FAQ

What is reprovisioning? Reprovisioning refers to changing that software setting and loading provider specific information so that the phone may be used with a different mobile phone service provider.

Why reprovision when I can get a new phone for free when switching cell providers? When a cell phone provider gives you a phone, it isn’t free, the price is included in the monthly price on your contract. Plus, if you get a new phone you’ll have to replace all of your phone’s accessories (car charger, spare home charger, spare battery, etc). When you bring your own phone to a new carrier, most reputable providers will not require you to sign a long term contract, so if a competitor drops rates or offers more services you’ll be free to make the jump. Add this up and you can see that the “free” phone isn’t quite so free.

Is it legal to reprovision or recycle a cell phone? Yes, as long as you have purchased the phone. We encourage you to read your contract, but typically when a cell contract ends the phone is yours to keep.

What is the difference between CDMA and GSM? These are two different ways of providing cellular service, though for most users the difference is transparent. Service Providers typically support phones using one of these technologies only. For a complete comparison please see our CDMA vs GSM page.

Can’t I reprovision my phone myself? There are many factors involved which make this a complicated task. If you’re knowledgeable about cellular technology then you may be able to reprovision a phone yourself. However, be aware that cellular technology is continually updated, and if you get it wrong you’re risking permanent damage to your phone’s software.

What if I don't know my phone's model number? It's pretty easy to find out what phone model you have. We've written a guide to help you.

What if my phone model isn’t listed? We are continually updating our process to include new models. If you don’t see your phone model listed on our site, please check back soon.

Will my contacts still be in my phone? We encourage you to back up your phone’s data (contacts, pictures, text messages, etc) as a precautionary measure before bringing it in, as we do not assume responsibility for data loss. However, our reprovisioning procedure is non-destructive and there is no reason to assume that you will lose any of the data on your phone.

Will my phone’s camera/GPS/Bluetooth still work? Reprovisioning a phone will not affect any of the phone’s features. If the camera, GPS, Bluetooth, are enabled when you bring the device in, they will still work after the phone is reprovisioned. If your previous cell provider had disabled features on your phone, reprovisioning the phone will not enable these devices.

My phone is GSM, what can you do for me? We are currently partnering with stores which reprovision or recycle CDMA phones, though this may change soon. Please check this site for updates periodically.

KeepMyPhone.com will help you reprovision or recycle your cdma phone. You can have the flexibility to choose the mobile phone service providers without the expense of buying a brand new cdma phone.