Smart-Phone-Cards Blog » Calling cards

The Prepaid Phone Card History

admin — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 03:16:26 +0000

When the first prepaid phone cards were introduced in 1975 they were the brainstorm of SIDA a vending machine company located in Italy. They developed alternate ways to operate pay phones other than having to use coins. It was out of necessity as there was a shortage of coins across Italy. Also vandalism of pay phones was rampant and if there was another way that did not use coins then the money could not be stolen. The first phone card was released in 1976.

Cards were on very thin cardboard that had a magnetic strip. All a user had to do was to insert the card in a pay phone and minutes would be subtracted from the balance. These first phone cards were not without problems. They tended to get stuck in the pay phones, as they were too thin. Never the less by 1977 countries like the United Kingdom, Sweden, Austria and France had adopted this new technology in pay phones. 1982 saw the cards expanding into Japan when they face a coin shortage similar to Italy’s. Japan issued their cards in subways in Osaka and Tokyo.

Over time companies in Japan and Europe worked to make improvements on the quality of the cards. The first smart cards, cards with chips, were introduced in 1984 in France. In 1987 World Telecom Group brought the phone cards to the US with General Electric and Siemens distributing the cards. They developed the magstripe, which was an upgrade on the smart cards with the chips. The magstripe contains information that includes the card number, your name, address and other information.

AT&T joined the market in offering prepaid calling cards in 1989. RBOC, Regional Bell Operating Company of New York developed the first non-magstripe calling card in 1990 and this card is similar to the cards used today. With these cards you have to dial a toll free number and enter your personal identification number or PIN to place a call and the minutes from your card will be used. This method proved to be a more versatile method that the magstripe cards. With these new cards you could use on any phone anywhere.

As the popularity of these new phone cards grew by 1992 all major telecommunications companies offered their own brand of calling card. By this time there were no more magstripe cards and all phone cards used an access number that required a PIN. During this time the revenues from the phone card marked reached twelve million dollars. These sales reached six hundred-fifty million by 1995 and with sales over three billion between the years 1996 and 2000. This has led to even small telecommunication companies releasing their own brand of card. You can find phone cards for sale in super markets, the post office, gas stations and convenience stores.

Is 2001 the first prepaid cell phone was offered that worked similar to the prepaid phone cards. With these phones your minutes and phone are prepaid and you can recharge and add minutes to the phone.

Purchase Prepaid Phone Cards Online

admin — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 02:06:18 +0000

Buying prepaid phone cards online is very easy to do. All you have to do is select the company, fill out their form and either wait for a card to be mailed to you or to receive by email your PIN information. Then you can begin to make your calls. It is simple to purchase a prepaid phone card online. What is difficult is finding the best deal.

Online you can find hundreds of international and domestic phone cards to choose from. Here are a few hints to make your selection easier. First know what your needs are and try to find a card that fills that need.

Location is the first important factor. Where will you be calling from? If you will be placing calls from one location, or if you will be traveling around and placing calls is an important consideration. Also what will be your calling destination? Are all your calls going to be domestic or international or both? Some cards that work in the US may not work if you attempt to place a call in London. Read the fine print.

Accessibility is one of the key factors in selecting a phone card online. You want to be sure that the access points encompass the places you will be placing calls from. Be sure to check all the access details of the cards you are considering purchasing.

Who will you be calling and where are they located? You get the best rates if all your calls are confined to a focused country or region. There are different calling rates to all countries, regions and states. The best card may be the one that is specific and able to process your call. Call quality may also be a consideration when you purchase a phone card specific to an area. Also there may be free services when you call from certain locations making for even greater savings for you.

Will you be calling from a pay phone or a standard phone? This is important to know when you are purchasing calling cards online. Some cards are restricted to be used either on pay phones or on regular phones and may not work on both types of phones. Be sure you know which your card allows prior to purchasing. If you end up purchasing the wrong type of card you will end up being frustrated if you are unable to make calls. Also some cards will only allow you to call standard phones and have limited access to calling cell phones. Don’t be caught in this frustration. As many people only have cell phones you want to be sure you have unlimited access to calling mobile phones.

How long to you spend on a call? How many minutes do you usually talk? How often do you place calls? If you know the answers to these questions you can save yourself a lot of money. Prepaid phone cards have minimum minutes and frequency limits. If your calls are not long in duration you can get lower fees with the least minutes. Be sure to check the expiration dates on the cards.

Online Phone Cards Are A Dime A Dozen

admin — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 20:40:02 +0000

Online Phone Cards are a dime a dozen. If you do not believe me, then check out the multiple web sites that carry these cards. The only difference between these types of calling cards are the fact that they are purchased online complete with pin numbers. There are so many different cards for you to look at and browse through that you can get frustrated just trying to find the right one for you. Even worse, sometimes you do not understand the language such as “connection fees” and “per minute rate”.

You have to be careful when purchasing online phone cards as well. While there are many different reputable carriers, there are just as many that sell you cards that do not work. With so many different choices, how do you choose? One way would be to comparison shop as far as international calling cards go. This can also hold true for any domestic calling cards unless you are getting them through places such as Bell South or any of many different well known producers of calling cards. You get what you pay for and if you do not do your homework, then you can be stuck with a card that is worthless.

Another problem with online phone cards is that there is a problem with recharge rate. Some of these cards will not allow you to recharge making you get another card when your time runs out. As with regular calling cards prices will also vary depending on face value as well as the aforementioned “connection fees” that you will have to pay. You need to be very smart when shopping for phone cards online. There are just as many websites as there are people on the internet. Check out a search engine listing and see for yourself.

So can you find a reputable web site to buy these online phone cards from? The answer is yes, but you would be advised to do yourself a favor and only buy from those sites that you know are who they say they are. Just because they advertise online does not mean that you will get what you pay for. Asking questions and doing research is one way to keep you from getting ripped off when you are trying to get a phone card online for the purposes of calling either long distance or internationally.

So remember, phone cards are a dime a dozen and your best advice is to find a reputable dealer to get these types of cards from so that you and your money are not parted. Not everything works as advertised and sometimes advertising is a little shady. You have a choice when it comes to these cards and that choice is simply to exercise a little common sense when looking for these cards online. This will be your best judge of what would be the right card for you to purchase online and from a reputable web site that deals in cards of this sort.

Calling Cards Are Not All The Same

admin — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 12:40:12 +0000

If you have ever used calling cards or are looking for them to use, you might notice one thing. They are definitely not all the same and the prices for calling privileges can vary from card to card. Each producer is different and will have different restrictions on your card usage that will vary from different factors such as price per minute, PIN or no PIN, speed dialing and recharge rates for example. Why is this important to you? Simply put, you need to get the best card for your money as well as phone privileges.

There are also various calling cards that are for use in overseas calls only. These will also vary according to the country or countries that you may be calling using these cards. Here is a potential problem. If you need a card for more than just calling overseas then you may have to purchase more than one. However there are those cards that work both domestically and overseas for a flat rate. A card like this is well worth the price but again restrictions will apply depending on what your card has and who provides its services.

Prices will vary not only as a face value for calling cards, but also the minutes that you use will vary. Some of these cards will charge extra for connection fees so you need to read the fine print very carefully. You will also be advised to go with names that you know and trust as far as these cards go. There are producers that are reputable that produce both domestic and international cards for use anywhere in the world. Take the time to research your choices of calling cards. This is especially true if you are unfamiliar with the producer.

Calling cards such as those from AT&T, Bell South and other phone companies are quite reputable as far as domestic calling rates and minutes go. They also have cards that combine both domestic and international calling for a set rate that is affordable. Names like these can be chosen with ease as you know these brand names and are familiar with their services. There are also those that are well known internationally just not in the United States that are just as reputable and usable that many people over in Europe swear by. You do have a wide variety of cards to choose from.

So if you are looking for calling cards, bear in mind the facts above. You have many different ones to choose from, just choose wisely and get the most for your money. Once you know all the terminology of a card, you can figure out what the best one for you would be considering what you need a phone calling card for. Rates will vary so you will need to know where you would be calling and how often in order to get the right card for you. These cards are great when you need long distance and do not have it on a home phone.

Calling Cards Come In Many Varieties and Flavors

admin — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 01:43:08 +0000

One of the best ways to stay in touch with family and friends is by using prepaid calling cards. If you travel or if you live in another country or state calling cards offer an economical way to keep in touch by phone with your friends and family. When you use them you can save lots of money on long distance charges from your phone carrier.

Online Calling Cards offer VOIP online calling. This is the newest type of calling card. You want to be sure you read the find print in order to know that you are purchasing the best service for the type of calls you place.

International prepaid calling cards are found in gas stations and store everywhere. These cards are sold for a specific dollar amount and may be restricted to a certain country or region. As you place calls money is deducted from the balance. Some of these cards can be recharged with funds.

Prepaid phone cards are great for many people as they offer the freedom and flexibility to make calls to and from a variety of locations. But many have hidden fees so be sure to read the fine print.

Calling cards are one of the most affordable ways to keep in touch with family and friends or with your company if you are traveling on business. Prepaid international calling cards are one of the most economical methods to stay in touch.

For calling long distance the prepaid phone card has been the biggest advancement in the industry. Calling cards will keep you in touch with business associates, customers, friends and family.

Calling cards have been around since 1975 and have grown into a billion dollar a year industry. Today you can purchase cards anywhere. Cards can be purchased to place calls from anywhere to anywhere. Different rates will apply depending upon the restrictions of the card you choose. The more specific you can be the best rate you will receive.

Prepaid phone cards come in handy during emergencies. If you are traveling you may not have cell service or perhaps you cell phone battery had died. You will not be stranded if you have a prepaid phone card.

Be sure to check the terms of the card. Read the fine print. There may be different fees and rates dependent upon when and where you place your calls. There may be an expiration date or minimum and maximum amount of minutes you can use during specific times. Be sure to compare the cards you are considering prior to purchase.

Cost per minute is not your only consideration when purchase a prepaid phone card. There may be surcharges for using pay phones or for every call placed. Be ware that the lower the cost per minute the higher the hidden fees.

Next cost per minute is the connection fee. This fee is charged for every call you place. The connection fee can greatly increase your actual cost per minute especially if your average call is short in duration.

What to Look For In International Prepaid Calling Cards

admin — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 21:17:08 +0000

International prepaid calling cards are what you see in many shops. You purchase a card for a certain amount of money and as you place calls the cost is subtracted from the balance on the card. It you are traveling these cards are great as they will save you a lot of money on placing long distance calls. Also if you have family or friends living in another country this is one of the most economical methods to call.

One important thing about calling cards is that different cards handle how you know your balance in different ways. Some will give you your balance when you place a call and others will only give you your balance when your call in completed. For the latter cards you may end up being disconnected prior to you ending your conversation.

If you live in another company another option is a prepaid cell phone with a prepaid international calling card. If you choose this option you can also receive text messages and these are cheaper than making calls.

Prepaid phone cards offer many different options. You can purchase cards for twenty dollars that will give you over five hundred minutes if you place your call from within the United States with low rates to Africa, Europe, Russia as well as other countries. When you purchase you can get a PIN via email.

If you have family or friends in Canada, Israel, Europe or Russia and want to keep in touch but cannot afford expensive long distance then an international calling card is the way to go. You can find cards with rates specific to the country you wish to make calls to or from. Whether the country is the UK, Canada, Germany, France, Russia, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Ireland, Japan, Finland, Australia, Africa, Europe, India and other countries there is a calling card and plan for you.

Or if you are just in the US and travel a lot and want to make phone calls from your hotel without paying their expensive connection and long distance fees you can purchase a prepaid phone card and use any phone by using the toll free number and your PIN.

If you want to be sure your calls are private, or if you do not want anyone knowing where you are placing your calls from then you should use a prepaid calling card. When you purchase a prepaid phone card no one can trace your name, address or phone number from the card. If you want to place calls anomalously, use a prepaid phone card.

If you have parents who like to call their children and grandchildren but are on a limited budget you can give them a prepaid phone card that you can recharge. All they will have to do is dial the ten digit access number to stay in touch with their loved ones. Recharging the cards is very simple. This way they never have to remember to use a new PIN access number.

Traveling Frequently – Don’t Forget To Carry Your Phone Card for Calling Home

admin — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:38:10 +0000

Phone cards make it easy to phone home no matter where you are in the world without costing you an arm and a leg. Because of this, it is recommended that you always travel with at least a few phone cards with you. Many experts suggest hiding phone cards in a few different places, both on your person and in your luggage and travel items, so that you always have a back up in case anything gets stolen. Experts usually suggest tucking a little cash in with each of these phone cards as well. That way you have taxi money and a way to get in touch with someone who can help you.

Phone cards are not just useful when you travel. They can be great gifts for high school graduates going off to college who can not afford long distance phone calls on their limited budgets. They are also wonderful gifts to family members who live far away and who struggle to keep in touch. So the next time you can not think of a gift for a friend or family, consider buying them a phone card – they will not be disappointed. And they might even keep in better touch with you!

Phone cards come in a large variety of minute amounts, which vary even more depending on which areas in the world you are calling. For instance, 100 minutes of United States to United States talk time might only be equivalent to 60 minutes of United States to Japan talk time and so forth. This difference is due to the difference in costs that the calling card company has to pay. Because phone card minute amounts vary, the cost of phone cards varies also, but this cost, when compared at a per minute cost is still a lot less than what your regular phone provider would charge you for international calls.

A new edition to the phone card market is refillable phone cards. These allow you to purchase one single card that you can continuously add minutes to by calling the phone card company and providing them with your credit card information. This helps you avoid paying taxes on new cards and also having to learn new phone card company numbers and phone card identification codes. You can actually just memorize one number and keep it with you for years.

Whether you choose to keep one card and continually refill it or just continually purchase different cards, it is a good idea to write down all the information from your phone card or cards and keep it in a safe place. That way if you lose your card or it gets stolen, you can call the company and deactivate it. Some calling card companies will even issue you a new card with the remaining minutes from the lost one on it.

You can find calling cards at most stores, including grocery stores and drug stores. Because they are so affordable and easily accessible, phone cards take away any excuse for not keeping in touch with family and friends.

Make Use of Calling Cards to Talk To Your Near and Dear Ones Inexpensively

admin — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:10:53 +0000

As technology and interconnectivity grows, our world seems to shrink. More and more people know others in far away places and other countries. However, even though our world has shrunk are phone bills seem to be growing with more long distance calls we need to make. However, calling cards are simple resolutions to this problem because you basically pre pay for the talk time and thus you do not have to pay any charges to your actual phone provider.

How do calling cards work? Well, basically you call the 1 800 number on the card and input the card id number which then allows the calling card company to look up how many minutes you pre paid for. After that, the company will ask you to input the number you are trying to call and will tell you how many minutes you have available for that call (this is because the amounts of minutes vary depending on the area you are calling). Finally the calling card company will connect you to your destination call.

Because you only call a 1-800 number from your actual phone, your phone company sees it as a toll free call and does not charge you any money for the call. Prices of calling cards vary depending on the amount of minutes you buy them with; however, these prices are still cheaper on a per minute basis than regular phone companies charge. Moreover, you can not be charged extra with calling cards – once your minutes are up, your minutes are up – though there are quite a few calling cards on the market today that you can “refill” with minutes by calling the company and providing your credit card information. This can be useful for people who make regular long distance calls.

Another good thing to do if you have a calling card is to write down the calling card’s company number and the physical calling card id. This way if the card gets stolen, you can at least call the company and deactivate the card so no one else can take advantage. Some companies will even provide you with a replacement card with the remaining minutes on it.

You can find calling cards at most super markets and drug stores and can also order them from numerous online stores. So whether you are simply going on an international trip or moving cross country permanently, calling cards are a fantastic way to keep in touch with family and friends. Calling cards also make great graduation gifts to kids that are going off to college. Calling cards are also a great addition to any traveler’s bag – not just so he or she can keep in touch with people back home, but also in case of emergencies. All pay phones allow 1 800 numbers, so even if your wallet gets stolen, you have a way to get in touch with someone. For this reason, many people suggest keeping a calling card in a shoe or other area that is less likely to get stolen while on vacation.

Phone Cards Make Great Gifts for All Occasions

admin — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:16:54 +0000

There are so many occasions in your life when you will need to give gifts to your loved ones like birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and lots more. And looking for gifts is not a very easy task because you should make sure that the recipient will appreciate whatever you are going to get. Although it is true that it’s not the gift itself that matters but the fact that you have exerted some effort trying to find that gift, it will be more rewarding if you know that you have made a loved one really happy because of your gift.

One of the best gifts that you could get for your loved ones is phone cards. You can give these cards to anyone and you can be sure that they could use these so they will surely appreciate your gift. These gifts are perfect for anyone and you could give phone cards to adults and even to those who belong to younger age group. Giving phone cards will also save you from the exhausting activity of going to the mall and looking around hoping to find something that will be suitable for the occasion and the recipient.

If you are going to get clothes or shoes, there will be a big possibility that you might get the wrong size and this could mean that your gift will be useless because the recipient could not use it. Then there comes the recipient’s personal style and preference. It is also hard to get something that will match the recipient’s taste and personality. With phone cards, there will be no sizes, colors, and designs to be considered. Everybody could use these phone cards and you can be sure that you will never go wrong with these gifts.

It is also advisable to take a break from the traditional gifts like apparel and food. Giving phone cards will let your loved ones reach a family member or a friend who lives in a far away place like another province or country. Phone card gifts are perfect for those who have friends and relatives living abroad especially if they have not been in touch for quite some time. Most people hesitate to make long distance calls due to the cost of these calls that could add up to their phone bills.

There are lots of phone card varieties out there and different networks know that the competition is tough so they are offering promotions like cheap calls abroad or per second charging. You just have to choose the phone card that could give you the best deals and offers to make sure that your loved one who will receive your gift could get the most out of it. The recipient will surely be happy and surprised with your unconventional gift. The cost or the amount of the gift should not be a major concern especially now that financial crisis has caused a big impact on the world’s economy. Phone cards are available in different denominations so you can find some that will suit any budget.

Don’t Go on a Vacation Trip without Calling Cards

admin — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:14:36 +0000

Planning a vacation trip could easily make you so excited especially if you are going to visit another country that is famous for its beautiful attractions and tourist spots. Just thinking about all the fun that you are about to experience is enough to send a good feeling and will make you anticipate your vacation even more. Your mind will be occupied with all the things that you will need to take care of before leaving and all the preparations needed like the things that you need to bring especially if you are going to travel with your family. It is very important to make sure that you will bring everything that you will need to avoid any troubles and problems that could spoil your trip.

One of the things that you should bring with you is calling cards. If you are traveling alone, with friends, or with colleagues, you have to make sure that you could always call your family back home to let them know that you arrived safely in your destination. It is also possible that you will miss your family especially the kids so calling them will help you feel better. Bringing calling cards is also advisable even if you are traveling with your whole family particularly if you are traveling abroad. You’ll never know what will happen and what kind of troubles you will encounter. It will always help if you could easily make a call to one of your relatives or friends who could give you a helping hand in case something went wrong.

Most hotels and other types of accommodation have telephone lines but they will not allow you to make an overseas call. Having your own calling cards will give you the convenience of calling long distance without having to worry about paying bills. All you need to do is to find a telephone booth and you can already make your call. It is also advisable to bring your mobile or cell phones with you so in case someone gets lost, you could easily call his or her cell phone using a regular telephone. Calling cards are advisable for those who will go on long vacations. If you are going to be away for a few days, you could ask a friend or a relative to regularly check your home to make sure that everything is alright. Then you could constantly call that person to know the situation there. This way, you would easily know if there is an emergency like fire, flood, etc.

Some may say that calling cards are not needed as long as you have your cell phone with you but that is not true. Most networks may charge you higher amount for calls made outside the country so your monthly cell phone bill might go up and you might have a difficult time in paying it off. Using calling cards will help you stick to your budget and will prevent you from overspending especially if you will opt for smaller denominations. There are lots of advantages that you could get if you will always keep calling cards with you anywhere you go.