Hellenic Telecommunications Organization S A : OTE Group stands by the people affected by the devastating floods in Thessaly from the very first moment

OTE Group responded immediately to the needs created by the devastating floods in Thessaly. From the very first moment and under particularly adverse conditions, a large number of the Group's crews and technicians have been working intensively to restore the wide range of damage to the fixed and mobile networks as quickly as possible. At the same time, OTE Group is standing by the affected people, offering free telecommunications services and material support.
Telecommunications infrastructure

The restoration of OTE Group's telecommunications infrastructure in the affected areas is proceeding at an intensive pace. This is a very complex project for the Group's people, due to the type and extent of the damage, as there have been damages to 23 Central Optical Fiber Cables (COI) of the backbone network that carry traffic between the central nodes of the OTE network (e.g. COI Athens-Larissa-Thessaloniki and KOI Skopelos-Skiathos-Volos), as well as extensive and continuous power outages. It should also be noted that in many areas access for the Group's crews and technicians is still not possible.

From the very first moment, the mobilization of the entire OTE mechanism was immediate. Under particularly adverse conditions, the first phase of the emergency response was carried out:

• Hundreds of traffic reroutes on alternative optical paths.
• Immediate transfer of technicians from neighboring areas and enrichment of the central units with additional personnel.
• Repair COI after the completion of drainage works, in cooperation with the relevant agencies. Already 8 fiber optic central cables have been repaired, and rehabilitation is underway on 8 others.
• Installation of portable generators in Pelion, Farkadona and in the area of Mouzaki, in cooperation with the competent bodies.
• Deployment of a mobile base station in the area of Palamas.
• Oil filling at a critical Base Station, using a helicopter, in cooperation with the competent bodies.
• Continuous supply of equipment on a 24-hour basis.

Thanks to the coordinated efforts of the Group's people, currently, the vast majority of the prefecture of Thessaly is covered by Mobile services, with coverage problems still existing in very small areas of Trikala and Karditsa. Most damaged fixed connections have been restored. Problems are still identified in the above-mentioned areas, which are expected to improve significantly with the repair of COI.
Meeting the communication needs of customers

To cover the increased communication needs of its subscribers in the affected areas, COSMOTE offered free of charge:

• 1,500 minutes of airtime to all national networks, to all mobile subscribers - contract, prepaid and prepaid.
• 15GB to all mobile subscribers - post-paid, cost control and pre-paid.

To facilitate the affected people, the Group has suspended any procedure for -final or temporary- blocking until 8/10/23 for all COSMOTE fixed, mobile and pay-TV subscribers in the affected areas.

Other actions of the Group

Mobile phones, powerbanks and charging cables are available for free at COSMOTE and GERMANOS stores in Karditsa, while part of them was also distributed at the stadium of Karditsa, where flood victims are housed.

For the city of Volos, whose water supply system has been extensively damaged, OTE Group has provided 2 tanks of general-purpose water (52 tons of water), while approximately 25 tons of bottled water will be distributed immediately to meet the needs of the local community.

Finally, with the assistance of its people from all over Greece, OTE Group starts collecting essentials for the affected people, in cooperation with Humanity Greece.