We love our mobile phones - but technology changes so quickly. Despite phones generally having a lifespan of a good 7 years many of us get a new handset every couple of years. Why not? The upgrade to the latest and greatest is generally "free" - or at least we don't save anything on our contract by sticking with the old handset.

But... what happens to that old handset? The one that you just had to have only a couple years back? The one with the old-fashioned 2M pixel camera? The one with a huge 512Mbytes of memory?

The Recycling Factory has done some research. Now obviously this research has to be taken with a pinch of salt given they have a vested interest in recycling that old handset of yours! To me though the research does ring true. I should say guilty as charged - I am a "mobile phone squirrel".

Highlights from the survey:

• more than half of us (52%) hoard our unused phones at home in case our current handset is stolen, lost or broken
• 68% of us admit to having more than one mobile phone needlessly collecting dust at home
• 22% of respondents actively recycle their phones
• 21% opting instead to hand down old mobiles to friends and family.
• As many as 4% declare that they actually throw their mobile phones in the bin

With the exception though of the inexcusable 4% that throw their phone in the bin, is this particularly bad? I recently upgraded my phone to a Sony Ericsson W995. I was quite happy with my old K800i of course - but that shiny new phone was irresistible and didn't cost me a penny.

Orange of course wanted to sell me special insurance in case my shiny new gadget was indeed lost, stolen or damaged. I can't remember the cost but it wasn't insignificant. I said no - and I still have my K800i as 'free' insurance.

How about you? Are you a squirrel? In reality of course we're really better described as magpies!

Leave your comments below. How long have you had your handset? What did you do with the old one? And the one before that!