Remember to recycle your old phone
Research has shown that Britons are hoarding their old mobile phones, with the value of unused handsets estimated at around £13bn.
The research shows that it is not just older handsets that are sitting around doing nothing. With many consumers regularly updating their smartphones, there are many expensive handsets that have been relegated to a drawer. Some handsets, such as the iPhone 5, will still achieve three figures if they are sold on, and there is also the potential to use the handset to save money on a deal when upgrading to a new package by recycling with a service provider.
The research reveals that people aged between 45 and 55 years are most likely to keep their old handsets and that around one-quarter of people will have at least four handsets hidden away; however, the average person has two handsets. Belfast is home to most hoarders, with Cardiff and Newcastle close behind, while residents of Norwich are the least likely to be hoarding old handsets.
Recycling mobile phones is possible because they contain a number of different materials that can be reused; meanwhile, there are also options for the handsets to be sold on and used as a complete handset again. When a handset is no longer useful as a phone, the various components can be extracted from both the phone and the battery. Almost everything within the handset can be used again, either as part of a phone or as another product completely.
When upgrading a mobile phone, it is a good idea to speak to the provider arranging the upgrade to find out what the recycling options are. Synergy Mobile provides business mobile solutions and can help customers with a range of mobile plans − no matter which provider the user is with, an exchange can be arranged and Synergy Mobile will deal with the details.
Sourcing a new mobile deal means that a change of handsets is likely, but what happens to the old handsets? Some plans include a next-day exchange service, which means the old handset will not be left languishing for long!
The recycling programme offered by Synergy Mobile is not limited to a specific network or brand of handset, which means the option to recycle is always there regardless of which handset you currently use.
Business mobile users will have a dedicated account manager at Synergy Mobile, who can examine the current deal and see whether there is a better fit for the needs of the business. Often a new deal will include a new handset as part of the package and there is no need to keep the older handset ‘just in case’.
Recycling is a much better option than allowing the handsets to be kept indefinitely or sending them to landfill. With so much potential for your wallet and for the environment, recycling offers a solution that can save you money and increase your eco-friendly credentials.