Cell Phone FAQ's

Contents

What's this stuff about recycling or donating my old phone to charity?

Can I sell my old phone?

What is a SIM card?

What are locked/unlocked phones?

What Is A GSM Phone?

What is Bluetooth?

Can I use my phone outside the U.S?

Why doesn't my battery stay charged as long as it used too?

What are the health risks of using a cell phone?

Can a phone without service plan still be used to call 911?

How can I get a better signal in my home or office?

Should I turn the phone off when recharging it?

FAQ’S

What's this stuff about recycling or donating my old phone to charity? Back to Top

Cell phones and cell phone batteries contain hazardous materials that can pollute the air when incinerated and leach into soil and watersheds when buried in landfills.

Instead of dumping your old phone in the trash, there are a variety of charities that will accept your old phone.  EarthWize Cellular accepts phone donations and in some cases will purchase used phones depending on the brand and model.  We will accept the phone no matter its age or condition.  Contact us for more info.

If your phone is broken or too old to donate, Best Buy, Office Depot and Staples have drop off recycling boxes in their stores.

Can I sell my old phone?  Back to Top


You might be able to get some cash for your old phone; it depends on the brand and model. EarthWize Cellular accepts phone donations and in some cases will purchase used phones depending on the brand and model.  We will accept the phone no matter its age or condition.  Contact us for more info.

What is a SIM card?  Back to Top


A SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) is a small memory chip that fits into some kinds of cell phones (GSM). The SIM carriers your phone number, carrier information, address book and other data. When you get a new phone, you simply take this memory chip out of your old phone and put it in your new phone (assuming the phone is not 'locked' to a different carrier). You can also use a different carrier and phone number in your current phone by putting a different chip in (again, assuming your current phone is unlocked).

What are locked/unlocked phones?  Back to Top


When you buy a plan from a carrier that comes with a free or heavily discounted phone, the carrier will lock the phone so that you can only use it with that particular carrier.

Most of us use that carrier for the life of the contract and having it locked is meaningless. However, if you are travelling overseas and want to use your phone with a different carrier (see our other FAQ pages for further info), or you have some other need to switch you SIM card to use a different number or different carrier with your phone, you will need to get it unlocked. A service like EarthWize Cellular can provide unlocking codes for many GSM models.

What Is A GSM Phone?  Back to Top


GSM phones use the GSM network and have a SIM card in them. The card carries your data, such as your phone book, your number and carrier information. You can switch the SIM card to another compatible phone and all your data, your number, and your cell phone plan, can be used on that phone. Likewise, a different SIM card can be used in your phone, with different data, or with a different carrier (assuming your phone is unlocked). Phones from T-Mobile and AT&T are GSM.

What is Bluetooth?  Back to Top


Bluetooth is a wireless networking technology that replaces cables. If you have a Bluetooth phone and Bluetooth hands free headset, you can use the headset to make your calls and you don't have to have a cable between the phone and headset. The devices communicate wirelessly. Other uses include hands free car sets, syncing data between your cell phone and computer, sending images to your computer, etc.

Can I use my phone outside the U.S?  Back to Top


Maybe, please see our article on using your phone outside of the US.

Why doesn't my battery stay charged as long as it used too? Back to Top

Most modern cell phones use lithium ion batteries. They last about 400 recharge cycles, and gradually lose their ability to recharge sufficiently. If your phone is a couple of years old and the battery isn't charging up well, it may be time for a new one.  EarthWize Cellular carries many common batteries for your replacement needs.

What are the health risks of using a cell phone? Back to Top

First of all; don't use your cell phone when driving, because as health risks go, that's the major one.

As for cancer or other similar health risks, there is currently no scientific proof that there is a risk. There are some studies that suggest possible risk, and other studies that show those are wrong. So what do you do?

You may be able to reduce the strength and duration of your exposure to electromagnetic and high frequency fields by limiting the time you spend on a cell phone, and some suggest using a hands free kit helps by keeping the high powered cell phone transmitter farther away from your head.

Can a phone without service plan still be used to call 911? Back to Top

Yes, as long as it has power and a signal, you can use a phone that doesn't have a service plan to dial 911. For example, you can keep a phone with a cigarette lighter power cord in your car for emergency use. Don't use a really ancient phone for this though, as some old phones used a network frequency that is no longer available.

How can I get a better signal in my home or office? Back to Top

In an office environment, you might look into getting a cell phone signal repeater. Here is a Google search on those.

They tend to be a pricey solution for home use though. They start at $300 or more. Another possibility is to set up a 'hotspot' in your home for a VOIP connection. I'm in the process of writing an article on that issue - check back for that in a little while.

Should I turn the phone off when recharging it? Back to Top

You can, but you don't need too. You can leave it on and take/make calls while it's charging with no ill effects. I know, I've seen that email too... the one that says the phone will blow up. That's an urban legend that gets passed around by email.