Outdated Wireless Devices: Issues & Options

For businesses, it can be a challenge to know what to do with old, outdated wireless devices once they are disconnected from an individual’s corporate account. These disconnected devices are typically stashed away in desk drawers, often waiting for the opportunity to be redeployed or properly disposed of. As with all company liable equipment, wireless devices start depreciating as soon as they are utilized for the first time, thus it’s extremely important to maximize each device’s life-cycle potential. Outdated devices are vulnerable to security breaches, making it very important that businesses take the proper steps to ensure those devices do not become a potential liability. By taking the time to develop a plan to repurpose or properly dispose of these outdated devices, companies can help secure their data, protect the environment, and save money in the long run.

Issues Associated with Outdated Devices:

Older wireless devices will more than likely be utilizing outdated software. At some point during a device’s life cycle, the manufacturer (I.E. Apple, Samsung, etc) will no longer support the device they once sold. This typically means the termination of software updates and the lack of total device support.

Listed below are some key reasons why outdated devices could be detrimental to your wireless environment: 

• Increased Help Desk Cost: As devices age, internal components start to wear out and cause issues for end users (I.E. battery deterioration and expansion, reduced speaker volume, microphone failure, etc). These device issues will drastically increase the workload of internal help-desk teams by creating more “problem tickets” from device users. These same help-desk teams will be overloaded trying to keep up with end-user requests, which in turn will force companies to hire increased personnel in order to keep up with the increased workload. 

• Weakened Device Security: If the software of your device is either out of date, or no longer being supported, important security applications will not function properly. These applications are pivotal in protecting your device and your company’s internal systems from hackers, malware, spyware, etc. Once a company device has been compromised, hackers are able to infiltrate your internal corporate systems and steal customer information, shut down systems, and hold your business for “financial ransom.”

• Weakened Reception & Data Speeds: Older devices reach a point where they are physically incapable of utilizing the newest cellular networks. As more and more devices have been released with 5G technology, wireless carriers have begun shutting down older cellular networks in order to make room for high-capacity 5G devices. With the reduction in older cell sites and network technology, wireless devices that are incapable of connecting to the newer 5G sites will effectively give end users weakened reception and reduced data speeds. This can impact business productivity and drastically reduce employee satisfaction.

• Decreased General Applications: Developers do not design their newest, most up-to-date mobile applications for devices utilizing older software. This can be problematic if your antiquated device is no longer supported via software updates. Having access to the latest applications improves end-user satisfaction but more importantly ensures that a corporate device is properly secured and able to perform its work obligations.

Upgrade/Resell – How it Can Benefit Your Overall Budget:

Once devices are finally decommissioned, reselling them quickly is one of your best available options for recouping some of your previously spent IT budget. New wireless devices are becoming increasingly more and more expensive every year with no end in sight. Selling your decommissioned devices to a reputable buyer will effectively offset your company’s new device spend and in turn put money back into your budget. Even if the phones your company purchased were “free” or “drastically discounted” from the wireless carriers, these devices could possibly still retain their true fair-market value. The actual “full retail price” of a new wireless device could be 10X – 15X of its discounted “contract” price that a company will pay when signing a new contract. Even if your decommissioned device is 3 or 4 years old, it may still retain value in the used phone market. 

When Devices Can’t Be Resold, Where Do They Go?:

Unfortunately, old mobile devices do not always qualify for resale. Sometimes devices are too damaged, too problematic to be fixed, or are simply just too old. At this point, these devices have been deemed too harmful to the environment to be repurposed and will be recycled immediately. The raw metals such as lead, mercury, and arsenic, along with battery chemicals used to assemble the device are not biodegradable, and if left in landfills, these materials seep into nearby ecosystems and cause irreparable damage to the planet. When disposed of properly, these devices are disassembled and recycled so that the materials may be used to make “green” products that help preserve precious natural resources. As more and more wireless device manufactures adopt “greener” policies, the recycled materials from old/unused devices are often used in the manufacture of new wireless devices. Reputable electronic recyclers will present your company with certificates to ensure that your wireless devices were recycled according to all local and federal guidelines.

GoExceed Makes Reselling or Recycling a Breeze:

Device BuyBack:

With hundreds of phone & tablet models accepted, GoExceed’s Buyback Program allows your business to recoup some of its annual IT budget by selling unused, old, or broken devices in exchange for cash or service credits. We buy used wireless devices from leading manufacturers such as Apple, Google, Samsung, HTC, LG, etc., and unlike other cell phone buyback programs, we will buy cellular phones from many different wireless carriers, such as AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, Rogers, Telus, and many others.

3 Easy Steps…

Step 1: Ship your unused, old, or broken devices to us. (Shipping labels may be provided upon request).

Step 2: 50-point evaluation along with a written proposal to purchase.

Step 3: Receive a check or receive credit toward GoExceed services.

Recycling:

The pace of innovation and advancement in the wireless industry is staggering with new generations of devices offering benefits to users that would have been unimaginable just a few short years ago. The downside of that innovation, however, is that users are frequently upgrading their devices, thus millions of functioning devices are retired each year. These devices could potentially end up in landfills and pollute the environment with toxic chemicals found in the unit’s batteries and electronics.

Our robust environmental management system includes ISO14001 and R2 Environmental Certifications. We maintain a NO LANDFILL Policy and comply with all relevant federal, state and local legislation, as well as actively assisting our customers with their compliance requirements.

Learn more about GoExceed’s full range of Wireless Device Asset Management solutions: Click Here

About GoExceed:

Founded in 2001, GoExceed is recognized as an industry leader in Wireless Expense Management (WEM) solutions. We service over 2+ million enterprise wireless devices per year and our clients range from midsize businesses to Fortune 500 companies. Our comprehensive suite of management solutions has revolutionized the way companies manage their wireless accounts, devices, users, costs, data, cost centers, contracts, policies, and more. We firmly believe that innovation is not only the key to our success, but essential in an ever-changing wireless landscape across the world. GoExceed empowers businesses with real-time reporting and analytics, enabled by Microsoft Power BI, in order to proactively save time, money, and resources. Your success is what drives our passion for technology and innovation.