Estimates vary, but roughly, a each cell phone user buys a new cell phone every 1.5 years. The majority of people that replace phones or upgrade their phones do so before their contract with their service provider is up, so they end up paying full retail price for the phone. An alternative that most people do not consider is purchasing refurbished cell phones for their replacements and even upgrades. Getting a used or refurbished phone is also a more eco-sensitive choice, at fact that is often overlooked when people talk about used or refurbished cell phones. However, since you are buying a used product, you do need to be more conscious of your shopping behavior and ultimate choice. Here are some things to consider when investigating used cell phones.

One of the first things you need to think about is what cellular service provider you will be operating on. If you are sticking with your current provider, this is a simple exercise. If you plan to switch, deciding what provider you plan to use will have some impact on what used cell phone you look in to since most phones are designed to operate on only one network.

Another thing to think about is whether you need a cell phone that is unlocked. Purchasing an unlocked phone means that you’ll be able to activate the phone on one of many networks versus just one, so unlocked phones give you more options. They also come in handy for people that do a lot of international travel as they can be activated on networks in other countries, allowing you to avoid paying the high cost to roan on international networks.

Most used cell phones are sold by third party vendors who specialize in selling refurbished, used, and unlocked phones. As such, you need to be aware of what vendor you select as most are not big national corporations like cellular service providers that sell new phones. One good way to tell a reputable third party used blackberry vendor from a sketchy one is to find a vendor that offers a warranty on their used phones. Offering a warranty established some credibility on behalf of the seller and should build confidence in your purchase. Although a small operation or even an individual person may be able to give you the best price, you also need to be aware that some phones sold by these people could be stolen or dysfunctional.

If you enter this purchase decision as an educated consumer, you will almost certainly come out on top. You can find used cell phones in any model – even the latest and greatest smart phones, and they will almost always save you some money while delivering the functionality that you need.