Recycling a Wireless Device

All wireless, sensitive devices are 51ԹϺ Barcoded and tracked in accordance with NSHE policy upon delivery and added to the department’s inventory.

Tablets/iPads and cell phones belong to the department and not to any particular employee. Should the employee change positions or departments, the wireless device remains the property of the department that made the purchase.

Keeping a Device for Backup

Your department head may wish to hold onto deactivated phones from a preferred provider to serve as backup for lost or broken phones or for staff who need a new phone. While wireless devices are currently specific to the service provider you utilize, your number can be removed from the phone and replaced with another number from the same provider.

If you decide to keep your device, it will remain on your department’s inventory until it is surplused.

Surplusing a Device

If the department cannot identify a business need for the old cell phone the device should be sent to the Campus Surplus Program for proper disposal. Follow their instructions to complete a Surplus Equipment Move for the old device. University wireless devices that are turned over to Campus Surplus for disposal must be properly sanitized to delete and erase all information from the phone.

Removing Data From a Mobile Device

Before disposing of a university wireless device in any manner, the department must remove all personal information and data such as contact names and phone numbers, notes, calendars, and documents from the device.

Mobile devices can store data in many ways. It depends on the type of device, the operating system, and sometimes the wireless carrier. There are three ways data is stored:

  • Stored on the device in internal memory or storage
  • Secure Digital (SD) or Micro SD card
    • Generally Android, Blackberry, and Windows devices have the capability of having a SD or Micro SD card installed to add more memory to the device
  • On the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card
    • AT&T and T-Mobile use SIM cards

To make sure you are in compliance with university policy we recommend the following steps:

Back-Up and/or Transfer Important Data

Use the software that comes with your device to backup and/or transfer important files to your new phone or temporarily to your computer. This includes pictures, documents, books, applications, and other media.

Perform a Secure Method of Erasing the Data on the Device

This can be achieved by returning your device to original factory settings. Because there are different operating systems, there are different ways to perform this. Just deleting information or using a “clear” option is not a secure method for erasing data. Below are some methods on how to securely erase the data in the most popular operating systems. Operating system updates happen often so always refer to your operating system, device manufacturer’s support site, or your wireless carrier if it is not listed below.

A factory data reset can generally be done by going to Menu> Settings > Privacy > Factory data reset. You can also dial, if your device is a smart phone, *2767*3855# which will cause the phone to power off and then power back on in a factory reset. There is some inconsistency with how certain Android phones react to the dial reset, so it may not completely wipe some phones. Also keep in mind that rooted Android smartphones may react unpredictably to a factory data reset. The Android operating system and the devices it runs on vary from hardware manufacturer and wireless carrier, so if this does not work for you please refer to your owner’s manual, device manufacturer’s support site, or your wireless carrier.

A factory data reset can generally be done by going to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. This applies to iPhones, iPads, and iPods. You can also perform a factory data reset by connecting your device to a computer using iTunes. In the source list, click on the device, then click on the Summary tab and choose Restore. You will then have the option to restore to a backup copy of your device or “Setup as a new phone.” Choose to set up as a new phone and all data will be wiped.

Varies depending on the version of the operating system on the device. In general, you can restore the device to factory settings by selecting Options > Security or Security Options > Security Wipe. If this does not work for you please refer to your owner’s manual, Blackberry support site, or your wireless carrier.

Go to Settings > About > Reset Phone. There are other methods to perform a hard reset using physical buttons (volume and camera buttons, for instance), but they vary based on manufacturer and model, so you’ll need to refer to your owner’s manual, Microsoft’s or device manufacturer’s support site, or your wireless carrier.

Remove or Erase Your SD or Micro SD Card

If your device has one of these cards, we highly recommend you remove it and keep it yourself. If you absolutely have to include the card with the device, then you’ll need to erase and format it. You can refer to your owner’s manual or device manufacturer’s support site on how to do this using your device. You can also find information on .

Remove your SIM Card

While most of the data that you store is on the device or SD card, the SIM card holds your personal identity information that is used to authenticate your device to the wireless carrier’s network and may contain address/phone book data and text messages. Sometimes you can use the SIM in your new phone if it is supported. If you have any questions about that please contact your wireless carrier.

Additional Information

Wireless service providers (AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, etc.) may offer assistance with erasing the data. They may even have a recycling program available or will erase the data for you. Just remember if it is a university-owned device you must follow the university’s Cell Phone Disposal procedure.

Portable devices such as USB flash drives can also contain private information. These should be erased using the manufacturer’s recommendations.