Hop-On, Inc. has announced the HOP1800 GSM cell phone is now available in the United States for US$10 USD. The handset is available in other regions around the world already.

The company calls it one of the "new breed of ultra convenient cell phones", ideal for prepaid market. The Hop1800 can be used as a backup mobile phone, when traveling abroad, or for anyone looking for a very affordable mobile phone that does one thing extremely well: make phone calls.

Both HOP1800 phones, one a Dual-band 850/1900MHz or the 900/1800MHz for Europe and Asia, weigh only 77 grams, offers four hours of talk time, 150 hours of standby time and polyphonic ring tones.

At a US$10 price point in the US retail and convenient stores, the HOP1800 could be considered disposable, but the company offers a US$5 rebate for returning the phone to encourage recycling the phone to "Keep it Green".

The HOP1800 sports no display but comes with a tactile numeric keypad with Braille markings. Being a pre-paid mobile phone, no contracts are required. The HOP1800 can be used with over 40 US carriers including AT&T, Cingular and T-Mobile as well as through Hop-On's own low cost Graffiti Wireless network in the U.S.

Hop-On is also making the HOP1800 is available to retailers such as drug and convenience stores, big box retailers and to businesses looking for branding opportunity. Hop-on can imprint sport teams or corporate logos on the HOP1800.