Getting rid of your old cell phone Video

Getting rid of your old cell phone Video Transcript

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>> First, before you get rid of your old phone, back up any photos or contacts or anything else you want from it, then make sure you've moved your wireless service from the old phone to your new one. Now, it's time to wipe your phone or totally erase it. That's either a button sequence somewhere on the phone, or it's a menu choice. This will get rid of all your call history, contacts, text messages, and the like. Now, if your phone is functional, you can donate it to a charity that will get it in the hands of low-income seniors or victims of domestic violence who need a phone for a basic lifeline. Any cell phone can dial 911 even if it's not currently activated. If your phone is really old or broken, just recycle it. You can do that at any of the major wireless carriers: stores, big electronics outlets, big office supply places, too. Or just go to calltorecycle.org to find a location near you. Now, if you want to try and make a few bucks off your old phone, and I mean just a few, you could sell it on eBay or Craigslist or electronic specialty sites like Gazelle. So there you have it, a few good ways to keep your old cell phone mobile and out of a landfill. For CBS News, I'm Brian Cooley, CNET.com in San Francisco. ^E00:01:12