Redundant 3G phones

ReneSt5

3G has already been switched off by my phone company in my area without prior warning leaving me with no means of contacting anyone in an emergency except on my landline. (It's pretty scary to think that soon we won't have a landline either when they are phased out). I thought my mobile was 4G compatible which is being checked but if it turns out I can't use it what am I supposed to do with the redundant phone? Are there 1000s of these phones going to landfill? 

MSE_ForumTeam5

Moved to more relevant part of the forum

Sarahspangles

O2 haven’t yet switched off 3G so if you get a SIM on that network e.g.Giffgaff you can use a legacy device for a bit longer. After that you’re looking for the most environmentally friendly way to switch device which is recycling. There’s more mining if people put their old phone in a drawer, just because it’s not worth trading in.

jbrassy

I'd be surprised if your phone can't receive 4G since it's been around for at least 10 years. Even if it can't, there are ways to recycle your phone and perhaps get money for it:
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/mobiles/mobile-recycling/

Also, it is not true that landlines are being phased out. They are simply switching from the old copper wires to a modern VOIP system. 

DullGreyGuy

ReneSt5 said:

3G has already been switched off by my phone company in my area without prior warning leaving me with no means of contacting anyone in an emergency except on my landline. (It's pretty scary to think that soon we won't have a landline either when they are phased out). I thought my mobile was 4G compatible which is being checked but if it turns out I can't use it what am I supposed to do with the redundant phone? Are there 1000s of these phones going to landfill? 

That depends on what people like you are doing with their old phones. 

4G started roll out in 2012 in the UK with things like the iPhone 5 starting support that year. Inevitably there will be some people with very old mobiles but not that many people keep phones for longer than a decade (ignoring ones in the junk draw that haven't been touched for a decade). 

Some will throw them, some will send them to recycling, some will donate to charity, some inevitably will try and sell them. 

PHK

ReneSt5 said:

3G has already been switched off by my phone company in my area without prior warning leaving me with no means of contacting anyone in an emergency except on my landline. (It's pretty scary to think that soon we won't have a landline either when they are phased out). I thought my mobile was 4G compatible which is being checked but if it turns out I can't use it what am I supposed to do with the redundant phone? Are there 1000s of these phones going to landfill? 

If your phone does not have 4G then it will have 2G and you'll be able to make calls on any network other than 3.