Gift old smartphones with Community Calling to tackle digital exclusion
There are over 1.5 million homes in the UK that still don’t have access to the internet (Ofcom). Meanwhile, for every phone in use, four sit unused. Your business could change
Hubbub is running Community Calling to encourage old, workable smartphones to be gifted to vulnerable and socially isolated people. Gifted smartphones are data-wiped and passed on to those in need. We work with local Councils and community groups to identify those who are in need of a device and offer them accompanying digital skills training.
As of 2024, we’ve shared 20,000 smartphones thanks to donations from businesses and the public. But with millions of people still without access to a device, we need more businesses to support the scheme.
There are three ways businesses can get involved:
1) Gift redundant business smartphones
If you have several business-owned devices and chargers that aren’t being used and you would like to gift them, we can arrange a courier to come and collect them. Please follow the pre-sending checklist for businesses and email us at communitycalling@hubbub.org.uk to arrange a courier collection.
2) Provide a financial donation
If you want to support the campaign but don’t have any old smartphones, some businesses opt to make financial contributions instead. These contributions go directly towards bulk-purchasing deadstock smartphones. We then cover the data-wiping fee out of our project funding. Please email communitycalling@hubbub.org.uk to find out more.
3) Encourage employees to donate their old smartphones
By asking employees to donate their old smartphones, businesses will be actively supporting the digitally excluded. Ask employees to visit this page to gift their phone. We can offer data on how many smartphone donations your business generates.
Getting your employees on board
Check out the tips below and email communitycalling@hubbub.org.uk to access Hubbub’s eye-catching and ready-to-use design assets and key messaging for any internal or social media comms.
Set up a tech amnesty week
Offer an incentive to encourage employee participation
Set up a challenge to see which department can donate the most devices
FAQs
Will the phones be data-wiped?
“
It has made me very happy as I can now see my family when I talk to them, and I can smile at them.
- Community Calling beneficary
”
Yes, rest assured every device will be data-wiped by our tech partner Genuine Solutions. The phones will also have diagnostics performed on them to ensure they are workable and fit to be passed on.
Who will the phones go to?
We’re working with local councils and community groups to identify people who will benefit most from a smartphone. Some examples of beneficiaries are the elderly, asylum seekers, survivors of domestic abuse and those in low-income households. We are working closely with local organisations to ensure everyone who receives a phone has adequate digital skills training to go with it.
What phones qualify?
We are grateful for all working smartphones that:
• have an intact screen
• can take a charge (if you can donate your charger that would be great!)
Are there any business specific steps to follow?
Please follow the below checklist when preparing batches of business-owned smartphones for the Community Calling Project.
Pre-sending checklist for businesses
Please ensure your IT team follows the below checklist when preparing batches of smartphones for the Community Calling project. Please email communitycalling@hubbub.org.uk to book a courier to collect your donated smartphones.
Step 1: Removing Mobile Device Management software (MDMs)
This is the first essential step when preparing your phones for donation. If your company MDM is not removed we cannot do anything with the device! Your company Device Administrator, usually a Head of IT or IT Manager, will be able to uninstall the MDM via the phone’s security settings.
Step 2: Unlocking your phones from all networks
Phones will need to be fully unlocked so we can process and regift the devices with the least amount of friction and cost. Unlocking devices independently is expensive and a drain on funds which could otherwise be used to fuel the donation of more devices. You can easily call your Network Account Manager who manages your company’s phone contracts to assist you with this.
*Please note: If you are struggling with any issues surrounding network unlocking we do not want this to put you off donating phones! Please contact our tech partner Genuine Solutions on communitycalling@genuinesolutions.co.uk.
Step 3: Device data-wiping and user account removal
Genuine Solutions will professionally data-wipe all devices once received. There is also scope for them to data-wipe the devices on premise (at your office or workspace) if desired. However, we advise that all B2B partners remove data from their phones by using the factory reset function. If you have an MDM set up for your company’s fleet of phones this can be done in bulk across all devices which are being donated.
It’s also essential that all phones are removed from iCloud and Google accounts so the devices are not locked to any users.
Please follow the instructions below to factory reset and decouple user accounts for both Apple and Android devices.
Apple Devices
To erase multiple devices, or if your device isn’t charged:
1. Log into iCloud.com
2. Select Find My iPhone -> find your device and Erase -> Remove from Account
If your decive is charged:
1. If you paired an Apple Watch with your iPhone, unpair your Apple Watch.
2. Back up your device.
3. Remove the SIM if there is one.
4. Remove your Apple account. Sign out of iCloud and the iTunes & App Store.
• If you’re using iOS 10.3 or later, tap Settings > [your name]. Scroll down and tap Sign Out. Enter your Apple ID password and tap Turn Off.
• If you’re using iOS 10.2 or earlier, tap Settings > iCloud > Sign Out. Tap Sign Out again, then tap Delete from My [device] and enter your Apple ID password. Then go to Settings > iTunes & App Store > Apple ID > Sign Out.
5. Wipe your device Go back to Settings and tap General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings.
6. If you turned on Find My iPhone, you might need to enter your Apple ID and password
7. If asked for your device passcode or Restrictions passcode, enter it. Then tap Erase.
Android Devices
To erase multiple devices, or if your device isn’t charged:
1. Sign into Google Accounts.
2. Under Sign-in & security > Device activity & security events > REVIEW DEVICES.
3. Select device > click REMOVE.
If your device is charged:
1. Make sure any data you need is backed up, including contacts.
2. Remove the SIM or any memory cards.
3. Turn off any screen locks.
4. Remove your Google accounts. On a Samsung Galaxy, go to Settings > Accounts and backup > Accounts and tap on Google, then tap Remove account. Make sure you remove all accounts.
5. Remove your Samsung account from the phone.
6. Wipe the device with a factory reset. Go to Settings > System > Advanced >Reset options > tap Erase all data.
All
done? You’re ready to gift!
