Verizon launches ITAD smartphone logistics division

Verizon enters the ITAD market with a new program, Verizon Business Complete. | Elliott Cowand Jr/Shutterstock

OEM Verizon is rolling out a program for companies to provide smartphones to employees, manage those devices while they are in use, and collect and facilitate recycling of the smartphones every two years.

Verizon Business Complete, announced On June 20, we will focus on “shipping, configuring, exchanging, and recycling” smartphones, with a focus on serving medium and large enterprises.

Verizon says it is rolling out the program at a time when many employers are considering switching to a system of dedicated employer-provided devices rather than allowing employees to use personal devices at work. The company presented tests showing that companies are leaning in this direction because they believe it offers better security, easier device management, and increased productivity. In this study, 70% of companies surveyed also expressed a desire to “recover money from recycled phones that could be reinvested in the company.”

“Comprehensive smartphone management also provides businesses with the assurance that their smartphones will be properly managed from a sustainability perspective, from purchase to disposal,” the company wrote.

After shipping new devices to employees, making setup easier, providing a platform for business administrators to manage devices, and making it easier to repair or replace damaged devices, Verizon’s program “supports the recovery and recycling of outgoing devices,” the company noted. This is scheduled to occur over a 24-month update cycle.

The Verizon study also highlighted the switch opportunities that come with adopting a comprehensive device management plan.

Consistently phasing out smartphones over a two-year period “can prevent companies from leaving obvious money on the table in the event of a switch,” Verizon said. “By not trading in phones – which almost two-thirds of executives admit they do not do after their contracts expire – organizations are essentially thumbing their noses, looking for ‘earned money’ that can be reinvested in other areas of their business.”

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