What to do with Old Cell Phones?

With the holidays in the rear-view mirror, you may have finally become comfortable with your new tech gadget. But what about that old one collecting dust in the closet?

Local cell phone stores serve as donation drops for cell phones, chargers, batteries—whatever—from all carriers and brands.

AT&T spokesperson Brandy Bell said the at 8500 Henry Ave. is one such place. That store runs a reuse and recycle campaign that gives you money back for trade-ins, or allows you to donate the funds to charity.

"FlipSwap is a trade-in service that is available in all AT&T company owned retail stores; allowing AT&T customers to turn in old wireless phones and receive an AT&T promotional card or donate the value to Cell Phone for Soldiers, an initiative that uses funds from recycled cellphones to buy prepaid phone cards for active duty military members to help connect them with their families," she wrote in an email.

At the at 7126 Ridge Ave., Nick Peroni said donations are a common occurrence.

"People drop them off all day, every day. They bring us busted, old phones, old chargers, and we donate them," he said.

About twice a month, representatives from the Philadelphia Zoo come by the Roxborough location and the store donates the unwanted technology. If a phone is in good condition, Peroni said, the store may also use it for its loaner program.

Down the street at , 6024 Ridge Ave., a store employee said they also accept old goods, which are shipped back to the corporate office for recycling. 

All three stores say they take any brand and the programs are ongoing.

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