BIC Enters The Mobile Phone Market

[froggyboy604]

By Luke Anderson

Am I the only one that’s a little disturbed by the concept of throwaway phones? You know, the junkie little phones that you find in your local gas station that come loaded with an hour or so of minutes. Well the concept is so popular that even BIC has hopped on the bandwagon.

I’m not really sure what prompted the company most well-known for their cheap pens and disposable razors to make a cell phone, but it will be available in Europe starting next month for around $80. Out of the box it has 60 minutes already loaded and a full battery, so you need do nothing more than start dialing. Once your minutes are up you can just toss the phone (I’d suggest recycling it) or you can activate it through Orange to keep using it.

[ Orange ] VIA [ RedFerret ]

Source:: http://www.ohgizmo.com/2008/07/17/bic-e ... ne-market/

Looks kind of dull. I guest this phone be good for prank phone calling people or spreading threats if it does not require you to register your name, or any other kind of ID for the phone.

[SetoTK]

damn that looks so fake, but wlel bloody oranges stick there name to anything so probably will happen


viva la world of anonymous threats and pranks

[caesar]

disposable phones, eh? next thing we know, the environmentalists are gonna be all over this.

i agree with both of you, this is just making it a whole lot easier for untraceable calls to be made.

[froggyboy604]

Actually, it is not disposable. It is one of those pre-paid phones that come with 60 minutes of talking time. If you read the article, you can buy more minutes for it. I think it probably run off 2 Lithium AA batteries since it does not come with a charger according to the article.

I think the store might have to ask for ID before buying the phone since government, phone companies love tracking people, or maybe bic does not care and just make a phone that anyone can buy like those pre-paid credit cards. If you have the cash, you can buy.

[caesar]

i seeeee. even so, it's just...stupid. i'll stick with my cell plan, thanks.

[froggyboy604]

They need to design better phones since the phone they have currently look really bad, and fragile. Atleast it is only available in France, so only the french and tourist be using this weird looking phone.


Pre-paid plans are good for people who rarely use their phones or only use cell phones in an emergency situation "burgler cut your house telephone line, and you need to call the police for help"

I also learnt that people need to activate the phone with an Orange Service agent to use the 60 minutes, so prank or threat phone callers can't use this phone unless they falsify their ID or use someone elses ID.

http://www.orange.com/en_EN/press/press ... 711uk.html

The manufacturer is some unknown brand called TCL (Alcatel)

[SetoTK]

Alcatel are not unknown there just 15 years late on ALL innovations, and produce crap at crap quality


aye saw ye could top it back up, but damn it's disposable, like sim cards

I also learnt that people need to activate the phone with an Orange Service agent to use the 60 minutes, so prank or threat phone callers can't use this phone unless they falsify their ID or use someone elses ID.

ah is like PAYG phones in that respect

but seriously they don't verify ANY details you give them (3 phones registered under Alfu kidahd, at an address that doesn't exist)