Editor's Note: The Cyclone disposable phone mentioned in the following article still has not been made available to the public as of early 2005. YOUNG MONEY does not have any further information regarding the product or its manufacturer.

A Florida-based communications company has received government approval to start selling the first disposable cell phone in the U.S.

Called the Cyclone, this disposable/refreshable phone resembles traditional cell phones, including the ability to make and receive calls, and is unlike all other disposable products that call out only. Cyclone is also refreshable, allowing more airtime to be added over-the-air once the initial airtime is used. The product has been given grant certification by the Federal Communications Commission and could be available in stores nationwide soon.

"We believe Cyclone fills a glaring void in the industry," says Stephen Romeo, Sales VP for New Horizon Technologies International, creators of the "Next Generation Disposable Cell Phone."

"Wireless manufacturers continue to build products geared to the high-end user, constantly adding more bells and whistles and making phones prices higher and higher. No one is building a product for the masses -- until now. We've designed and built Cyclone with 1/3 the parts of a normal cell phone, making it much less expensive to build and service. Our phone only has one bell and one whistle -- make a call and receive a call. That's all most of us really need."

To meet the growing environmental concerns caused by the rapidly increasing numbers of discarded cell phones being thrown in the trash, New Horizons has a patent-pending design that makes the Cyclone recyclable.

Customers not wanting to refresh their Cyclone phones will be offered incentives to send them back to the company through means of a $5 rebate paid for each Cyclone phone returned. The company then disassembles the phone, harvests reusable components, then re-assembles the phone for resale, all in a matter of minutes.

Concerning the recyclable design, Romeo says, "It keeps them out of the nation's landfills and helps us significantly reduce production costs, which we pass on to consumers. Help save customers money -- help protect our environment. Although other manufacturers may disagree, we don't think that's such a strange idea. We think all wireless products should be designed that way."

New Horizons has already received its certification from Industry Canada, clearing the way now to begin shipping product throughout North America. Main production is scheduled to begin in June, with product built in Estonia and Mexico.

New Horizons will distribute Cyclone through major distribution outlets and retail chains throughout the U.S. and Canada, and plans to have Cyclone on retail shelves this year with a retail price of under $40.

SOURCE: New Horizons Technologies International