Cingular Will Sell Firefly Cell Phone

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Cingular is one board with the kid targeted cell phone from Firefly Mobile. The Firefly phone will sell for around $50 with a two-year contract, and will sell service for $10 per month as part of its FamilyTalk plan.

Cingular's announcement marks the first time a nationwide wireless carrier will specifically target children as young as 8 years old. However, the device falls into a larger trend as wireless carriers work to expand their markets with devices targeted at older users, business travelers, teens and other demographic segments.

Firefly's phone replaces the standard 10-key phone layout with five buttons that can directly dial a child's mom or dad as well as an optional 22 additional preselected numbers. Parents will be able to control the use of the phone; for instance, they can ensure the phone will receive calls from only a select set of numbers. The phone is about twice the size of a cigarette lighter, weights 2 ounces and is built by Solectron Corp. The phone does not support data functions.