3
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3G
3G stands for the third-generation mobile communications standard, which enables much faster transmission speeds than its 2G predecessor. The leading global 3G technology is the Standard Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS).
4
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4G
Refers to the fourth-generation mobile communications standard (see LTE).
5
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5G
Refers to the mobile communications standard launched in 2020, which offers data rates in the gigabit range, mainly over the 3.6 GHz and 2.1 GHz bands, converges fixed-network and mobile communications, and supports the Internet of Things.
A
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AA1000
The AA1000 (AccountAbility1000) standard developed by the non-profit organization Institute of Social and Ethical AccountAbility has the goal of promoting the credibility and quality of sustainability reporting and improving reporting processes and systems. The core element of the modules offered by AA1000 is the integration of stakeholders into the internal sustainability process of the company/organization. To achieve this goal, the standard encourages compliance with three principles 1. Inclusivity: Integration of relevant stakeholders in the development and implementation of CR activities 2. Materiality: Definition of essential topics and their relevance and significance for the organization and its stakeholders 3. Responsiveness: The response to topics which are relevant for its stakeholders within the scope of corresponding actions and activities as well as accompanying communications measures.
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Agile methods
Agile methods are designed to support agile working and to enable continuous adaptations to meet new expectations and requirements.
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Agile working
Agile working enables companies and teams to achieve successful results by adapting to rapid changes and responding quickly.
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Agility
“Agility” means being able to adapt to new expectations and requirements at any time.
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App
App stands for application and denotes any type of application program. In the narrower sense, apps are programs that can be directly downloaded to a smartphone or tablet PC from an online shop. They offer diverse functions such as timetable information, games and translations.
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AR – Augmented Reality
The computer-generated enhancement of the real world with perceptual information. The information can address all the human senses. However, augmented reality often only encompasses the visual representation of information, i.e., the augmenting of images or videos with additional computer-generated information or virtual objects using overlaying/superimposition.
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Audit
An audit is a systematic examination of products, processes or systems. An audit checks whether the quality-related activities and their results correspond to the requirements and are suitable for achieving the set objectives. Audits are performed by internal or external auditors specifically trained for this purpose.
B
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Bandwidth
Denotes the width of the frequency band used to transmit data. The broader the bandwidth, the faster the connection.
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Blockchain
A transaction-recording system that is decentralized, i.e. sited throughout a network that can be accessed by multiple (or even many) users, and that, by virtue of its decentralized structure and accessibility, keeps records safe from forgery. Blockchains store transaction records as linear, chronological sequences of blocks. In each case, a blockchain is stored on large numbers of different computers, within peer-to-peer networks in which each new hub receives a complete copy of the blockchain and the task of checking and recording transactions.
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Bonds
Bonds are promises of repayment that corporations and countries issue as a means of borrowing money. When a bond matures, i.e., reaches the end of its specified term, its face value must be repaid to the bondholder(s). During the bond’s term, the bondholder(s) receive interest on their investment.
C
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CAPEX
In financial accounting, the term capital expenditure (CAPEX) refers to investments in facilities and systems. These also include investments made to maintain existing facilities. CAPEX must be capitalized.
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Carbon footprint
Carbon footprint describes the total of all greenhouse gases that are emitted directly or indirectly within a defined period. A carbon footprint can be calculated for a company, an individual or the life cycle of a product. All relevant emissions, from raw materials extraction to disposal, are included in these calculations.
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CDP
An initiative by institutional investors that aims to promote dialog between investors and companies on climate change issues. The project counts the world’s largest companies among its members. The companies disclose data on their greenhouse gas emissions and climate protection strategies. The CDP collects and publishes the data on an annual basis.
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Cell broadcast
Cell Broadcast is a method for disseminating messages – such as public alerts – directly to mobile devices. Messages sent via Cell Broadcast automatically reach all devices that are located within the selected radio cells and are able to receive messages. Users do not require any particular apps in order to receive Cell Broadcast messages. Also, Cell Broadcast does not require any collection or processing of personal data. Subscribers can manage Cell Broadcast warning levels via their device settings. On the latest mobile devices, the highest warning level can no longer be deactivated, however.
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Cloud computing
Refers to the dynamic provision of infrastructure, software, or platform services online. Apart from a high level of automation and virtualization, the services provided have to be multi-client-capable and include standardized hardware and software. Customers source these services on demand and pay based on actual usage. The communication infrastructure may be the internet (public cloud), a corporate network (private cloud), or a mix of the two (hybrid cloud). Dynamic Services is a T‑Systems product for the flexible procurement of ICT resources and services.
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Cloud of Things
The Cloud of Things is a cloud platform for remote control and administration of connected equipment and machinery.
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Co-Creation
Co-creation is a collaborative process in which we help municipalities transition to smart cities. Our focus is on finding innovative, workable solutions with the aid of design thinking methods. Participation is a key aspect, with municipal authorities, businesses, scientists, and citizens working hand in hand. The first step in the process is to identify and prioritize the challenges faced by a city. This involves establishing goals and considering joint ideas to come up with a solution. Based on this, we develop and test prototypes that are ultimately implemented in the city.
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CO2e – Carbon dioxide equivalents
CO2e indicate the greenhouse gas potential of various climate-damaging gases and clarify how much a specific quantity of a greenhouse gas contributes to the greenhouse effect. The reference value used here is carbon dioxide (CO2).
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Corporate Communities
The term “Corporate Communities” refers to a wide and diverse range of international initiatives and networks in which corporate employees work to advance social participation, including participation in online resources. Our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are one type of Corporate Communities. The two terms should not be used synonymously, however. The defining characteristic of ERGs is that they always focus on a shared identity or on a common experience of discrimination. Many Corporate Communities have a different kind of focus and thus are not ERGs. This is the case for DIGITAL@School, for example, one of the Corporate Communities found at Deutsche Telekom.
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Corporate giving
Corporate giving refers to financial donations made by the company to social or ecological projects.
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Corporate volunteering
Corporate volunteering describes the voluntary efforts of a company’s employees in the social or ecological domain that are promoted by the employer.
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Counterspeech
Counterspeech is a deliberate tactic for responding to online hate speech. It aims to encourage the people posting and reading this content to stop and think, turning the dialog into something constructive.
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CPE
CPE, which stands for “customer premises equipment,” refers to devices that customers operate on their own premises. Examples include modems, routers, repeaters, and TV receivers.
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CR Policy
The CR Policy specifies the rights and obligations for the company units and functions. It covers the following areas – governance structures, sustainable business practices, a responsible supply chain, resource and energy efficiency, climate protection, social engagement and involvement in the community, and providing sustainable products and services for our customers. The policy also describes the Group’s CR organization, with the Group Board of Management assuming overall responsibility for CR.
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CSRD
The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) is an EU Directive that expands companies’ reporting obligations with respect to sustainability-oriented activities and services. The CSRD, which entered into force on January 5, 2023, and which supplants the Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD), applies to large companies and to SMEs listed in the EU. Reporting under the CSRD must conform to the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), which apply throughout the EU. The purpose of this requirement is to enhance the quality and comparability of sustainability reporting, with a view to helping stakeholders make well-founded decisions.
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Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying (also known as cyber stalking, e-bullying, etc.) refers to insulting, threatening, compromising or victimizing behavior via modern communication channels such as mobile communications or the Internet.
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Cybersecurity
Security against internet crime.
D
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Data rate
The data (transmission) rate, colloquially also called the transmission speed, describes the quantity of digital data which can be transmitted within a unit of time. It is measured in bps (bits per second).
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Digital responsibility
Responsibility is the usually voluntary assumption of obligations and the assumption of liability for one’s actions. Digital responsibility is the assumption of this responsibility in the digital world.
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DJSI
Launched in 1999, the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI) are the leading global stock market indexes for sustainable capital investment. They measure and track the sustainability performance of companies. In cooperation with the Dow Jones Indexes, the STOXX Limited Index for Renewable Energy, and the ratings agency Sustainability Asset Management (SAM), they provide asset managers with important benchmarks to establish and manage sustainability portfolios. More than 300 companies are listed on the DJSI.
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DSL
Available in Deutsche Telekom’s service portfolio in various forms: ADSL (Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line) for consumer lines: Technology used to transmit data at fast rates (between 16 kbit/s and 640 kbit/s upstream, up to 8 Mbit/s downstream) via standard copper wire pairs in the local loop within a radius of approx. three kilometers. ADSL (Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line) for consumer lines: Technology used to transmit data at fast rates (between 16 kbit/s and 640 kbit/s upstream, up to 8 Mbit/s downstream) via standard copper wire pairs in the local loop within a radius of approx. three kilometers. ADSL2+: Successor product to ADSL that raises the maximum data rate to 16 Mbit/s downstream and 1 Mbit/s upstream. VDSL (Very high bit rate Digital Subscriber Line): VDSL is a new technology used to transmit very high data rates (10 Mbit/s upstream, 50 Mbit/s downstream) over a fiber-optic network.
E
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E-health
“E-health” covers applications that harness the opportunities offered by modern information and communications technologies (ICT) for treating and providing care to patients. “E-health” is an umbrella term for a wide range of ICT-based applications in which information can be processed electronically, shared via secure data connections, and patient treatment and care processes can be enhanced. This covers areas such as communicating medical data that is made available using electronic health insurance cards, such as emergency data or medication plans, electronic health records, and telemedicine applications. [Source: Federal Ministry of Health]
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E-learning
The term e-learning refers to all forms of learning that are supported by electronic media such as the Internet.
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Easy-read language
Easy-read language is a special form of communication that is particularly easy to understand. Its purpose is to make it easier for people who, for various reasons, have limited language skills, to understand texts and make information more accessible. Easy-read language uses sentences with simple structures (no minor clauses) and tries to keep information concise and specific. Terms such as pre-paid or PIN are explained in detail and abbreviations like MMS are even written out. In contrast to plain language, easy-read language has a fixed set of rules developed by various institutions and organizations. Based on this, easy-read language simplifies more than plain language. Simplified language forms offer people worldwide an opportunity for equality. Therefore, there are versions of easy-read language or plain language in many other languages besides German.
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EcoVadis
EcoVadis specializes in auditing companies on the basis of sustainability criteria. Twenty-one criteria are taken into account – from energy consumption and human rights all the way to corruption.
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Emerging risks
Emerging risks are risks that, along with their potential impacts (on a company, for example) are difficult to predict. In addition, their long-term trends and development are subject to great uncertainty. Companies have no means of directly influencing events tied to such risks.
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EMF
EMFs are comprised of a combination of electric and magnetic fields that spread in waves and transport energy. They are a natural phenomenon – light, for example, is an EMF. They are also produced wherever electricity is used, when blow-drying your hair or watching TV, for example. In radio technology, they are produced artificially to transmit information.
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Employee Resource Groups
Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are diversity networks that are organized by employees for employees. Membership and participation in ERGs are voluntary. ERGs focus on a shared identity or on a common experience of discrimination. In this regard, they differ from other employee groups and networks of the company that are oriented to shared interests or skills – and which in some cases are established by the company itself. ERGs have a clear basis in one or more diversity dimensions, such as age, gender or ethnic background. They work to promote a) a diverse, inclusive work environment, and b) visibility, understanding and support, throughout the company, for their concerns. Some ERGs also explicitly seek out and welcome allies who can bring added power to their efforts.
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ESG
ESG describes a company’s conduct from an environmental, social and governance perspective.
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EU taxonomy
The EU taxonomy is a classification system that evaluates business activities in terms of their sustainability, with the focus currently mainly on environmental impacts. It is currently still in the draft phase: For two of a total of six ecological taxonomy goals, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, the EU intends to present technical evaluation criteria before the end of 2021. In order to define specific requirements for contributions to the six goals, the draft classification system is based on the Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community, NACE (Nomenclature statistique des activités économiques dans la Communauté européenne).
F
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Fiber optics
Optical data transmission technology.
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FTE
FTE (full-time equivalent) is an indicator used in human resources management. This indicator is used to convert the headcount into full-time positions. Each full-time position is assigned the value of 1.0 FTE. If a company employs 100 part-time employees at 50 percent of the collectively agreed/standard weekly work hours, each of these positions is scored as 0.5 FTEs. The indicator would therefore give a result of 50 FTEs.
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FTSE4Good
FTSE4Good describes a group of stock exchange indexes. They are issued by the company FTSE, a joint venture of the Financial Times and the London Stock Exchange. The FTSE4Good indexes were developed to measure and communicate the performance of companies in accordance with globally recognized standards of corporate responsibility. The aim is to encourage institutional and private investors to invest in companies with responsible business practices. The indexes also represent a comparison base for companies that strive to take a leading role in CR.
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FTTB – Fiber to the Building/Fiber to the Basement
In telecommunications, FTTB means that the fiber-optic cable is terminated in the user’s house (basement).
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FTTC – Fiber to the Curb
In the FTTC architecture the fiber-optic cable is not terminated inside users’ homes (see FTTH) but in a cable distribution box (gray street cabinet). Existing copper technology is used for the last section of the connection to the user.
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FTTC, FTTH
As part of our efforts, we are using FTTC (fiber to the curb) technology and are expanding FTTH (fiber to the home) as well. In the scope of the FTTC expansion, fiber optics are laid to the gray street cabinets on the curb. From there we can supply our customers with large bandwidths via existing infrastructure by means of super vectoring. With FTTH, the fiber-optic cables are taken right into the customer’s home.
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FTTH – Fiber to the Home
In telecommunications FTTH means that the fiber-optic cable is terminated right in the user’s home or apartment
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Fugitive emissions
Fugitive emissions refer to uncontrolled or unintended emissions of greenhouse gases that occur during the production, processing, storage, or transport of fossil fuels and other industrial processes. They can escape from leaky valves, pipelines, tanks, or other equipment.
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Funds
Funds are pools of assets such as shares and bonds. By combining diverse ranges of assets, funds reduce investors’ loss risks.
G
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GenAI
GenAI refers to algorithms capable of creating new content such as texts, images, videos, or music. They learn patterns and structures from existing data, often used to generate creative and personalized results.
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Germany segment
The Germany segment includes all the Deutsche Telekom units in Germany, which are under the German Board of Management. This refers to Telekom Deutschland GmbH, including the service companies and the new companies in consumer and business customer sales.
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GeSI
As an industry association, the Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSI) has a vision of making society greener and more climate-friendly with the help of ICT solutions.
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GHG Protocol
The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol divides emissions of greenhouse gases into the categories of Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3, depending on their source.
Scope 1 includes all emissions directly generated in the Company, e.g., as a result of the consumption of fuel or fuel oil.
Scope 2 covers all indirect emissions associated with the generation of energy purchased by the Company from external sources, e.g., electricity and district heating.
Scope 3 applies to all other emissions generated along the corporate value chain. This comprises both indirect emissions in the company itself (e.g., business trips, commuting), and emissions from upstream value chain stages (e.g., procurement, logistics) and downstream stages (e.g., during customer use of products and services, during disposal). -
Gigabit society
The term gigabit society refers to the trend toward increasing use of mobile Internet. The mobile data volume in Germany totaled 0.22 million gigabytes in 2005. By 2014 it had shot up to 393 million gigabytes.
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GPS
GPS stands for Global Positioning System and is a satellite navigation system for geographical positioning and measuring time. It was developed in the 1970s by the U.S. Department of Defense and is now also being used for civilian purposes. Nowadays, GPS is also a component of cell phones.
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Green Car Policy
In our Green Car Policy, we have committed ourselves to a CO2-based selection process for company cars. Employees who choose a particularly low-consumption model receive a bonus based on the fuel cost savings. In contrast, drivers of high-consumption vehicles must make a financial contribution for the increased mobility costs and greater environmental impact.
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Green ICT
ICT systems and equipment that are environmentally oriented and resource-efficient. Assessment of ICT products’ “greenness” takes account of their entire life cycles, including production, use and recycling/proper disposal.
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GSM
Global standard for digital mobile communications.
H
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High-frequency electromagnetic fields
High-frequency electromagnetic fields are EMFs in the 100 kilohertz to 300 gigahertz range. In everyday life they occur primarily during wireless information transmission for radio and TV broadcasting, mobile communications and other communication technologies.
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HotSpot
HotSpot is the term for an area where customers can access the Internet using public wireless local area networks (WLANs). HotSpots are realized jointly by T-Home and T‑Mobile.
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HSE
HSE denotes comprehensive health, safety and environmental management systems. Based on various management standards such as ISO 14001 (environmental management) and OHSAS 18001 (occupational safety and health), HSE provides tools for continually improving a company’s performance.
I
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ICNIRP
ICNIRP is an international association of scientists who are researching the effect of non-ionizing radiation on people’s health. The association, headquartered in Germany, is associated with the German Federal Office for Radiation Protection but is legally independent from the latter organization.
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ICT – Information and Communication Technology
Information and Communication Technology
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IFRS financial reporting
Reporting in compliance with the IFRS International Financial Reporting Standards.
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ILO
The ILO (International Labour Organization) was founded in 1919 and has been a specialized agency of the United Nations with its headquarters in Geneva since 1946. 182 states around the world are ILO members. They delegate government representatives as well as employer and employee representatives. The object of ILO is to advance the working and living conditions of all people in order to secure world peace. To this end, legally binding treaties and conventions as well as labor and social standards have been drawn up. The member states report regularly to the ILO on implementation of the treaties, and on the status of their national legislation relating to labor law and industrial safety legislation. On this basis, the ILO regularly compiles the Global 100 list of the world’s most sustainable companies from the 1,800 corporate groups listed on the MSCI World index.
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Index
A share index is a number that shows the change in value of a group of shares. Sustainability indexes are share indexes that take environmental or ethical criteria into account in their company selections. While they cover ranges of shares and securities, like other stock market indexes do, they only list companies that have particularly good environmental, social, and ethical credentials.
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IoT – Internet of Things
The IoT enables the intelligent networking of things like sensors, devices, machines, vehicles, etc., with the aim of automating applications and decision-making processes. Deutsche Telekom’s IoT portfolio ranges from SIM cards and flexible data rate plans to IoT platforms in the cloud and complete solutions from a single source.
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IP – Internet Protocol
Non-proprietary transport protocol in Layer 3 of the OSI reference model for inter-network communications.
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ISAE 3000
The ISAE 3000 standard of the International Federation of Accountants provides an international framework for testing non-financial information and can therefore also be used for sustainability reports. The principles of materiality, relevance and integrity are applied to the object under test, which is specified by the customer and the auditor in advance.
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ISDN
Integrated Serviced Digital Network ISDN integrates telecommunications services such as telephone, fax, and data communications in a single network. ISDN digitizes the data, which improves transmission quality, enhances transmission speed compared to the previous analog transmission system, and enables packet-switched transmission.
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ISO 14001
The international environmental management standard ISO 14001 formulates globally recognised requirements for an environmental management system. The focus is on a continuous improvement process with regard to the implementation of the environmental goals of companies and other institutions. Based on ISO 14001, environmental management systems can be certified by independent environmental auditors.
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ISO 50001
ISO 50001 is a globally valid standard for the operation of energy management systems in companies.
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ISO 9001
ISO 9001 is an international standard that specifies minimum standards according to which processes must be configured in a company. This ensures that customers receive the expected quality. ISO 9001 concerns the quality and reliability of services and deliveries but is not a product certification.
J
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JAC – Joint Alliance for CSR
An association of telecom operators dedicated to examining and improving the labor and social standards at suppliers. Deutsche Telekom is a founding member of this initiative. Joint audits and shared assessments are intended to identify risks in the supply chain so that action can be taken to improve working conditions.
K
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KPI
In business administration, key performance indicators are figures that are used to quantitatively measure the progress that an organization has made in the implementation of its main objectives.
L
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LkSG – Act on Corporate Due Diligence in Supply Chains (Lieferkettensorgfaltspflichtengesetz)
A German act requiring companies to implement human rights and environmental due diligence in their supply chains.
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Load management
Load management refers to targeted measures to adapt power requirements to the available capacities. Such measures are used in both the electricity and mobility sectors – in connection with charging of electric cars, for instance.
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Location based
Location-based values are determined using the average emission factors of the area where power is being consumed.
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LTE – Long Term Evolution
New generation of 4G mobile communications technology using, for example, wireless spectrum on the 800 MHz band freed up by the digitalization of television. Powerful TV frequencies enable large areas to be covered with far fewer radio masts. LTE supports speeds of over 100 Mbit/s downstream and 50 Mbit/s upstream, and facilitates new services for cell phones, smartphones, and tablets.
M
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M2M – Machine to Machine
Communication between machines. The information is automatically sent to the recipient. For example, in an emergency, alarm systems automatically send a signal to security or the police.
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Market-based
Market-based values relate to the emission factors of the electricity supplier or specific electricity contract.
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Mbit/s
Unit of data transmission speed.
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Media, sure! But secure.
The “Media, sure! But secure.” website pools our initiatives for greater media skills and provides support for proficient and secure use of digital media.
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Meet & Connect Hubs
Meet & Connect Hubs are modern-day workspaces – meeting places where teams come together to collaborate creatively. With their state-of-the-art equipment suites, and the specialized modules they offer, such as desk-sharing zones, meeting rooms, workshop sections and “chill” areas, such hubs are ideal settings for hybrid working.
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Minamata Convention
The Minamata Convention will take effect under the United Nations Environment Programme in 2020. From 2020, the highly toxic heavy metal mercury is to disappear from all light sources. Some nations – including Germany – have already undertaken to abstain from using mercury.
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Mobility as a Service (MaaS)
Mobility as a Service (MaaS) combines public and private transportation offerings via a single access portal. The entire journey is booked, organized, and invoiced via a single portal, even when different suppliers and modes of transportation are selected.
N
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Net node
Network nodes are devices that connect two or more transmission paths of a telecommunication network with each other.
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Net zero emissions
Net zero refers to the point at which anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions are no longer accumulating in the atmosphere. To achieve this balance, greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced to a minimum and any remaining emissions must be offset through measures that remove carbon from the atmosphere.
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Non Fungible Token (NFT)
In this context, a token is a unit of data that represents a digital asset. Tokens can be either fungible (mutually interchangeable) or non-fungible (non-mutually interchangeable). Non-fungible tokens represent unique digital assets that are not mutually interchangeable.
O
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OECD
The OECD, founded in 1961 and headquartered in Paris, is an association of 31 nations which promote democracy and a free market economy. It consists almost exclusively of industrial countries, and is dedicated to sustainable growth, employment and free world trade. It supports a best practice exchange and is seen as one of the most reliable sources for comparative studies on economic and social trends. In its guiding principles for multinational corporations, OECD defined the precepts for responsible corporate activities, thereby helping to establish the term corporate responsibility.
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Offsetting
Offsetting means compensating for greenhouse gas emissions that are being or have already been generated. These are balanced out somewhere outside the organization through savings or storage (on moorland or in forests, for example).
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OHSAS 18001
OHSAS 18001 (Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series) is one of the most significant standards worldwide for operating occupational health and safety management systems and is used as the basis for certification in many countries.
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OKR
Objectives by Key Results (OKR) is a management method used within the framework of agile working. By providing a system for setting and reviewing goals, it promotes transparency and individual responsibility in team efforts. In each case, “objectives” refers to the goals being striven for, while “key results” refers to measurable progress toward the goals.
P
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PASM
PASM (Power and Air Condition Solution Management GmbH) is a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom AG. PASM is responsible for procuring, provisioning and delivering power, including the associated support services, within the Group.
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PCF
The term “product carbon footprint” is defined and used differently by at the international level. In the given context, the term means the balance of greenhouse gas emissions along the entire life cycle of a product in a defined application and related to a defined unit of use.
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Pension funds
Pension funds are funds that invest investors’ money in fixed-income securities only, which ensures investors a high level of security and a regular income. “Pension” in this context refers not to retirement provisions, but to regular interest-based income.
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Plain Language
Plain language is aimed at people with reading difficulties, limited reading and writing abilities, or at individuals who use German as a foreign language. In contrast to easy-ready language, plain language does not follow fixed rules but is based on recommendations such as the standard DIN ISO 24495-1. Plain language uses simple sentence structures and an active style, but unlike easy-read language, it also allows subordinate clauses and everyday words without explanations. It is closer to the standard language and somewhat more complex than easy-read language, but it still aims to make texts more understandable. Simplified forms of language offer people worldwide a chance for equality. Therefore, there are versions of easy-ready or plain language in many other languages besides German.
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PPA – Power Purchase Agreements
PPAs are individually negotiated, long-term electricity supply contracts between producer and consumer. Contracts may be concluded for electricity generated both from fossil fuels or from renewable sources. However, this term is more commonly used for agreements to purchase electricity generated from renewable sources. A more precise term in this case is green PPAs. By entering into long-term PPAs, energy-intensive companies in particular can protect their operations against volatility on the electricity markets and achieve competitive advantages through long-term price stability. Green PPAs also help companies to align their electricity requirements with their climate-related targets.
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Promptathon
Prompt is the technical term for the task given to an artificial intelligence (AI) by users. The suffix “-athon” comes from “marathon”: In a Promptathon, tasks must be solved within a certain time using AI.
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Prompting/Prompt
During prompting, users give a task or question to an artificial intelligence (AI) to receive a tailored response or reaction. “Prompt” is the technical term for the input or instruction given to the AI by the users. Through the prompt, the system generates an output.
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PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network)
Public Switched Telephone Networks (PSTNs) permit point-to-point voice communications between subscribers located at different sites. PTSN call pulses used to be transported solely via copper wires, but today they also move via fiber-optic cables, undersea cables and satellites. Calls are now established not by physical operators, but by exchanges. In PTSN calls, voice sounds are converted into electronic pulses for transport and then reconverted back into voice at the receiving end. Such conversions take place within the subscribers’ telephones.
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PUE – Power Usage Effectiveness
PUE is the ratio of the entire electrical energy consumed in a data center or network node to the energy delivered to the computing equipment.
R
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RECs – Renewable Energy Certificates
RECs are tradable certificates that represent proof that a certain amount of electricity has been generated from renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, or biomass. RECs are used to document and market the environmental benefits of renewable energy generation.
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Rectifier
Rectifiers are used in electrical engineering and electronics to convert AC (alternating current) into DC (direct current).
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Responsible Business Alliance
The Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) is a nonprofit organization that includes companies from the electronics, trade, automotive, and toy industries. Its goal is the worldwide support of the rights and well-being of workers and associations that are part of the global electronics supply chain or are affected by it. RBA members are obligated to uphold a common code of conduct and make use of a series of training and evaluation instruments in order to further continual improvement of their supply chain regarding social, ecological and ethical aspects.
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Roaming
Refers to the use of a communication device or just a subscriber identity in a visited network rather than one’s home network. This requires the operators of both networks to have reached a roaming agreement and switched the necessary signaling and data connections between their networks. Roaming comes into play, for example, when cell phones and smartphones are used across national boundaries.
S
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Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions
The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol divides emissions into the Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 categories, depending on the degree to which they can be influenced by the reporting company: Scope 1 accounts for all direct GHG emissions. Scope 2 accounts for indirect emissions associated with the generation of electricity, steam, or heat purchased from external sources. Scope 3 allows for the treatment of all other indirect emissions associated with logistics, use of materials, supplies, and waste disposal, including emissions generated by service and manufacturing companies working for the reporting company and their upstream suppliers
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Scope 1 emissions
The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol divides emissions into the Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 categories, depending on the degree to which they can be influenced by the reporting company: Scope 1 accounts for all direct GHG emissions. Scope 2 accounts for indirect emissions associated with the generation of electricity, steam, or heat purchased from external sources. Scope 3 allows for the treatment of all other indirect emissions associated with logistics, use of materials, supplies, and waste disposal, including emissions generated by service and manufacturing companies working for the reporting company and their upstream suppliers.
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Scope 2 emissions
The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol divides emissions into the Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 categories, depending on the degree to which they can be influenced by the reporting company: Scope 1 accounts for all direct GHG emissions. Scope 2 accounts for indirect emissions associated with the generation of electricity, steam, or heat purchased from external sources. Scope 3 allows for the treatment of all other indirect emissions associated with logistics, use of materials, supplies, and waste disposal, including emissions generated by service and manufacturing companies working for the reporting company and their upstream suppliers.
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Scope 3 emissions
The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol divides emissions into the Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 categories, depending on the degree to which they can be influenced by the reporting company: Scope 1 accounts for all direct GHG emissions. Scope 2 accounts for indirect emissions associated with the generation of electricity, steam, or heat purchased from external sources. Scope 3 allows for the treatment of all other indirect emissions associated with logistics, use of materials, supplies, and waste disposal, including emissions generated by service and manufacturing companies working for the reporting company and their upstream suppliers.
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SD-WAN – Software-Defined Wide Area Network
SD-WAN simplifies the management and operation of a WAN by decoupling the network hardware from its control mechanism. This concept is similar to the way in which software-defined networking implements virtualization technology in order to improve the management and operation of data centers. A key application of SD-WAN is to allow companies to build higher-performance WANs using lower-cost and commercially available internet access. This would enable companies to partially or wholly replace private WAN connection technologies.
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SDH (Synchrone Digitale Hierarchie)
Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) is a standardized multiplex technology for telecommunications systems. SDH systems combine multiple individual data streams into high-bitrate streams (in a process known as “multiplexing”) and transmit them via optical media, such as fiber-optic lines. The various components of an SDH network operate synchronously, in sync with a common timing signal. This makes it possible to access individual data streams directly, and to replace individual streams within the collective multiplex signal with other individual streams.
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Shoring strategy
As part of its shoring strategy, Deutsche Telekom continuously reviews and adjusts the location of its production and supply chain sites as needed to minimize geopolitical tensions and ensure stability in the supply chain.
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Smart metering
The service consists of the reading, processing, presentation, and billing of electricity and water consumption, and other meters in industry and homes. Smart metering reduces costs considerably and paves the way for a mass-marketable service. In particular, it gives energy providers, meter operators, and the housing sector the opportunity to offer their customers innovative products and services, as it delivers consumption data virtually in real time.
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Smishing
Smishing is when cybercriminals send fraudulent text messages to get recipients to reveal personal or financial information.
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Sovereign Cloud – Souveräne Cloud
Data sovereignty is the central goal of the European initiative GAIA-X. With a European concept, companies of all sizes should be able to take advantage of the flexibility and innovative power of the complete cloud stack, while at the same time having the security of always remaining the master of their data. The Sovereign Cloud from GAIA-X relies on an open software ecosystem for its technical implementation, which on the one hand enables digital solutions and on the other hand can be operated on a wide range of infrastructures.
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SRI
Socially responsible investment (SRI) refers to an investment strategy that is based not only on income potential but also on ethical considerations.
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Stakeholders
The stakeholder approach is an extension of the shareholder value concept widely used in business management. In contrast to the shareholder value principle, which focuses on the needs and expectations of a company’s shareholders, the stakeholder approach attempts to view the company in the context of its overall social background and reconcile the needs of the different stakeholders. In addition to shareholders, stakeholders include staff, customers, suppliers, the government, and the public at large.
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STEM
STEM is an abbreviation that is made up of the first letters of the words “science”, “technology”, “engineering”, and “mathematics.”
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STOXX ESG
STOXX Global ESG Leaders is a stock index that assesses companies based on environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria. The index is based on a comprehensive list of sustainability criteria and allows investors to flexibly weight individual criteria.
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Sustainability indexes
Sustainability indexes measure and track the sustainability performance of companies. Launched in 1999, the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) are the leading global stock market indices for sustainable capital investment. More than 300 companies are listed on the DJSI. In cooperation with the Dow Jones Indices, the STOXX Limited Index for Renewable Energy, and the ratings agency Sustainability Asset Management (SAM), they provide asset managers with important benchmarks to establish and manage sustainability portfolios.
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Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs)
Goals that form the core of the 2030 Agenda, which the member states of the United Nations adopted in 2015 to ensure sustainable global development. The aim is to enable economic development and prosperity – in line with social justice and taking account of the ecological limits of global growth. The Agenda applies equally to all nations of the world. The 17 SDGs define goals to reduce poverty and hunger, promote healthcare and education, enable equality, protect the environment and climate, and make consumption sustainable.
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T-Labs
The T-Laboratories (T-Labs) are a research and development institute that Deutsche Telekom opened in Berlin in 2005. It is an affiliated institute of Technische Universität Berlin and gives top scientists from all over the world the chance to work in an attractive research environment. The institute’s work focuses on the development of innovative services and solutions for Deutsche Telekom customers.
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TCFD
The United Nations Climate Change Conference hosted in Paris in 2015 saw the launch of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), which sets out to develop voluntary, consistent climate-related financial risk disclosures. In 2017, the TCFD published specific recommendations for putting these disclosures into practice, which companies can use as a guideline to inform investors, lenders, insurers, and other interest groups about the risks climate change presents for their business model.
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TCO
The total cost of ownership approach is used during product development. To understand customers’ purchasing decisions, the total costs associated with a product – from purchase and usage all the way through to disposal – are taken into account.
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Trenching
We are committed to continuing to drive forward fiber-optic network expansion using micro-trenching. This method uses milling technology to form narrow trenches and grooves in asphalt. It requires little space, is around four times faster than conventional methods, and enables rapid completion of fiber-optic routes. Excavation work is eliminated in many areas. Shorter excavation times minimize the disturbance for companies and local residents caused by construction sites.
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TRI*M
TRI*M stands for measuring, managing, and monitoring. Numerous large companies use this international analysis system to measure customer satisfaction. Each year, the independent TNS market research institute interviews around 20,000 consumers and business customers at Deutsche Telekom in Germany. This involves assessing our performance, the intention to continue use and recommend to others, and the competitive edge of our offerings. The results are presented in the TRI*M index.
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Vectoring/Super vectoring
Super vectoring compensates for electromagnetic interference that arises between the copper lines on the way to households. This enables significantly faster data transmission, with speeds of up to 250 Mbit/s. The technology for this is installed in cable distribution boxes.
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Vectoring
Vectoring is a noise-canceling technology that removes the electro-magnetic interference between lines, enabling higher bit rates. However, in order to cancel noise, the operator must have control over all lines. This means that other operators cannot install their own technology in the street cabinets.
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VR – Virtual Reality
A simulated experience of the real world and its physical characteristics in real time in a computer-generated, interactive virtual environment. Unlike AR, which focuses on enhancing the real world with visual representations of additional data, VR fully immerses the user in a virtual world.
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Wearables
Wearables are web-enabled devices that have a built-in computer and can be worn on the body.