Bring Your Own (BYO) Wireless is debuting prepaid service in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. The Birmingham, Ala.-based company reactivates unused cellphones online.

"While the prepaid wireless market is gaining popularity with American consumers, most carriers and plans come with activation fees or may require an upgrade to another device," said Graham Black, chief operating officer at BYO Wireless. "Not to mention a complicated and tedious activation process. It was important for us to not only give customers a more affordable price point; it was critical that we simplify the process. Giving consumers the opportunity to ‘bring their own’ phone gave us the ability to do both."

BYO Wireless requires no contracts, credit checks or activation fees. Consumers can activate most phones online in three easy steps Grab a Phone, Pick a Price and Get Connected in less than ten minutes. Thirty-day talk and text plans include: $5 for 100 minutes and 100 texts; $10 for 250 minutes and 250 texts; $15 for 350 minutes and 1000 texts; and so on.

BYO says there more than a half-billion discarded or unused cell phones in the United States alone. The service had a "soft launch" in Alabama last month, with projections to go nationwide by Jan. 1.

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