The basic, ultra low-cost handsets wowing the mobile world

Vodafone aims to wow the mobile world - not with a high-powered feature-rich superphone but with two of its most affordable handsets yet.

The sub-$15 Vodafone 150 and sub-$20 Vodafone 250 handsets will make technology affordable for millions of consumers living in third world countries announced Vodafone during the 2010 GSMA Mobile World Congress on February 15.

The mobile devices will be launched in India, Turkey and Africa where the need for low-cost technology is increasingly apparent.

People living in emerging markets are becoming more reliant on mobile technology. Mobile devices are often used for money transfers and bill payments in these areas in lieu of banks, computers, internet access and money lending services - which are often hard to come by or nonexistent.

"The cost of mobile handsets can be one of the most significant barriers for people in accessing and benefiting from the growing number of socially valuable mobile services. The lives of people who use these phones - the Vodafone 150 and Vodafone 250 - will be changed and improved as they become part of the mobile society," said Patrick Chomet, Vodafone's Group Director of Terminals.

Emerging markets are showing an increasing demand for mobile technology. In 2009 India's total number of cellular users grew to 525.15 million.