Donating old cell phones

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

On Thu, 2 Jun 2005 13:23:36 -0500, "H. Nakanishi"
<hisao@physics.purdue.edu> wrote:

>I hear a lot recently about donating old cell phones to charity for 911 only
>use. This sounds like a good thing to do, but I would only do it after
>deleting saved information - certainly contacts etc. I know how to delete.
>But how about the phone number itself? Should I, or can I delete that? T.

Depends on the phone. You can't delete it in most cases, but you can
set it to 000-000-0000. I'd suggest you do so. Unless you want your
number out there somewhere.

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

"Evan Platt" <evan@theobvious.espphotography.com> wrote in message
news:gc2v91d4vunintuv58si38b3l0kqbulv7n@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 2 Jun 2005 13:23:36 -0500, "H. Nakanishi"
> <hisao@physics.purdue.edu> wrote:
>
> >I hear a lot recently about donating old cell phones to charity for 911
only
> >use. This sounds like a good thing to do, but I would only do it after
> >deleting saved information - certainly contacts etc. I know how to
delete.
> >But how about the phone number itself? Should I, or can I delete that?
T.
>
> Depends on the phone. You can't delete it in most cases, but you can
> set it to 000-000-0000. I'd suggest you do so. Unless you want your
> number out there somewhere.

I would set it to 123-456-7890 which is recognized as unregistered and
improves the chance it will transfer to the roaming network for expensive
collect or credit card calls.

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

The truth about donating old cell phones depends, but my experience is/are:.
1) When you turn phones into the carrier (in general), some are recycled for
"charity"
2) If the carrier gives/donates a phone to any charity, it is not a 911
service; seems that by LAW, they must provide the phone with SERVICE.
(according to Verizon anyway)
3) Some phones that you donate directly to a charity, are in fact turned
into cash, usually about 1 dollar a phone by a recycler. Some charity drop
boxes are recyclers in disguise.
4) Some (thank you) actually "give" the phone to needy folks as 911 phones.
No service. And yes, when we do it, we clear all the phone numbers and
reset the phone to all 00000. (We do this as a matter of course. When asked
what to do with an old phone, aside from keeping it as a spare, we tell em
about the above options.

I have never personally seen a 911 only phone, without service, connect to a
non emergency line for a call, be it at $1.00 a minute with a credit card.
I've heard the prompts for roaming and credit card, but when I try it, it
doesn't work.
--
dr.news Better Price? (not better than you deserve, just more than you are
used to)
If I can help: dr.news@better-price.biz.nospam or thru this notes forum.
(Yes, some vzw plans actually pay you for $$ in return for a new activation,
the phone is WAY free)

"Stanley Reynolds" <nospam_stanley_reynolds@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news BNne.46392$6k7.6028@bignews4.bellsouth.net...
>
> "Evan Platt" <evan@theobvious.espphotography.com> wrote in message
> news:gc2v91d4vunintuv58si38b3l0kqbulv7n@4ax.com...
>> On Thu, 2 Jun 2005 13:23:36 -0500, "H. Nakanishi"
>> <hisao@physics.purdue.edu> wrote:
>>
>> >I hear a lot recently about donating old cell phones to charity for 911
> only
>> >use. This sounds like a good thing to do, but I would only do it after
>> >deleting saved information - certainly contacts etc. I know how to
> delete.
>> >But how about the phone number itself? Should I, or can I delete that?
> T.
>>
>> Depends on the phone. You can't delete it in most cases, but you can
>> set it to 000-000-0000. I'd suggest you do so. Unless you want your
>> number out there somewhere.
>
> I would set it to 123-456-7890 which is recognized as unregistered and
> improves the chance it will transfer to the roaming network for expensive
> collect or credit card calls.
>
>