Relove Technology, part of the Revolvex Group, recently hosted Virgin Media O2 inside its circular technology operation, providing a direct view of how devices move beyond first life at scale. Not as a concept, but as a high throughput environment built to recover value and keep technology in circulation.
This is not a new relationship. Relove has been working with Virgin Media O2 for more than eight years, supporting the delivery of circular technology at scale through live commercial programmes.
As pressure builds across the industry to reduce waste, extend product lifecycle and unlock greater value from existing assets, circularity is moving from ambition to expectation. The challenge is no longer defining the approach. It is delivering it in a way that works commercially, operationally and at scale.
The visit cut straight to that reality.
Devices entering, being assessed, processed and returned to market through a controlled, repeatable operation designed to protect both margin and lifecycle. Mobiles, laptops and connected technology are tested, functionality confirmed, data securely wiped and prepared for reuse. Often, they are reissued fully kitted and ready for immediate use.
This is where most circular initiatives fall apart. At Relove, it is where they are delivered.
This is practical, it scales and it’s making a real difference.
Nicola Green, Chief Communications and Corporate Affairs Officer, VMO2
There was no staging and no abstraction. VMO2 saw the operation as it runs. Volume moving through the facility, processes engineered for efficiency, and outputs that deliver measurable commercial and environmental return. Circularity here is not layered on. It is embedded into the operation.
That capability is already deployed at scale through programmes such as O2 Recycle, where Relove acts as a delivery partner. Thousands of devices are recovered, refurbished, reused and recycled every single week. The scale matters because it directly reduces waste while unlocking continued value from existing technology.
But the impact does not stop at commercial performance.
A powerful example of this in action, where Relove plays a critical role, is the Community Calling programme, delivered in partnership with Virgin Media O2 and Hubbub. More than 26,000 phones have already been rehomed through the initiative.
Devices are securely data wiped, professionally refurbished and redistributed to people who need them most, including low-income families, individuals experiencing homelessness and those without access to essential connectivity. Each device is issued ready to use, removing a fundamental barrier to communication, helping tackle digital exclusion and ensuring valuable technology stays in use for longer.
This is where circularity moves beyond process and becomes outcome.
For Revolvex, this is the advantage. Distribution, recovery and reuse are not treated as separate functions, but as a connected capability. Genuine Solutions drives product into market, while Relove Technology extends its life and value beyond first use.
As Paul Crossman, CEO of Revolvex Group, explains, “Circularity only works when it is built into how you operate. What you see at Relove is an approach designed to recover value and deliver at scale. This removes the trade off between growth and responsibility and replaces it with a structure that delivers both.”
Paul Crossman, CEO, Revolvex Group
For VMO2, the visit was about understanding how circularity can be embedded into live operations without slowing down performance. As expectations increase around sustainability and lifecycle management, the ability to recover value from existing devices is becoming commercially critical.
Nicola Green, Virgin Media O2, commented: “Seeing the process first hand brings it to life. It shows how circularity can work in practice, not just in principle.”
For consumers, this is already accessible. Through initiatives such as the O2 Recycle programme, devices can be returned, recovered and reintroduced into circulation rather than lost or discarded. It is a direct link between everyday behaviour and a wider circular ecosystem.
Taking part is simple
Return your device through the O2 Recycle programme.
Donate your device
Before sending, make sure your personal data and accounts are removed.
Prepare your device
The industry is moving. The expectation is rising. And the gap between intent and execution is closing fast.
Relove Technology is already delivering where it matters.
