Bic Phone
The Bic Phone is a variant of the Alcatel OT-S210 GSM mobile phone. An inexpensive phone with only the most basic of features, it is marketed in France and Spain by Orange as a "disposable" phone to casual customers. Société Bic, a French maker of disposable items, receives royalties for the use of its brand, but is not otherwise involved with the manufacture or distribution of the phone.
 | |
| Manufacturer | Alcatel subcontractor |
|---|---|
| Compatible networks | GSM bands 900 and 1800 |
| Availability by region | since 2008 (France), since July 2009 (Spain), since 2010 (Belgium) |
| Related | Alcatel OT-S210 |
| Form factor | Bar |
| Dimensions | 98×44×12.3 mm |
| Mass | 70 g |
| Memory | None |
| Battery | 4 h call time, 240 h standby |
| Display | 1.5", 128×128 pixels, 65,000 colours |
| Rear camera | None |
| Connectivity | Micro USB connector for charging |
In Belgium, it was announced on June 21, 2010 that the Bic Phone will be marketed by Proximus, a subsidiary of Belgacom. However, it is purposely not marketed as a "disposable" phone but rather a low-entry phone seeing battery recharges are unlimited and the contract can be topped up just like any other prepaid card.
The phone is sold ready for immediate use, with a pre-charged battery and a certain number of free minutes. It can then be recharged with prepaid cards. The package also includes a hands-free kit and a micro USB charger. The phone features an alarm clock, a watch, a calculator and an FM radio receiver. It can send and receive SMS messages, but has no multimedia functionality.
References
- Zahumenszky, Carlos. "Orange Bic Phone – A fondo". tuexperto.com (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 26 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-23.
- "Press release" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2009-08-31. Retrieved 2009-09-05.
- "Press release Belgacom" (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 2013-01-15.
- "Press release Belgacom" (in French). Archived from the original on 2013-01-15.
- "Belgacom corporate website". Archived from the original on 2008-05-09.
- "Officiel Bic Phone website in Belgium". Archived from the original on 2012-03-08. Retrieved 2019-10-16.