Verizon Wireless In Store Trade-In Program Hits 1 Million Retail Mark

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — This month, the Verizon Wireless In Store Trade-In Program collected its one millionth retail trade-in device, signifying a major landmark for the program.  The Verizon Wireless Trade-In Program launched a year ago in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores. 

In just one year, the In Store Program has collected 1 million wireless phones, which has helped to keep the equivalent of 140 tons of e-waste out of landfills and 436 tons of carbon dioxide out of the ozone.  This is also equal to the amount of electricity it would take to power 49 houses for one year.

Through the Trade-In Program, customers purchasing a new device can trade in their no-longer-used wireless devices at any Verizon Wireless company-owned store and kiosk nationwide or online to receive a Verizon Wireless gift card in exchange for their devices.  Customers can also trade in their no-longer-used devices through the Verizon Wireless Trade-In program available online at www.verizon.com/od/trade-in/ and receive an instantly redeemable Verizon Wireless gift card of up to $300 to use toward the purchase of a new phone, tablet, accessory or toward their Verizon Wireless bill.

In honor of the collection announcement and the program’s one-year anniversary, Verizon, through a donation to American Forests, will plant 1,000 trees in Northern California’s Klamath National Forest.  The plantings will cover a handful of areas that were severely affected by wildfires and provide multiple benefits to local watersheds, scenery, recreation and wildlife.  According to American Forests, this restoration initiative will improve the habitat for threatened and endangered species such as Coho and Chinook salmon, steelhead trout, and the California spotted owl.

“We are pleased with the success of the Trade-In program and want to celebrate this milestone by working with American Forests to contribute to such an important environmental cause,” said Robert Miller, vice president of marketing at Verizon Wireless.  “By trading in their no-longer-used wireless devices, Verizon Wireless customers nationwide have an opportunity to receive value from their no-longer-used devices and help keep waste out of landfills.”

Individuals also can donate their no-longer-used cell phones to the long-running HopeLine^® from Verizon program, which collects wireless devices and accessories to support victims of domestic violence.  Since the October 2001 launch of the national cell phone recycling program, HopeLine has collected more than 9 million phones, distributed more than 123,000 phones with the equivalent of 406 million airtime minutes to victims of domestic violence, and awarded more than $14 million in cash grants to organizations working to prevent domestic violence.  In addition, HopeLine from Verizon has properly disposed of more than 1.7 million no-longer-used wireless phones in an environmentally sound way and kept more than 210 tons of electronic waste and batteries out of landfills.

For more information about the Verizon Wireless In Store Trade-In Program, stop by any Verizon Wireless Communications Store. To learn more about HopeLine from Verizon, go to www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s largest 4G LTE network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 94.2 million retail customers, including 88.8 million retail postpaid customers.  Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 78,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD).  For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

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