Sometimes all you want — and frankly, need — is a phone that does the basics and does them well. Finding a simple phone can be surprisingly difficult, but we think Alcatel might be on to something with its OT-S120.Composing a text message is made easy using predictive text. There’s no MMS facility, but then again, it does only have a black and white screen. Other features include an alarm clock, a calculator and two simple games, one of which is similar to Tetris.Sure, it’s basic, but like your local greasy spoon, it does the basics well. If it’s simple you want, it’s simple you’ll get. There’s a black and white screen that’s easy to read and is clearly visible in bright sunlight.

Pay as you go phones usually look as though they’ve been made out of leftover parts and put together in factories run by gremlins, but not the cute kind. The Alcatel OT-S120 breaks this mould: it’s one of the most attractive pay as you go phones we’ve seen so far.

It may be small, but it feels solid and its black casing keeps things simple. There are several dimples on the back that add some extra style. Its rubberised keypad is easy to press and well laid-out. We particularly like that the navigation keys are nice and large, so we aren’t pressing multiple buttons with our man-thumbs.

GENERAL:
Bands: Dual-band 850/1900 MHz;
Also Available as 900/1800 MHz
Dimensions: 98 x 44 x 12.3 mm
Weight: 70 g
Standby Time: 250 h
Talk Time: 5 h
Battery: Li-Ion (670 mAh)

SCREEN:
Dimensions: 94 x 64 mm
Black & White Screen

MULTIMEDIA:
Video: N/A
Sound: 16-Tone Polyphonic Melodies

MESSAGING:
SMS
T9 Predictive Text Input

FEATURES:
Embedded Game
Calculator
Alarm Clock
Phone Directory: (up to 250)
Handsfree

COMMUNICATION:
Speech Codec: AMR, EFR, FR, HR

The OT-S210 is one of three launches in Alcatel’s new ‘Essence’ range. The three new handsets are all quite similar in design. The final pricing has yet to be revealed, but the least expensive of the trio will be the OT-S120. It has a black and white display. The other two in the range have colour displays and the OT-S211 will have an FM radio, which the others lack.All three handsets in the range are candybar mobiles and they share the same dimensions and weight. They are a slim and tidy 98mm tall, 44mm wide, and 12.3mm thick, and tip the scales at 69g. I had no trouble at all pocketing the OT-S210 at any time during testing.

Now, clearly, as a budget priced phone some things have to suffer in the specifications department. There is no camera, for example, so budding photographers need to look somewhere else for their new mobile phone. Without a camera there is no outgoing MMS support and none incoming either. Nor will you find things like mobile email or Web browsing here. And you can’t use the OT-S210 as a music player.

What is on offer is a pretty ordinary and basic mobile phone, designed for making voice calls, texting and not a lot else. The handset is dual band, and it has memory for 250 contacts but nothing much more to speak of. There is no memory slot for adding your own storage.

GENERAL:
Bands: Dual-band 850/1900 MHz;
Also Available as 900/1800 MHz
Dimensions: 98 x 44 x 12.3 mm
Weight: 70 g
Standby Time: 250 h
Talk Time: 5 h
Battery: Li-Ion (670 mAh)

SCREEN:
Dimensions: 128 x 128 mm
65k Color Screen

MULTIMEDIA:
Video: N/A
Sound: 16-Tone Polyphonic Melodies

MESSAGING:
SMS
T9 Predictive Text Input

FEATURES:
Embedded Game
Calculator
Alarm Clock
Phone Directory: (up to 250)
Handsfree

COMMUNICATION:
Speech Codec: AMR, EFR, FR, HR

Alcatel’s new OT-S211 brings the noise with its built-in FM radio and handsfree speakerphone. The 1.5″ color display on this entry-level candybar handset is small, but functional, and a rubber keypad helps to maintain the grip on the new portable radio phone.This pudgy guy can make/receive calls and has a 250-name memory for contacts. Nothing flashy connectivity-wise, but the phone does have T9 dictionary to speed those short messages.It has a small 1.5″ color display, no camera, no Bluetooth, and comes with the usual set of basic applications like calculator, alarm clock and phone book for up to 250 contacts.

For those satisfied with the basic functions of cell phone in a cell phone, Alcatel has introduced a new low-end candybar, the OT-S211. Although the price isn’t revealed, this could very well serve as your secondary phone to go along with your higher-end ones. This pudgy guy can make/receive calls and has a 250-name memory for contacts. Nothing flashy connectivity-wise, but the phone does have T9 dictionary to speed those short messages. The standard alarm clock and calculator are also included and Alcatel has thrown in a game to play when you need a break.

GENERAL:
Bands: Dual-band 850/1900 MHz;
Also Available as 900/1800 MHz
Dimensions: 98 x 44 x 12.3 mm
Weight: 70 g
Standby Time: 250 h
Talk Time: 5 h
Battery: Li-Ion (670 mAh)

SCREEN:
Dimensions: 128 x 128 mm
65k Color Screen

MULTIMEDIA:
Video: N/A
Sound: 16-Tone Polyphonic Melodies
FM Radio RDS

MESSAGING:
SMS
T9 Predictive Text Input

FEATURES:
Embedded Game
Calculator
Alarm Clock
Phone Directory: (up to 250)
Handsfree

COMMUNICATION:
Speech Codec: AMR, EFR, FR, HR

ALcatel Mobile launched its new Alcatel OT-S218 under GSM S-series. ALcatel has introduced their OT-S218 designed to “Enlarge your vision”. The OT-S218 has a 1.8in, 128 x 160, 65 colour screen, Bluetooth 2.0, an RDS-capable FM radio, and tri-band GSM/GPRS connectivity. A battery that supports a 10 hours talk time and a 4oo hours of standby time and weighs 70g.

GENERAL:
Bands: Dual-band 850/1900 MHz;
Also Available as 900/1800 MHz
Dimensions: 98 x 43.6 x 13.8 mm
Weight: 70 g
Standby Time: 400 h
Talk Time: 10 h
Battery: Li-Ion (670 mAh)

SCREEN:
Dimensions: 128 x 160 mm
65k Color Screen

MULTIMEDIA:
Video: N/A
Sound: 64-Tone Polyphonic Melodies
MP3 Melodies
FM Radio RDS

MESSAGING:
SMS, MMS
T9 Predictive Text Input

CONNECTIVITY:
Bluetooth 2.0
Internal Memory: 2MB
GPRS, WAP

FEATURES:
Embedded Games
Calculator
Alarm Clock
Phone Directory: (up to 800)
Vcard, Vcal
Handsfree

COMMUNICATION:
Speech Codec: AMR, EFR, FR, HR

The Alcatel OT-S319 is a GSM DualBand clamshell mobile phone. OT-S319 sports a CSTN 65k color LCD, GPRS and Music Player. Very cool, very elegant little phone.

ALcatel Mobile launched its new Alcatel OT-S319 under GSM S-series.With the launched of their classy clamshell phone,having an MP3 rongtone support and a LED indicator. Having a dimensions of 90.5 x 44.5 x 18.22 mm,you get a 1.8 inch and 65k color display. A battery that supports a 7 hours talk time and a 4oo hours of standby time.

GENERAL:
Bands: Dual-band 850/1900 MHz;
Also Available as 900/1800 MHz
Dimensions: 90.5 x 44.5 x 18.2 mm
Weight: 90 g
Standby Time: 400 h
Talk Time: 7 h
Battery: Li-Ion (750 mAh)

SCREEN:
Dimensions: 128 x 160 mm
65k Color Screen
External Display: LED Indicator

MULTIMEDIA:
Video: N/A
Sound: 64-Tone Polyphonic Melodies
MP3 Melodies

MESSAGING:
SMS, MMS, Instant Messaging
T9 Predictive Text Input

CONNECTIVITY:
Internal Memory: 2MB
EDGE, WAP

FEATURES:
Embedded Games
Calculator
Alarm Clock
Phone Directory: (up to 500)
Handsfree

COMMUNICATION:
Speech Codec: AMR, EFR, FR, HR