Virgin Media O2 and environmental charity Hubbub are encouraging smartphone users to donate their old and unwanted mobile phones to those who need them most.

People can donate to Community Calling which is a scheme to get phones to people who need them, including victims of domestic abuse, refugees and disadvantaged communities.

This comes as new research from the two firms found that 44% of people wrongly believe charities do not accept smartphones.

Previous research by Virgin Media O2 estimated that there are as many as 15 million unwanted devices sitting unused in homes around the UK.

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What is Community Calling?

Established in 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Community Calling scheme was created to provide smartphones to those who could not afford devices or connectivity to get online.

It has donated 20,000 devices to people in need around the country.

Free mobile data will be provided by the National Databank which was set up by Virgin Media O2 and the Good Things Foundation.

To donate your smartphone, you can follow the instructions on the Hubbub website.

A number of reports have said that some people risk being cut off from society because they lack the tools needed to get online in an increasingly digital world.

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 booking a medical appointment, applying for a job or taking part in training, or keeping in touch with loved ones.”

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Hubbub chief executive Alex Robinson, 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 committed 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.”