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Reuse old flip phones as emergency spares to cut electronic waste
Reusing an old flip phone as an emergency spare or backup handset can extend its useful life and help reduce electronic waste. The article says the growing volume of discarded electronics poses environmental risks, while many working phones could still serve practical purposes or be donated.
A phone without an active SIM can call 911 in the US, but dispatchers may not receive its location and cannot call back if the connection drops. For outdoor trips or travel, an old handset can be a less costly replacement if a smartphone is damaged, lost or stolen; using it as a backup handset requires a SIM card. The article also points to charities that redistribute phones, including Secure The Call, which says it has provided more than 50,000 devices to people in need.
In short
- Keep an old flip phone as an emergency spare.
- A SIM-less 911 call has location and callback limits.
- Donating or reusing phones can help cut e-waste.
Explained simply
Flip phones are older mobile handsets with physical buttons, many of which still work even if they have been replaced by smartphones. Keeping one as a spare, or donating it for someone else to use, can extend its life and reduce the number of discarded electronics.
A backup handset needs a SIM card to connect to a mobile network for ordinary calls. In the US, a phone without a SIM may still be able to call 911, but emergency services might not receive its location or be able to call back if the call drops. Reuse and donation schemes, including Secure The Call, pass working phones on to people who may need them.
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Engadget as “Don’t throw away your old flip phone – do this instead”.