Take Personal Information Off Cell Phones Before Donating Them
From surfing the Internet to interfacing with your home or business computer, cell phones can perform a number of different functions other than just voice communications. As you upgrade to a new phone, you may be thinking about donating your old cell phone to one of the many recycling services that specialize in electronics. Before recycling your old cell phone, however, you need to remove any personal information so the next person who receives the phone won't have access to that information.
Instructions
1. Power on your old cell phone by pressing the "End" button or the button displaying a circle with a line in the middle.
2. Scroll through the list of contacts in the cell's phone book listing. Write down any names and number you want to keep. Turn off the cell phone once you have written down the contacts.
3. Turn the phone over. Slide off the phone's back cover.
4. Remove the cell phone's battery by lifting the battery from the phone's body with a small screwdriver or your fingernail.
5. Locate the phone's SIM (subscriber identity module) card-it is a small white card usually underneath the space where the battery was.The SIM card may be on the side.
6. Remove the SIM card from your old cell phone. The SIM card contains all of your personal information, including the cell phone's number, phone book entries, dialed/received calls and other information.
7. Use a pair of scissors to cut the SIM card in pieces. Dispose of the cut-up SIM card in your home's trash can.
8. Place the battery back into the old cell phone. Slide on the phone's back cover.
9. Pack the cell phone, its power cord and any manuals you may still have for the phone in a bag or box. Donate the phone to the recycling service of your choice. The next owner should receive a new SIM card from a new service provider when he activates the cell phone.
Tags: cell phone, your cell, your cell phone, back cover, Before Donating, Before Donating Them, card from