# What do I do with my old cell phone?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-do-with-my-old-cell-phone/143706
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [December 19, 2002, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-do-with-my-old-cell-phone/143706 "2002-12-19T01:24:22Z")
**Posts on this page:** 18
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Cleverman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cleverman)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2002, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-do-with-my-old-cell-phone/143706/1 "2002-12-19T01:24:22Z")
I have two old cell phones just sitting around. Should I throw them away? Can I sell them on eBay?
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### Author:  [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2002, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-do-with-my-old-cell-phone/143706/2 "2002-12-19T01:42:58Z")
Make sure your account and personal info are deactivated/cleared from the phone (have the store people do this if you don’t know how), and donate the phones with their batteries and chargers to a women’s shelter. They will give the phones to clients, who can use the deactivated phones to call 911.
I suspect this will be moved to IMHO shortly.
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### Author:  [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2002, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-do-with-my-old-cell-phone/143706/3 "2002-12-19T01:47:37Z")
If they’re digital, there are several battered-folks organizations that are recycling old phones to battered folk who have escaped abusive situations. The phones are reprogrammed to dial 911, free. Check your local charities.
–Nott
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### Author:  [@Cleverman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cleverman)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2002, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-do-with-my-old-cell-phone/143706/4 "2002-12-19T01:49:29Z")
OK. Thanks!
I don’t understand why this should be moved to IMHO. It is a legitimate question with a legitimate answer, is it not?
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### Author:  [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2002, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-do-with-my-old-cell-phone/143706/5 "2002-12-19T01:57:05Z")
I donated a couple of old cell phones to Salvation Army. I also thought all cell phones could call 911, even if not activated.
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### Author:  [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2002, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-do-with-my-old-cell-phone/143706/6 "2002-12-19T03:17:07Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Violet \*
> \*\*I donated a couple of old cell phones to Salvation Army. I also thought all cell phones could call 911, even if not activated. \*\*
I believe that they must be capable of that now. IIRC, when they are donated to at-risk persons (not just battered women), the phones are modified so that 911 is only number that can be dialed. This prevents the phone companies from footing the bill for non-emergency calls.
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### Author:  [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2002, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-do-with-my-old-cell-phone/143706/7 "2002-12-19T03:43:17Z")
There’s no need for the phones to be modified. BY LAW, ALL cellphones must be able to dial 911 at any time. In fact, if you have a coverage problem, and are unable to dial 911, even though your cellphone is supposed to have coverage in that area, notify your cellular service provider at the first opportunity! I can guarantee you that they’ll have every available tech/service person working on the problem. There’s no surer way for a cell company to have it’s FCC license revoked than by having equipment that’s degraded to the point where one can’t dial 911.
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### Author:  [@XPav](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XPav)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2002, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-do-with-my-old-cell-phone/143706/8 "2002-12-19T04:06:57Z")
If you want to be mercenary, clear the phone and sell it on ebay.
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### Author:  [@Lorenzo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lorenzo)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2002, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-do-with-my-old-cell-phone/143706/9 "2002-12-19T04:24:31Z")
We gave my wife’s old analog phone and a couple of digital phones to the brick and mortar location of our cell service provider who gave them to a shelter, as above.
Completely painless and a good thing to do. Possible tax deduction if you itemize. Consult your tax preparer before trying this one. And it’s much better than the electronics leaching into a landfill, that’s for sure.
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### Author:  [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2002, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-do-with-my-old-cell-phone/143706/10 "2002-12-19T04:56:40Z")
De-activated out of service cell phones can still dial 911. As long as the battery is charged and you can turn it on you can dial 911. No mods needed to the phone.
I would keep the old cell phone turned off and stashed in the car somewhere so you can call 911 if needed.
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### Author:  [@mrcrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrcrow)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2002, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-do-with-my-old-cell-phone/143706/11 "2002-12-19T10:41:37Z")
interesting that about the 911 facility
can the phone be restricted to take incoming calls only and not be on a charge band.
receive only and 911 out only?
could make reaching people easy from a control centre.☹
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### Author:  [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2002, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-do-with-my-old-cell-phone/143706/12 "2002-12-19T12:28:51Z")
The phone would need a 10 digit number to recieve calls and I assume you would have to pay for that in some way. An account of some sort would need to be active.
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### Author:  [@trader\_of\_shots](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trader_of_shots)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2002, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-do-with-my-old-cell-phone/143706/13 "2002-12-19T12:46:51Z")
What other they i collect certain types of old nokias…
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### Author:  [@racekarl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racekarl)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2002, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-do-with-my-old-cell-phone/143706/14 "2002-12-19T14:08:13Z")
Many women’s shelters have stopped accepting phones, FWIW.
My wife just got a new phone and tried to donate it to several shelters and phone collection places in the Boston area, who all said they were overstocked and refused the phone…
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### Author:  [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2002, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-do-with-my-old-cell-phone/143706/15 "2002-12-19T16:52:35Z")
I was thinking IMHO because you’re looking for advice on what to do. There is no concrete absolute factual answer to “What should I do?” Donate it, sell, it, throw it in the river – they’re all options.
But that was just my speculation. So far it appears the mods have decided to let it stay here. That’s their call.
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### Author:  [@TheeGrumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheeGrumpy)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2002, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-do-with-my-old-cell-phone/143706/16 "2002-12-19T18:21:59Z")
What about a non-functioning phone?
I suppose the battery is still useful, but the phone is garbage. Can it go in with the rest of the rubbish, or is it toxic waste?
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### Author:  [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2002, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-do-with-my-old-cell-phone/143706/17 "2002-12-19T18:45:27Z")
I think the older phones have a lot of strange things in them (lead?), and it should not be tossed in the garbage with the grapefruit rinds.
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### Author:  [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2002, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-i-do-with-my-old-cell-phone/143706/18 "2002-12-19T23:57:49Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Cleverman \*
> \*\*OK. Thanks!
>
> I don’t understand why this should be moved to IMHO. It is a legitimate question with a legitimate answer, is it not? \*\*
It is, but there are a variety of right answers, depending on one’s opinion, as can plainly be seen.
That makes it a matter of opinion, and therefore more appropriate to IMHO. I’ll shoot it over there for you.