Recycle Cell Phones??? (San Antonio, Alamo, Alamo Heights: transfer, school district, office)

[RecovringKrspyKremeAddict]

Anyone know what I can do with my old cell phones? Is there a place in San Antonio that recycles them? Don't know what to do.

[1StarRanch]

Break it, all the information that was in your phone can still be taken and seen by others. If not the phone, then at least the SIM card.

Schneier on Security: Recovering Data from Cell Phones

[sapphire]

I think my son's school takes them--check with your school district.

[RecovringKrspyKremeAddict]

I had to transfer my SIM card to my new phone. My old one(s) are empty.

Didn't know about the school district thing.....may check it out.

I just wondered if maybe someone like Office Depot or Staples had a recycle program for them.

[djw]

There's a couple of kids back east that founded Cell Phones for Soldiers. I just sent off 4 of our old ones (after dumping the data best I could).
Welcome to Cell Phones for Soldiers!

even if you chose a different route - this is a great story about some really great kids doing great things!

[RecovringKrspyKremeAddict]

Originally Posted by djw

There's a couple of kids back east that founded Cell Phones for Soldiers. I just sent off 4 of our old ones (after dumping the data best I could).
Welcome to Cell Phones for Soldiers!

even if you chose a different route - this is a great story about some really great kids doing great things!

Wow...this seems like a great program! I went to the website and found a few places here in San A that are donation sponsors. I'm taking 3 of my old ones out to Alamo Heights H.S. Library today. The student council there is just getting this up and running at their school. Great project for the kids AND the soldiers! Thanks for the tip! (Sending you some positive rep for this one!)

[sunshineshallow]

you could donate them to a local domestic violence shelter.
Sprint has paid postage bags that come in the new phone boxes now, kinda a pretty good idea I think they send them to some kind of shelters, you could ask you current provier what they suggest sometimes they amy have a deal with an organization that could help someone somewhere.

[PopsGuysRule]

Originally Posted by RecovringKrspyKremeAddict

Anyone know what I can do with my old cell phones? Is there a place in San Antonio that recycles them? Don't know what to do.

your provider will probably recycle it for you.
You just have to make sure that all of your account info is removed; I forget what they call it.
They are donated to victims of domestic violence and will ring only to '911'...

In San Antonio, the FACT program and the SAPD collect used, 'stripped' (for lack of a better word - I'm wanting to say it's called 're-mastered' but that doesnt sound quite right either.) cell phones and distribute them.

Just call any SAPD substation and they will tell you for sure if they are participating; I am almost 100% certain that all of the substations are actively participating. The FACT team (Family Assistance Crisis Team - part of SAPD) distributes them.

[gwrober]

Originally Posted by PopsGuysRule

your provider will probably recycle it for you.
You just have to make sure that all of your account info is removed; I forget what they call it.
They are donated to victims of domestic violence and will ring only to '911'...

In San Antonio, the FACT program and the SAPD collect used, 'stripped' (for lack of a better word - I'm wanting to say it's called 're-mastered' but that doesnt sound quite right either.) cell phones and distribute them.

Just call any SAPD substation and they will tell you for sure if they are participating; I am almost 100% certain that all of the substations are actively participating. The FACT team (Family Assistance Crisis Team - part of SAPD) distributes them.

"Wiping" or "Reset" - we used to do this while I was active AF...the procedures for each phone vary, but sometimes manufacturers make the procedure the same for similar models (depends on the guts and software of the phone). Google your phone model and "wipe" or "erase"...

For example, here's how to reset mine...

[hadleyzoo]

There's also "Recycling for Charities" at: Cell Phone Recycling, iPod Recycling, Donate Digital Camera, Wireless Recycling - sell cell phone

You can choose your own charities and they get a few bucks for each cell phone that is recycled. I just mailed off about 5 old phones to have the $$ donated to Animal Care Services of San Antonio.