- Despite almost 15 million unused smartphones gathering dust in homes across the country, new research reveals Brits would rather sit in a bath of beans than donate their devices to charity
- Virgin Media O2 and Hubbub are calling on people to donate their unwanted working smartphones to the Community Calling scheme so they can be rehomed with someone in need
- Community Calling has donated 20,000 devices to people who need them, including victims of domestic abuse, refugees, and disadvantaged communities
Brits are more likely to sit in a bath of baked beans or stay silent for 24 hours to raise money for charity than donate their unused smartphones, according to new research from Virgin Media O2 and environmental charity, Hubbub.*
Perhaps it’s because more than 4 in 10 people (44%) wrongly believe charities don’t accept smartphones, with almost 15 million** unwanted devices gathering dust in homes and garages across the country.
Despite this, more than 7 in 10 of Brits feel guilty for not doing enough to support charities or those in need, with almost two thirds (63%) saying they want to contribute more positively to society.
The survey reveals almost two thirds (62%) donate to charity as they want to feel good about helping others, while nearly half (48%) will pass on an item to a good cause if they know it’ll have a positive impact on someone’s life.
More than half of Brits (53%) would want their phone to be rehomed with someone who needs it, and more than 4 in 10 (47%) believe donating their device is better for the planet as it can be given a second life rather than ending up in landfill as electronic waste.
Donated devices transform lives
Virgin Media O2 and Hubbub are urging people to rehome their unwanted smartphones with people in need via its pioneering Community Calling scheme.
Community Calling was established in 2020 in response to the pandemic to provide smartphones to help people who couldn’t afford devices or connectivity to get online. The initiative has now donated 20,000 devices to those who need them across the country, including victims of domestic abuse, refugees, and disadvantaged communities. Partners include Women’s Aid, Crisis, and Migrant Help, and Supporting Children with Diabetes.
The devices are powered with free O2 mobile data from the National Databank, which was set up by Virgin Media O2 and charity, Good Things Foundation.
People across the UK can send their unwanted working smartphones to Community Calling for free where accredited tech partner, Genuine Solutions, will data wipe their device before it is rehomed with someone who needs it.
It forms part of Virgin Media O2’s sustainability strategy, the Better Connections Plan, and its goal to encourage consumers to carry out 10 million ‘circular actions’ to help tackle electronic waste.
Dana Haidan, Chief Sustainability Officer at Virgin Media O2, said:
“We know people in the UK want to do more to help communities in need, and with millions of unused phones stashed in drawers and garages, they’ve got the power to change lives by donating their devices to Virgin Media O2 and Hubbub’s Community Calling scheme.
“The quick and easy act of donating a phone will help people in need to get online and access essential services, like a booking a medical appointment, applying for a job or taking part in training, or keeping in touch with loved ones.”
Alex Robinson, CEO of Hubbub, said:
“Four years after Covid-19 hit, digital exclusion remains a significant issue for hundreds of thousands of people in the UK. That’s why we’re thrilled to be celebrating the milestone of having donated 20,000 second-hand devices and free data through Community Calling.
“We’ve made donating a device to Community Calling easy and straightforward, to encourage even more businesses and individuals to pass on their old devices to support those facing digital exclusion.”
Notes to Editors:
Survey data:
*50% of Brits would prefer to sit in a bath of baked beans and 78% would take part in 24-hour silence for charity rather than donate their smartphones to charity.
**There are approximately almost 15 million phones stashed in UK homes – source.
Online polling of 1,012 members of the UK public carried out between 23.05.24 – 24.05.24, and of 1,016 of UK public carried out between 30.05.24 – 31.05.24. Sample is representative by gender, age and NUTS 1 region, against the most recent ONS data. Strand Partners is a member of the British Polling Council and all data collection was conducted under their rules.
About Virgin Media O2
Virgin Media O2 launched on 1 June 2021, combining the UK’s largest and most reliable mobile network with a fully gigabit broadband network where customers benefit from average speeds 5x faster than the national average.
The company has more than 45 million UK connections across its award-winning broadband, mobile, TV and home phone services. Its fixed network covers more than half of the country (17.2m homes serviceable) alongside a mobile network that covers 99% of the nation’s population. The company is on track to bring 5G to all populated areas by end 2030, and has already launched 5G Stand Alone in 14 UK cities.
Virgin Media O2 is upgrading its fixed network to full fibre to the premises with completion in 2028. Its shareholders and investment firm InfraVia Capital Partners, through a joint venture called nexfibre, are investing approximately £4.5bn to build fibre to 5 million homes and businesses not currently served by Virgin Media O2’s network by 2026, with the opportunity to expand to an additional 2 million homes. As a wholesale customer of this network, Virgin Media O2’s total footprint will reach around 80% of the UK once build and upgrade work is completed.
Through Virgin Media O2 Business, the company plays a leading role supporting entrepreneurs, businesses, enterprises and the public sector with their digital transformation through a range of connectivity, security, cloud and tailor-made services. It is also the network of choice for mobile virtual network operators giffgaff and Sky Mobile, as well as managing a 50:50 joint venture with Tesco for Tesco Mobile.
The company is committed to using the power of connectivity to make its better for people and the planet, taking action to close the digital divide and building an inclusive, resilient, and low carbon economy. The business has set an ambitious commitment to achieve net zero carbon across its operations, products and supply chain by the end of 2040.
Virgin Media O2 is a 50:50 joint venture between Liberty Global and Telefónica SA, and one of the UK’s largest businesses. Virgin Media O2 is registered in England and Wales. Registration number: 12580944. Griffin House, 161 Hammersmith Road, London, United Kingdom, W6 8BS.
About Hubbub
Hubbub is an award-winning creative charity that inspires action that’s good for the environment and for everyone. We work to revolutionise communications with the public on environmental issues: forming unique collaborations across business and communities and using behavioural insights, everyday language, and good design to make environmental choices desirable and more possible. Hubbub’s work taps into topics people are passionate about and can create big impact such as food, fashion, our homes and communities. Hubbub has twice been awarded Charity of the Year at the prestigious Charity Times Awards, in 2023 and 2020.
Since 2014, Hubbub has delivered more than 184 environmental campaigns in collaboration with over 2,618 partners, helping to shift the national debate on key environmental issues such as food waste, sustainable fashion, reuse and sustainable diets. Hubbub’s campaigns include #InTheLoop which initially brought together 25 of the UK’s largest companies to boost recycling on the high street and through a replicable toolkit has now expanded across seven cities, a 3-year partnership with IKEA to create the world’s largest customer-facing sustainability campaign ‘Live LAGOM’ and creating a network of over 650 (and counting) Community Fridges across the UK which, in 2023, shared 18 million meals worth of surplus food over 2.5 million visits.
