How to Obtain Old Cell Phone Records

Getting old cell phone records is important for consumers in a number of cases, such as billing disputes, figuring out usage patterns for data and texting and checking how many minutes teenagers are using. Phone companies retain records of customers’ calls for long periods of time, so it is likely that your cell phone provider will have the phone records you need. If you are not the authorized account representative or account holder, you will probably not be able to get a copy of the bill(s) you seek either electronically or through the mail.

Online Records

Set up an online cell phone account with your phone company if you do not have one. When you get a cell phone, the phone company may already have your information in its records system, and the account process can be completed more easily. Be aware, however, that if you do not set up you online account when you get your phone individuals could do it for you without your knowledge, which is illegal.

Verify you are the account holder by typing in information about the account, such as its number and other types of personal information. This is to protect the security of your account.

Click on the account option that allows you to download your past bills. You can select the date range for which you wish to view records. Print the records to your printer directly, or save the file to your computer.

Records by Phone

Phone your cell phone company and ask to talk with a customer service representative. Give him the security information he will need to make sure you are the account holder or authorized representative.

Request that the representative email you a copy of the bill(s) you want. The bill will likely come in a PDF document format, so be sure to have Adobe Reader software installed on your computer in order to view it.

Ask if the representative will mail you a paper copy of the bill if you do not have email or do not want the copy emailed. However, realize that regular mail copies may incur a fee.