{Unlock Cell Phones}

Until very recently, the only way to purchase a decent refurbished used cell phone was to purchase it directly from a reseller; mobile phone carriers had not yet identified the gap in the market.

After realizing that existing customers were upgrading and switching to newer handsets, the carriers saw the potential that offering refurbished cell phones had for their businesses.

Most of the mobile carriers now offer to their customers a good variety of used cell phones that have come from several sources.

Returns

The majority of mobile phone carriers offer a 30-day trial period which allows customers to return their phones within 30 days should they decide either that the phone is not right for them (buyer's remorse), or they have decided to go with another option in phone.

These phone have, most often, not been heavily used or abused; refurbishing them is often as easy and fast as cleaning them up and reinstalling their software. This is a great way to purchase the latest models at a lower cost.

Upgrades

When customers upgrade a phone by purchasing a new one from the carrier, they are, oftentimes, given the change to recycle their older mobile phone by handing it over to the carrier. These phones are recycled by being sent either back to the manufacturers who refurbish them, repair them if they're broken, reinstall their software, and generally clean them up. The used phones are then returned to the carrier for redistribution amongst their customers.

Direct From the Manufacturer

Mobile phones that have been returned to the manufacturers, for a variety of reasons, are very often refurbished and resold to the mobile carriers; these phones are in perfect working order, and often offered at little to no cost to customers signing up for a new contract with their carrier.

Why Buy Direct From a Carrier

The biggest reason for making the decision to purchase your used cell phone directly from your provider is that it is generally a more affordable option than purchasing a new phone from them. While refurbished cell phones are available from other resellers, you may have a difficult time finding one that will honor the limited warranty on the used phone should something go wrong with it.

The majority of mobile phones that are purchased new directly from carriers are sold as locked to that particular carrier; this means that the software inside of the phone has been configured to only identify that one particular carrier. It's a simple process to unlock the phone; however, many of the carriers are now selling their used cell phones as already unlocked.

Another perk to purchasing your used cell phone from your carrier is that they will often offer bundle packs. These bundle packs will include several accessories that you might otherwise have to pay around $100 for! A Bluetooth headset, car charger, and carrying case specifically for your used phone. 

However, it should be noted that those consumers looking for the best deal on used cell phones are best served by shopping from reputable third-party vendors (those not associated with a specific provider). 

By: David Kraft