U.S. Cellular Launches Free Battery Swap Program

I think this is pretty neat, and while it doesn’t directly pertain to most of us, I wish more carriers would do something like this-

CHICAGO, May 13 /PRNewswire/ — On May 19 U.S. Cellular will launch an industry-leading Battery Swap program, where customers can come into any store and change out a dead or dying battery for a fully-charged one, for free. U.S. Cellular is the only wireless company to offer this service.

"Our Battery Swap program is perfect for people who depend on their wireless devices as their lifelines, such as business people, parents, not to mention heavy users who drain their battery daily," said Jay Ellison, executive vice president and COO of U.S. Cellular. "We’re offering this service to help our customers stay connected."

There are some things that you can do to extend your battery life that you might not be aware of. Turning your cell phone off while charging not only will help extend the life of the battery, it also acts as a reset similar to your computer. Power cycling, or turning the cell phone off and then on again, will allow your cell phone to use the optimum tower for its location and clears the cache of the phone. If you get stuck on a screen or have problems texting, power cycling often helps. If this option doesn’t work for you, then it might be time to get a new battery.

Consumers who are watching their spending closely can use the Battery Swap program to extend the life of their phone without having to purchase a new battery, which generally costs about $40. U.S. Cellular phones that have been purchased in the last 18 months are eligible for the program.

"This simple gesture is just another way for us to give our customers that added peace of mind that their phone will always be there for them in case of an emergency," Ellison added.