The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the daily lives of all of us. In these difficult conditions, the OTE Group was next to customers and society,
taking care to meet the needs of all, "investing" more than €12m., in actions and initiatives in 8 pillars, which are analyzed below. The company's response and it's impact to society, was highly evaluated by the public, in special consumer surveys.
1. Communication
We are providing all our customers with a series of products and services to facilitate communication.
From the first moment, we provided:
- Free unlimited calls from landlines to all landlines and mobiles within Greece, of all providers, throughout Easter. Thus, we are bringing loved ones closer together, contributing to the efforts to keep everyone at home during these holidays, in order to protect ourselves and our fellow people throughout Greece.
- Free Permanent Roaming: Our customers who are in another EU country for some time, may continue to use their plan’s minutes to all, MB, and text messages from 26/3 onwards with no additional charges, due to permanent roaming. Permanent roaming charges (the charges made when, over a period of 4 months, the duration and use of roaming exceeds corresponding national use) are suspended until 25/5.
- Free Roaming packages for Italy/Spain: COSMOTE subscribers who were in Italy from 9 to 12/3 and in Spain from 14 to 16/3 had access to a free package that was valid for 7 days and could be renewed after it ended for another 7 days.
- Creation of the special #COSMOTEApoToSpiti page in order to quickly and easily answer all your questions.
2. Entertainment
We support the increased needs of Greek families for quality entertainment while “we stay at home”:
- Free curated documentary show programme by COSMOTE History for everyone, via the official COSMOTE TV YOUTUBE channel
- Further additions to the blockbuster programme, kids programme, and major director production premières for all subscribers.
3. Employment
We provide all businesses with a line of products that facilitate communication and working remotely.
- 15GB free of charge to all professionals on mobile telephony subscriptions for 1 month.
- For the needs of small and medium businesses operating remotely, 3 months of Microsoft Office 365 Business Premium free of charge, so that employees can continue their activities safely, from home, using any mobile device.
- Free unlimited calls from landlines to all landlines and mobiles within Greece, from all providers, throughout Easter. Thus, any businesses operating normally can contact their partners freely.
4. Health
Taking part in the national effort, we have contributed to the support of Greek hospital Intensive Care Units, by purchasing 2 million euros worth of the necessary medical equipment. More specifically, 24 ventilators, 110 Intensive Care Unit beds, and 110 monitors.
Most of the 24 ventilators have already been placed at the disposal of the ‘Georgios Papanikolaou’ General Hospital of Thessaloniki and Thriasio General Hospital of Elefsina.
The delivery of the 110 3303-6 beds and 110 Elite V8 monitors, at a cost of €1,540,000, will begin on April 15.
We will also purchase additional medical equipment until we reach the total amount of 2 million Euros, always remaining in contact with the coordination department of the Ministry of Health, and in accordance with hospital needs.
A number of additional actions supporting the needs of the Ministry of Health, aiming at facilitating things for all citizens, have been implemented.
COSMOTE has contributed:
- The provision of the text messages required for the operation of paperless prescriptions for April.
- Free text messages for 3 months to the Health Operations Centre (KEPY) of the Emergency Aid Centre, for the collection, recording, and assessment of the daily data from the pandemic cases being handled by all the hospitals and health centres in Greece.
- The provision, free of charge, of a dedicated 5-digit Psychological Support line (10306) providing counselling and psychological support to citizens. Furthermore, all calls from COSMOTE subscribers to 10306 are completely free.
5. Education
Recognising the challenges of remote teaching for Greek families, COSMOTE offers:
- Free access from mobile networks, with no data charging to the digital platforms used by the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs for distance learning at schools.
- Access to the educational programmes and recreational activities of the OTE Group Museum of Telecommunications for children and families that can participate from home.
6. The State
We are proud to be implementing technology projects that facilitate the Government’s work in dealing with the Coronavirus. Indicatively, COSMOTE has offered:
- Remote work for 10,000 Civil Servants for a 3-month period.
- CosmoONE is offering, free of charge, its e-procurement service, sourceONE, for three months, to Public and Private Hospitals, Municipalities, and Regions of Greece. With this initiative, we are helping Hospitals and Local Governments digitally cover their increased needs in supplies while dealing with the pandem
7. Supporting vulnerable social groups
- OTE Group’s Headquarters recently became a ‘Protected Site’ for ‘Sxedia’ magazine sellers. Due to covid19, the action for April was suspended and we immediately:
- Purchased 250 Online issues for April.
- Provided talk time and GB for ‘SXedia’ sellers for the next 3 months.
- Provided free COSMOTE TV to 4 ‘Smile of the Child’ homes. In total, in recent years, we have provided COSMOTE TV services free of charge to all 15 ‘Smile of the Child’ homes and to more than 165 places that look after children.
8. Our people
None of this would be possible without our people.
For all of those doing their best on a daily basis — especially during this difficult period — in order to ensure that every family, business, and individual remains connected, continues to communicate, to work, be entertained, and receive services at home, the OTE Group implemented specific actions to ensure, first and foremost, their health and safety, and the continuation of their employment.
13,000 employees are working from home and 3,000 more are on the front lines. Our technicians, our people in the stores and telephone centres, are there every day so that we can be at your side.
Our world is a better place when we face this unprecedented situation together, responsibly, with respect and care for our fellow people.
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