October is Domestic Violence Awareness month, and to observe it, various cell phone companies are providing emergency phones to domestic violence shelters.

Laura Merritt, Verizon Wireless spokeswoman, said the company has a program called Hopeline, which donates old phones to domestic violence shelters.

Merritt said the company makes either a monetary contribution from the sales of the old phones or it donates cell phones to the shelter.

"The phones can be used to call 911 and support groups, or to call potential landlords and employers. It can be a great tool. They have an instant connection to help and it helps them get on track with their lives," Merritt said.

Cingular Wireless provides phones to women's shelters as part of the Wireless Foundation's Call to Protect program, Cingular spokeswoman Alexa Kaufman said.

Kaufman said Cingular has had a recycling program in place for a long time.

"[The cellular industry] has been doing a lot of voluntary things. There's an expectation that companies have good corporate citizenship," Kaufman said.

Jon Clinton, www.cellforcash.com Web site general manager, said that people are instructed to enter the phone manufacturer and its model number on the Web site. Once the information is filled out, a box with a prepaid shipping label is sent them.

If the phone is functional, a check will be mailed to the person who sent the phone.

If there is not a demand for that particular phone, it will be used as a 911 emergency phone, Clinton said. If people want their old phone to go to a charity, they can specify which charity will receive it.

Clinton said that the company has a 911 emergency cell phone bank, but that Pennsylvania residents are not donating as many phones as other states.

He added that a lack of awareness might be one of the reasons people don't recycle their old phones. Clinton said if people don't recycle their phones, the phones could end up in landfills and create a big problem by leaking toxic substances such as lead.

John Jackson, a wireless analyst at Yankee Group, a technology market research firm, said the average use of a cell phone is between 45 and 55 months.

"Right now, Americans are replacing [cell phones] at a rate of about 62 percent [each year]. We own our [cell phones] on an average of 19 months. It's a shame if it goes to a landfill," Jackson said.

In early October, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law the Cell Phone Recycling Act, which requires old cell phones to be recycled without the consumer being charged for it.

Erin McGee, manager of public affairs for Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association, a wireless telecommunications industry association, agreed with Kaufman.

"California's measure mirrors what the wireless industry has done in the past year. It seems a little unnecessary," she said. "We have developed environmental principles and guidelines that participating companies are committed to."

Mike DiGioia, AT&T Wireless spokesman and Penn State alumnus, said he has seen an increase in the number of phones being recycled.

AT&T has donated phones to both the American Red Cross and victims of domestic violence. DiGioia said that if a cell phone has power and is able to pick up a signal, the phone could dial 911 without having a service plan.

"The phones are able to be refurbished and shelters loan them to domestic violence services," DiGioia said.

Verizon, AT&T and Cingular accept all phones at their stores, regardless of the make and model.