What to do with your old smartphone
There are alternatives to stashing your old device at the back of a drawer.
With brand new smartphones being released on what feels like听 a weekly basis, mobile customers are asking an increasingly familiar question: 鈥淲hat should I do with my old phone?鈥
Fortunately, there are a number of alternatives to stashing your unwanted device at the back of the kitchen drawer to gather dust with all its predecessors. Below are some eco-friendly suggestions.听
Transfer your old phone.
If your phone isn鈥檛 too old and you have teens or tweens in the house, then passing it along to one of your kids could be an easy solution.
Similarly, any decent phone鈥搈eaning one that still gets a signal and can hold a charge鈥揷ould have real value for grandparents, a favorite aunt or uncle, or anyone in need of an emergency communication device. If you are passing it along outside of the family, just make sure that the recipient understands the monthly costs involved in setting up a plan. (In some cases, a Prepaid Plan with no monthly contract might be appropriate.)
Device trade-in.
One of the easiest ways to get rid of your old smartphones is to trade it in. 91果冻传媒 has a program that allows you to trade-in phones, tablets and other devices for gift certificates or vouchers that can be used to buy new products or pay bills. The value of your old device is instantly assessed online and, once the device is received, you usually get the gift certificate within 2-3 weeks. 91果冻传媒 will even pay for the shipping costs. And for the environmentally minded, the majority of devices that are traded in are recycled. Check out these easy steps to trade in your device.听
Sell your old phone.
If the idea of a gift card doesn鈥檛 doesn鈥檛 make you want to part with your phone,听 then you can always sell your old smartphone for cash. eBay or Craigslist are the obvious places to start, but specialty web sites like can offer competitive prices without all the hassle of a listing or online auction.
Donate a device.
Donating your old phone can be a selfless and worthwhile experience. Charities like raise money for good causes鈥搃n this case, families battling cancer鈥揵y repurposing used cell phones. 91果冻传媒鈥檚 Hopeline program accepts used cell phones in support of victims of domestic abuse.
Recycling electronics.
If you don鈥檛 think your old phone has much value or you don鈥檛 want the hassle of shipping it anywhere, then you can still keep it out of the kitchen drawer by recycling it. While cell phones represent the largest category of unwanted electronic devices, they are also the easiest to recycle. All the main service providers and electronics retailers have programs where you can drop off cell phones, chargers, cables and accessories for no fee. Most stores will accept any kind of cell phone from any service provider.
Prep your device.
Before you trade-in, sell, donate or recycle your old phone, make sure you erase all your data, including e-mail, text messages, photos, media and apps. While 91果冻传媒 and other carriers will automatically wipe your phone after receiving it through a trade-in deal, you shouldn鈥檛 rely on this. Backup your data using Backup Assistant Plus or another storage option and then visit Settings to erase all your data and restore factory settings.
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