Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4453 in Cell Phone Accessories
• Color: Black
• Brand: Starcom
• Model: Arc
• Released on: 2008-08-13

Features

• Cool, curvy flip phone for voice communications and text/picture messaging
• Pay for only the calling time you use with Virgin Mobile's minutes or monthly plans--no annual contract required
• VGA camera (4x zoom) for still photos; Bluetooth for handsfree communication; speakerphone
• Up to 3.5 hours of talk time, up to 350 hours (14.5 days) of standby time
• Includes: handset, battery, charger, user manual

Amazon.com Product Description
Outlined with stylish curves, the affordable Starcom Arc for Virgin Mobile flip phone helps you stay in touch with friends and family with easy-to-use voice and messaging communications. It also provides such extras as access to personal email and Bluetooth connevitity with handsfree headsets. With Virgin Mobile, you can choose a pay-as-you-go plan where you pay for just the minutes you use, or select from one of several monthly plans--including an unlimited option. Other features include a VGA camera for still photos, dual LCD screens, Spanish menus, speakerphone, voice dialing, and up to 3.5 hours of talk time. Virgin Mobile Service
With Virgin Mobile, you can pay only for the calling time you use. You can choose a plan that's based just on minutes (with rates between 5¢ and 10¢ per minute, depending on the amount of minutes you buy). Or, you can choose a monthly plan with no annual contract, including Total Unlimited Calling for $79.99. Pay-as-you-go users can easily Top-Up your Virgin Mobile account right from your phone. First, buy a Top-Up card at one of the thousands of retailers that carry them; or register your debit card, credit card, or PayPal account at the Virgin Mobile USA web site in order to add minutes to your account directly from your phone.

Additionally, you can choose from a variety of mobile messaging plans, which includes text and picture messaging, email, and IM (via AOL and Yahoo!). Virgin Mobile USA's national coverage is powered by the nationwide Sprint PCS network.

Virgin Mobile contributes 5 percent of profits from downloadable content to The RE*Generation, its pro-social initiative to help homeless teens, as well as provides postage-paid return envelopes in every new package for customers to recycle old phones.

The smooth, curvy Starcom Arc flip phone feels great in the palm of your hand.

Enjoy handsfree communication with the speakerphone and Bluetooth connectivity.

Phone Features
Finished in a trendsetting red soft-feel touch body, the Starcom Arc clamshell phone has a thin external LCD screen (96 x 64 pixels) that displays incoming calls, current time, signal strength, and battery life. The internal 1.8-inch screen has a 128 x 160-pixel resolution and support for a 262K color depth. Weighing in at just 3 ounces, it'll slip into a bag or pocket without causing any unsightly bulges. The internal phonebook can store up to 500 contacts, and it provides multiple phone number fields and is compatible with caller groups.

In addition to a speakerphone, the Arc includes Bluetooth connectivity for communication headsets and handsfree car kits. Snap still photos on the go with the VGA camera, which includes a 4x digital zoom. Other features include:

• Messaging: SMS text and MMS picture
• Mobile web browsing
• Voice-activated dialing
• Personal organization tools: calendar, alarm clock, stopwatch, tip calculator, and world clock
• Downloadable real-music and animated ringtones (additional charges applicable)
• Comes with preloaded games; more downloadable games available

Vital Statistics
The Starcom Arc for Virgin Mobile weighs 3 ounces and measures 3.6 x 1.9 x 0.8 inches. Its lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 3.5 hours of talk time, and up to 350 hours (14.5 days) of standby time. It runs on the 1900 MHz CDMA frequency.

Customer Reviews

Perfect little inexpensive phone!
EDIT - After owning this phone for close to a year, I figured I would update my review. Just a few cons I've discovered -- the speakerphone is way too quiet to be useful, especially in the car (which is where I want it in the first place). And I have noticed the battery cover tends to pop off once in a while if the phone is in my jeans pocket. Other than that, I still love it. It's nice and thin, features are great for the price, and battery life is very good. Probably the best inexpensive phone that Virgin offers, go for it!

My original review:

Just picked up two of these, one for me and one for my wife. There's really nothing bad to say about this phone.

It's THIN, has a camera and bluetooth and speakerphone! Pretty much has and does anything you need a phone to do. Plus it's Virgin, so if you don't use your phone too much, it's very economical!!!

I guess if I had to give any cons about it, it would be the camera is only VGA (were you expecting any better for a $50 phone?) and the buttons are a little small (same with about 90% of other phones on the market).

I love it!

Excellent deal of a phone
I don't use a cell phone much, so virgins top up program is perfect for me, and this phone has enough features to keep me happy. If you don't use a cell constantly and don't need the extras you will get in more expensive phones, then the starcom will be perfect for you. I only use mine while on the road during business, and virgins top up plan is clearly the best fiscal option for someone like me. Teens and people who are joined at the hip to their phones may want to look for a phone with more options and unfortunately a more expensive plan, but for some one like me it's perfect.

Starcom Arc Prepaid Phone (Virgin Mobile)
We have been Virgin Mobile owners for about 10 years now. This is my 3rd VM phone, my first one wasn't that great and I had to return it 2x but they quickly had a new one to me. My 2nd one the battery charger started acting strange and they replaced it and it started failing after 5 years... We just bought 2 more phones because the pricing and the service is pretty good. $35.00 at Best Buy! It includes a lot of features that are important to us!
Pros: Speakerphone, Bluetooth, Camera, Voice activated dialing, Standby and Talk time and ease of use out of the box.
Cons: The contact list set up could be more user friendly or intuitive. It would be nice to have some more FREE ringtones that are not "rap" or perhaps ones that are holiday oriented or 70's, 80's, 90's. I always have to buy a handful of ringtones to get ones that are not obnoxious.