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The Kitchen Table

What to Do with Old Cell Phone

7 years ago

My 2 older cell phones are nothing fancy. I still have the boxes and rechargers, but they no longer work with the change in cell service. What should I do with them? throw them out? Is there any way that they would be useful to anyone? One is a clam shell flip phone and the other is pre clam shell. Any easy suggestions?

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Comments (9)

morz8 - Washington Coast
7 years ago
Battered womens shelters, many outlets

Cell phones for soldiers, any make or model

And I think they should still be good as 911 phones only. Isn't 911 required to be allowed even if no active service plan attached to the phone?
glenda_al
7 years ago
Be sure and take out your SIM card.

I saw at T Mobile, I think where you can recycle your phones there, I think!
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It depends on the phone and the carriers. There's a number of different types of service out there too. For instance different carriers use different frequencies (CDMA, PCS, GSM, etc) SIM cards are suggestive of GSM technology used by Tmo and ATT. If you're looking to use prepaid service you can sometimes use the phones but won't always have all the features. If you're looking for a contract service, then as cautioned before, beware of costs to change. Often the smallest thing will extend your contract. For instance, if you get a new phone, you generally get a new (extended) contract with hefty cancellation fees. You'll have to get more info from the companies, but generally speaking, Tmo will not be interchangeable with Virgin and Verizon. Tmo & AT&T are more likely to be options. Probably not answering your question, but not an easy question to answer!
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Elmer J Fudd
7 years ago
Other choices beyond what's mentioned - you can drop them off at the carrier's retail store or take them to your community's electronics recycling center.
sheilajoyce_gw
Original Author
7 years ago
If I can no longer use these phones because they do not connect to cell phone systems, what use are they to anyone else?
Elmer J Fudd
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Do they not connect because they're broken/non-functioning or simply because the phone itself hasn't been "activated" onto its former network? Activating old phones is a trivial step if the phone still works. We gave my mother-in-law an old phone that had been unused and sitting in a drawer for maybe 5 years. Today is 5 years later and she's still using it. On the same network it was originally purchased for.

If non-functioning, then you're right, they just need to be disposed of to be properly handled/recycled.
PRO
Anglophilia
7 years ago
Yes, remove SIM card if you're selling or donating the phone. I use two of the early iPhones as iPods on a small stereo in my house. Apple now has a trade-in scheme and I do that when I replace my phone. I must first call Apple and have the phone "unlocked", then I plug it into my desktop computer and do a "restore" to original settings, which means all my data is gone and it's just the way it was out of the box.
drewsmaga
7 years ago
What is a SIM card and how do I remove it?
cynic
7 years ago
Not all phones use sim cards - depends on the service.

If they're smart phones they could be used on a wifi service if someone wants a mini-tablet or wants to use wifi dialing.
sheilajoyce_gw
Original Author
7 years ago
As of the end of December, I had to have another phone as the system would not be using a service compatible with my old Samsung. So they had a free cheapie that I got, and now I must use that one. Whatever changed made my old phone unusable and if I turn it on, it flashes that it is capable of calling emergency numbers only.

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