Buying Used Cell Phones

Have you ever lost or broken your cell phone? Or maybe you decided that you need a new phone because your current phone isn't cutting it. Here's the problem - all those great deals that you get on new phones only work when you renew your contract with your provider. And, chances are pretty good that if you've lost or broken your current phone, it didn't conveniently happen on the day that you were due to renew your contract. So, beyond paying extravagantly high full price for a new phone, what options do you have?

One option is to go the used cell phone route. Many companies are making a lot of money these days by offering used, refurbished, and unlocked cell phones to consumers. These phones allow consumers to replace their current phones without having to jump through all the hoops that cell phone providers ask you to.

If you're looking to replace your phone and are considering going the used, refurbished, or unlocked route, there are a few things you need to be aware of.

First, you have to ensure that the phone will work on your carrier's network. Different cellular service providers operate on different networks. Many of the large providers (AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, & Cingular) all run the same type of network, so a phone for any of those networks can operate on the other networks. However, if you're a customer with Verizon, Alltell, or some of the other carriers, you have to make sure that you find a used cell phone made specifically for your network.

Second, be aware of the potential in unlocked cell phones. When a phone is "unlocked" that means that the phone's software has been "opened up" and changed so that is will be able to operate on networks that it was previously "locked" out of. Often you can find a phone that is brand new, except for the process of unlocking it, for prices well below the full retail price you would have to pay at a cell phone store run by your service provider. And, more often than not, you'll be able to find an unlocked phone with many more bells and whistles for the same price as a phone with minimal features through your service provider.

Finally, if you replace your current phone with a used phone or a new phone that's been unlocked to work on your network, please be sure to recycle your old phone. Cell phone batteries are not the kind of things that we want sitting in our landfills, so take advantage of the ample opportunities to recycle your old phone. Drop offs can be found at some grocery stores, electronic stores, and recycling centers.

Throughout the country, people are hoarding used cell phones in their houses to the tune of an estimated 500 million old phones currently in US homes.  These phones are not being used and are simply taking up space in drawers and closets.  Even more old phones make their way to landfills in our garbage where they do not biodegrade and can leech toxic chemicals in to our soil and water.  The threat they pose is real, yet is simple to avoid. 

American families have an average of three old cell phones taking up space in their homes.  These phones may be broken or may have been replaced via an upgrade.  Instead of keeping these phones around your house, or throwing them away, they can be returned to mobile providers and cell phone recycling boxes found in shopping centers throughout the country.  A large majority of these phones are either recycled or refurbished, which makes them usable again and passes them on at a discounted price to consumers. 

Taking this one step further, as a consumer we can help by purchasing a used cell phone with our next cell phone purchase.  When a cell phone is refurbished it is restored to like-new condition yet is sold at a discounted price.  Not only does it keep an old cell phone out of landfills, but it also helps reduce demand for new phones, meaning fewer new phones may be produced which will result in less waste and pollution. 

New cell phones continue to cost more and more and more people are being priced out of purchasing a new phone with the features they want.  Switching to a used Verizon cell phone and recycling your old phone are great ways to pass savings on to others and help protect our environment from the harmful effects of cell phones in landfills.