses there is no other funding obligation by T-Mobile US.

The following tables provide summarized financial information on the main companies included in the consolidated financial statements and accounted for using the equity method. The data is not based on the stakes attributable to Deutsche Telekom AG, but represents the shareholdings on an assumed 100-percent basis.

Summarized financial information on the main entities accounted for using the equity method

Reconciliation to the carrying amount included in the consolidated statement of financial position

In the reporting year, as in the prior year, Deutsche Telekom did not recognize losses in connection with investments included in the consolidated financial statements using the equity method.

Summarized aggregate financial information on non-significant entities accounted for using the equity method

The figures relate to the interests attributable to Deutsche Telekom.