Telefónica Germany CEO Thorsten Dirks: “We Are Up Front”

In February 2015, Thorsten Dirks, CEO of Telefónica Deutschland, sat down with the Rheinische Post and outlined the company’s next steps after its landmark merger with E-Plus. His comments confirmed two major moves: the E-Plus brand would disappear, and Düsseldorf would remain a central hub for the combined business. For Germany’s telecom market, this was more than a rebrand—it was the start of a new chapter in competition with Deutsche Telekom and Vodafone.

Farewell to the E-Plus Brand

For years, E-Plus had been a familiar name in German mobile. But as Dirks explained, brand fragmentation no longer made sense. Telefónica planned to streamline its product portfolio under fewer names, with o2 becoming the central consumer brand.

The reasoning was simple: multiple overlapping offers risked confusing customers. Consolidating under one identity creates a clearer, stronger brand presence and allows marketing to focus. From a business perspective, fewer brands also mean cost savings in advertising, distribution, and customer service.

For loyal E-Plus customers, the change felt like the end of an era. Contracts and services, however, remained valid—just under Telefónica’s umbrella. Over time, those customers would see more o2-centric offers, new promotions, and unified communication.

Commitment to Düsseldorf

The disappearance of E-Plus sparked questions about jobs and corporate presence in Düsseldorf. Dirks was clear: the city would continue to play a vital role. Many employees had worried that consolidation would trigger relocations, but Telefónica’s CEO reassured them that Düsseldorf’s talent pool and infrastructure remained essential.

The decision carried symbolic weight. By confirming Düsseldorf as a strategic base, Telefónica underlined that integration would not just be about cutting costs, but also about strengthening roots in a region with proven telecom expertise.

Network Expansion and Customer Strategies

Dirks emphasized that integration is not only about logos—it’s about network quality. By combining the E-Plus and o2 networks, Telefónica aimed to give customers a stronger footprint, better indoor coverage, and smoother performance across frequency bands.

Two focus areas stood out:

• Improved coverage for consumers: Customers should notice a larger, more reliable network as the integration of infrastructure progressed.
• Stronger position in business markets: Telefónica wanted to sharpen its offerings for enterprise clients, promising robust connectivity solutions and a clearer product portfolio.

For business customers, the simplification could mean fewer questions about which brand to choose, and more emphasis on competitive data packages and reliable service.

Customer Experience: Gains and Trade-Offs

For everyday users, the changes came with both upsides and potential concerns. On the positive side, consolidation promised less brand confusion, competitive rates, and better coverage as the combined networks matured. But brand nostalgia lingered. E-Plus had built its own community of loyal customers, and phasing out the name risked alienating some of them.

Rebranding also carried operational challenges: new store signage, refreshed websites, and customer education. Yet, as Dirks argued, long-term clarity outweighed short-term friction.

Why “We Are Up Front” Matters

Dirks’ statement, “We are up front“, was more than a slogan. It signaled Telefónica’s intent to move from being perceived as a budget challenger to positioning itself alongside Deutsche Telekom and Vodafone as a true market leader.

With a massive combined customer base, Telefónica had the scale to compete directly. The big question was whether network integration and service quality could match the expectations of both consumers and enterprises. If the promises materialized, customers stood to benefit from stronger competition in Germany’s mobile market.

Conclusion

By 2015, Telefónica Deutschland was no longer juggling multiple brands. Under Thorsten Dirks’ leadership, the company committed to merging E-Plus into o2, securing Düsseldorf as a strategic base, and investing in network expansion. For customers, the outcome promised stronger coverage, clearer offers, and potentially better pricing.

The E-Plus name might fade from store fronts, but its legacy lives on in a combined network designed to challenge the dominance of Telekom and Vodafone. For the German market, this consolidation marked a shift toward fewer—but stronger—players.

Stay clever. Stay responsible. Stay scalable.
Your Mr. Microsoft,
Uwe Zabel

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