Hello sunshine: StarHub launches Singapore’s first solar-charging mobile phone

SOLO's standby time can last for up to 200 hours.

StarHub and Foresight Technologies announced the launch of the innovative ‘SOLO’, an entry-level, affordable feature mobile phone, ruggedly designed for military personnel and outdoor adventurers.

SOLO’s most unique feature is its solar charging battery that backs up its lithium battery to further extend the usefulness of the phone in outdoor locations where users have no easy access to power points. Simply place the rugged phone in a sunny spot and it will recharge automatically. It takes about 24 hours to fully charge the solar battery. Standby time of the SOLO is up to 200 hours, and a talk-time of up to 200 minutes.

In addition, the SOLO is built in an Army-Green rubberise casing which protects the phone from accidental drops and shocks. It is also splash-proof and dust-proof. SOLO comes equipped with a 1.8” LED screen with 65K colours, a mini-torchlight for night activities and an FM radio.

Mr Ng Long Shyang, Head of Sales and Marketing, StarHub said, “we are always looking to address the needs of our customers, one of which is the ability for military personnel and National Servicemen to stay in touch with their friends and family while in the field. The SOLO is an ideal feature phone to meet this demand, as it is designed for rugged use in any outdoor environment. Due to its solar-charging feature, the phone is also able to operate far longer than current traditional phones. More importantly, the SOLO has no built-in camera which means it is also suitable in areas where the use of camera phones are restricted, such as in camps.”

The SOLO retails for $99 with any one-year StarHub Mobile post-paid plan, except PowerValue 80. It is exclusively available at all StarHub Shops and selected Exclusive Partners' outlets islandwide from 9 July 2011.