Alcatel OT-209 Mobile - A Decent Budget Phone With Plenty of Redeeming Features

The OT-209's appearance is one you're either going to love or hate. Available in red or grey, its keypad has a strange gradient going on that just looks strange. Its buttons, on the other hand, are satisfyingly large and easy to press. While the plastic used to encase the phone isn't the best, you can rest assured that this phone is built to be tough—while it's 68g, you won't need to worry about sitting on it or dropping it. Its 1.5 inch 65K colour screen is disappointingly tiny, however, to the point where it may be distracting. We did like the presence of the torch on the back, however, which is great for helping you find your keys in the dark or navigating your way down a stairwell. If you want to save money buying this decent budget phone, there are various mobile phone comparison sites that you can visit to see which deal is best for you budget.

Its user interface and operating system are refreshingly simple and astonishingly free of bugs or glitches. On the downside it's also incredibly bland, with no animations or nifty menus. If you like your interface that way, this might work in your favor. For the most part, there is absolutely no learning curve when it comes to this phone. Unlike many phones in this price range, it's not unnecessarily convoluted either.

While there's no digital camera, you do get a wealth of other features, including an FM radio, polyphonic ringtones, and a nifty feature that allows you to fake a call. This is perfect for when you're out on the town and run into someone you dislike—simply press a button and your phone will ring, allowing you to gracefully bow out of a potentially awkward conversation.

Bizarrely, the headphones that come with the phone only have one earbud, which means you can't have the full immersive experience as you would with a headset with two earbuds. Alas, you can't use your own headphones either unless you invest in a USB adapter. Some users may find that this isn't too inconvenient, but those used to 3.5 mm headphone jacks may frown.

With dual band technology, this isn't a phone that you'll be able to use everywhere. Its texting is quite good, however—along with having finger friendly keys, the phone's predictive text is shockingly spot on. Alas, it doesn't have much in the way of internet connectivity. However, you do get a variety of games to choose from.

For the most part, the Alcatel OT-209 is a phone users will either love or loathe. If you want a phone that doesn't have the flashy bells and whistles of most high end phones, or you simply want a phone that is as diabolically cheap as they come, this phone might be suitable. However, if you want a phone with a 3.5 mm headphone jack, basic internet connectivity, or a camera, you'll need to look elsewhere.