Used Cell Phone

How To Activate a Used Cell Phone

Cell phones are expensive. Sure the first one you get when you sign up for a plan with a cellular service provider is usually affordable but anything you get after that will cost you. The problem is that cell phones do get broken or lost. Now you are stuck paying big bucks for a phone that you might need for only 6 months until your contract is up and you can get another new phone at the cut rate. That is where used cell phones come in.

• The easiest way to make sure everyone is compatible is to call the wireless provider with the phone’s electronic serial number (ESN). The reason this is easy and actually sometimes required is that the cell company wants to make sure there are no outstanding balances on the previous owner’s account. Now if you have purchased an unlocked phone (this is a phone with no allegiances to any provider), you may be able to switch the SIM card from your old or broken phone (Cingular and T-Mobile for instance) into your new/used phone.

Some companies won’t even let you activate a used cell phone so it may be in your best interest to ask before even buying one. Talk to an official customer service representative of your cell company and get the scoop. Another thing to be wary of is the new FCC rule that says that all phones must be GPS enabled for 911 operators to be able to locate callers in an emergency. Some older Verizon phones cannot comply with this new rule so beware when shopping for used phones, especially the LG VX1 and VX10, and the Kyocera 7135.

• Call your cell company with another (cell or home) phone. Tell them you want to activate your used phone with your account. They will ask you a few questions about your phone so be ready with the make, model and serial number to speed things up. They will contact your used phone through their network and get it ready for you. They will then have you do a series of things using your used phone that will initialize and activate it. Some companies may offer online activation but you cannot beat the personal touch of a person to person conversation.
• If you are using a used cell phone but starting a new account, you can just call the service provider you want to go with and tell them your intentions. They will walk you through activation step by step and set up your new account all at once. Choosing the right used phone and activating it go hand and hand. Both are made a lot easier by direct communication with your cell provider.

How to Recycle Your Used Cell Phone

First, you need to know why it’s a good idea. Used cell phone recycling reduces environmental wastes in landfills, saves on metal mining, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

Step2

Before you send your used cell phone to be recycled; end your service, delete your personal and contact information, and remove your Sim card if it has one.

Step3

Take, or send, your cell phone to stores like Best Buy that sell electronic equipment, or Staples and other home office product stores. Many civic organizations will also accept used cell phones which will be refurbished and returned to use, dismantled for parts re-use, or given to people in need.

Tips & Warnings

• Recycling used cell phones is an environmentally sound practice.
• Ask at the recycle drop off point if they take batteries and other cell phone accessories.

You may want to check up my other guide : Cell Phone Cases and Buy Cell Phone.

Tags: buy used cell phone, sell used cell phone, used cell phone, used cell phones