Disposable Cellphone for $20

The thought of a disposable cellphone is enough to strike fear into the hearts of even the most casual environmentalists, but US manufacturer Hop-on would like you to know that their basic $20 handset, while marketed as “disposable”, is really more intended to be an emergency option living, say, in your car’s glove compartment. Someone certainly seems to think it’s a good idea: an unnamed European distributor has placed a test purchase order for 10,000 of the inexpensive cellphones, which lack screens and - in their US form at least - have a shortcut quick-dial key for the emergency services.

“Response to our simple, inexpensive, $20 phone was phenomenal. The initial test purchase order with multiple purchase orders behind it is a big step in introducing Hop-on to Europe” Peter Michaels, president, Hop-on.

Hands-on’s phone is dualband (900/1800Hz) and based on a Texas Instruments chipset. The company apparently received plenty of interest at CTIA earlier on this year, which led in part to the current deal.

There’s no suggestion as of yet where the Hop-on handset will be available, nor how much it will be priced at.