http://www.artwoo.com Returned search results for international phone cards Copyright 2008 Tue, 02 Dec 2008 04:12:16 +0000 http://www.artwoo.com/rss/international+phone+cards http://www.artwoo.com/article/prepaid-phone-cards-how-they-are-important http://www.artwoo.com/article/prepaid-phone-cards-how-they-are-important#comments Sat, 09 Aug 2008 05:50:23 +0000 military service membersmaking an international callpayphone usersprepaid phone cardlong distance phonetelephone cardsphone cards http://www.artwoo.com/article/prepaid-phone-cards-how-they-are-important prepaid phone card. For their information, these are cards used for reducing the rates of the long distance phone calls. The students going abroad for studies, military service members, payphone users, travelers and other international callers can conveniently use these phone cards without having to worry about a grand bills awaiting to greeting them at the end of every month.

Many companies now provide their customers with good telephone cards, considerably reducing international and national call rates. These phone cards actually save a lot of money. In fact, they are capable to save up to 80-85% of the phone bills on international calls. The cards can both be used by the people who are using the home phones as well as by those who use their personal connections for dialing abroad. All types of customers can cut the bills by more than half by using the cards.

The phone cards are also beneficial for the students as they are able to make long distance calls to their families abroad and keep contact with them even if there is no other means of accessibility. The phone card companies claims that the cards are more flexible and affordable than the calling cards and many of the customers have agreed upon this claim assertively.

One of the major benefits of using the phone cards is that you can also use the phone in case of emergencies even if you do not have enough balance in your phone. Thus, everyone is suggested to use a phone card so that they are assured the connectivity with the persons of importance at the time of emergency even when one is out of money or do not have enough balance in his/her wallet to pay for making an international call.

Phone cards are used for different type of calls, like there are students' cards and travelers' cards, etc. Each of these has their own unique characteristics and efficiency according to the needs of the particular category of people that the company is catering to. The parents, whose children are living in a faraway land, mostly welcome the telephone cards. Through these cards, they are able to stay connected with their children. However, in the case of businesses, the executives find that by providing phone cards to the employees, who travel on office purposes, it serve better communication. Businesses have crossed boundaries and have branched globally, thereby making the phone cards important for the successful running of the businesses.

However, before getting your hands on an international prepaid phone cards, you must make sure that you know in details about the various aspects of the usefulness of these cards and know about the facilities that you can get if you opt for a particular phone card from a particular company. Avoid hidden charges and ask your connection provider about the various charges before you purchase any phone card. Look for the reliable customer service providing companies and opt for the best for yourself.Smart-Phone-Cards.com offers calling cards, prepaid phone cards, international calling cards for Russia, India, China and other countries at affordable prices.]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-choose-the-best-international-phone-cards http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-choose-the-best-international-phone-cards#comments Thu, 24 May 2007 04:19:52 +0000 international phone cardsinternational callingthis means thatinternational phone cardluckilyprice search enginethings to consider http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-choose-the-best-international-phone-cards International calling can get pretty expensive. Luckily there are international phone cards that can help you keep their international calling expenses under control. Phone cards are a great solution for international calling so knowing how to choose the best one is important.

Using a phone card will help you in a few different ways. A phone card allows you to spend a set, prepaid amount on your international calling. This prevents over spending and allows you to budget your spending. Phone cards are also very convenient. Many people, especially those with teenage children, block international calling on their home phone. This is to prevent accidental calls being made. Having a phone card ensures that only intended international calls are made.

When choosing an international phone card there are many things to consider. The goal should be to get the most out of the card for the least amount of money. You can get a great deal if you shop around and compare different cards =96 try a price search engine. The following list explains some of the things you should look at and compare between cards before making your choice.

- The per minute rate. You should always make sure you understand how much you will be charged per minute for each international call. Phone cards that are made specifically for international calling will most likely offer the best rates. It is also important not to confuse domestic and international rates.

- Any rate fluctuations. This means that you should ensure the same rate will apply 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Some cards may charge different rates at different times of days or depending on if it is the weekend or a weekday. This also includes any other fluctuation in rates, like the first minute costing more than the other minutes.

- Fees. There are many fees which can come up when using a phone card. If you are not careful your money could be eaten up by fees. You should find out if you will be charged for calls that are not completed, meaning you did not receive an answer or the line was busy. Connection or surcharge fees are another concern. Sometimes there is a charge every time a call is connected. Maintenance fees are sometimes charged on a reoccurring basis simply for using the card. Knowing fees is important because fees take money away that could be used for call time.

- How the card works. You should make sure you completely understand how the card works. You should know what local access number to call, how to enter your pin and the basics of using the card, like if you can make more than one call without having to hang up and enter the card information again. You should also find out if you will be warned when your calling time gets low. This is a helpful feature that prevents being disconnected in the middle of a call. Another important thing for you to know is when the card expires so you use your time before the card is no good.

- Customer Service. You should find out what number to call for customer service issues and the times customer service is available.

These points are all things that you should consider about each phone card. They should also be compared between different cards to find the best phone card. International phone cards can save you a lot of money if the best one is chosen. Ron Lonsdale has saved a fortune on international phone calls using phone cards. He has established a phone card resource for comparing phone cards at http://www.ephonecards.com.au/ Ephonecards ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/types-and-facilities-of-calling-cards-as-one-of-the-telecommunication-services http://www.artwoo.com/article/types-and-facilities-of-calling-cards-as-one-of-the-telecommunication-services#comments Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:57:19 +0000 long distance calling cardsinternational calling cardslong distance traveltelecommunication servicesmany other typessimilar featuresinternational calls http://www.artwoo.com/article/types-and-facilities-of-calling-cards-as-one-of-the-telecommunication-services long distance travel has become so common that it is no more thought to be something special or extraordinary. Now- a- days, calling cards have proved to be one of the most efficient telecommunication services.

Calling cards are generally of three types. These are international calling cards, overseas calling cards and long- distance calling cards. There are, of course, many other types of calling cards, but they are scarcely so much popular as the mentioned calling cards are.

It has often been marked that overseas calling cards and international calling cards are mistaken by people as long- distance calling cards. The fact remains that in spite of providing nearly similar features, these calling cards vary from each other in some respects.

If you use international calling cards, it will allow you to make international calls while the overseas calling cards will let you make overseas calls. It is to be kept in mind that the call making ends and the call receiving ends have to be located in the same country. Long- distance calling cards will facilitate you with the scope to make local calls, overseas calls and even international calls.

Are you pondering about how to avail calling cards? You need not bother much since it is very easy to get calling cards. The popularity of the calling cards as one of the types of telecommunication services has led many companies, including the renowned ones, to provide international calling cards, overseas calling cards and long- distance calling cards. The varieties of the exclusive schemes with which the calling cards are sold, are lucrative enough to make the customers feel interested at once.

Apart from the easy availability, there is another positive aspect about the various types of calling cards. The prices that you have to expend for purchasing a calling card, are not high enough to threaten you purse. They are definitely within the easy reach of your budget. Moreover, the competition among the companies to hold the top position results in the reduction of the prices of the calling cards, facilitating the customers a lot. Some of the companies that are renowned for providing the customers with long- distance calling cards at competitive rates are Tel 3, Verizon and ATandT.

It will be a wrong notion if the easy availability and the budget prices are thought to be the only advantages of the calling cards. The prime advantage that the calling cards provide the customers is the scope to make a call through any type of phone at any place in the world. What you have to do is to dial the country code, followed by the PIN or the personal identification number and then the particular phone number at which you want to make the call. Instead of visiting the calling card shops, you may go for online bookings of the calling cards.Smart-Phone-Cards.com offers calling cards, prepaid phone cards, international calling cards for Russia, India, China and other countries at affordable prices.]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/talk-cheaper-to-your-near-and-dear-ones http://www.artwoo.com/article/talk-cheaper-to-your-near-and-dear-ones#comments Sat, 09 Aug 2008 05:43:32 +0000 intelligent optionprepaid phone cardlong distancestelephone cardsphone cardssubstantial periodglobal communication http://www.artwoo.com/article/talk-cheaper-to-your-near-and-dear-ones long distances, for example, when we are in another country. There are usually three options for doing this -- using the common telephone, using the cell phone and using a prepaid phone card. Many of us use the standard telephone service to make the necessary calls. However, a question remains unanswered -- how often can anyone make these calls and for how long? The answer is also here -- phone cards. The telephone cards not only help you make calls at subsidized rates over a short distance but they also help you make calls at lower rates over long distances.

If you make international calls for a substantial period, the phone cards are an intelligent option for you. It is your opportunity to save as much as 80% of your money in comparison to a standard dialing service. These cards are like debit cards for payphones. The number at the back of a card has to be typed in and the call you want to make can be done. The customer service will tell you how much balance you have left on your card before the call goes through.

Many people do not use cell phones. The phone cards are real gifts for these people. Some of you may say that not many people use payphones any more. True that cell phones have taken over global communication almost entirely, and it is due to the same reason that phone cards that go with your cell phone are now widely available. When the phone cards are used on your cell phone, the cell phone company receives the money. You also do not use up all of your time. It is particularly beneficial if you have used up all your time and do not want to use up any more money on getting talk time.

You have to find out that the phone card is compatible with your cell phone company. Researching online before you buy a phone card is important because you then have a better chance of getting the best deals for yourself. There are instances when you buy phone cards and you get money added to the card for free. These are very beneficial because they are special offers and you have to look out for these offers. These offers are sure to come your way more easily as you shop online and you are more aware of the offers.

Some people want to use their cell phones without the monthly charges or the contract. There are also certain features that they never use. One of the means to avoid a service contract and monthly charges is by using a prepaid cellular phone. Some cell phones work with a phone card. There are different denominations of these cards and the denominations refer to the minutes. When the minutes run out, the cell phones stop working. The phone is useless without these cards. Apart form these uses, the phone cards can be used for many other functions.Smart-Phone-Cards.com offers calling cards, prepaid phone cards, international calling cards for Russia, India, China and other countries at affordable prices.]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/phone-cards-make-easy-and-instant-phone-calls http://www.artwoo.com/article/phone-cards-make-easy-and-instant-phone-calls#comments Fri, 21 Apr 2006 17:50:04 +0000 rechargeable phone cardsidphonecardwelcoming speechaccess numberpin numberchargesphone calls http://www.artwoo.com/article/phone-cards-make-easy-and-instant-phone-calls
Types of phone cards

There are several types of phone cards that are available in the market.

- Rechargeable phone cards -- these provide excellent deals because the additional minutes you purchase are basically cheaper than the original cost of the card. You can refill the cards anytime by visiting the website of the phone company. You have to receive a PIN number that becomes the permanent number and every time you refill your card, your PIN number gets activated.

- Non-refillable online phone cards -- this card does not allow you to make phone calls after the balance on this card becomes equal to zero. These have a validity period of 3 to 4 months.

- IDPhoneCard -- this is a rechargeable prepaid international phone card that can be accessible from at least 50 countries all over the world. It has no maintenance charges, no expiry charges, no contracts or hidden charges, and no connection fees. They can be used from any phone lines like office phones, home phones, pay phones, hotel room phones and cell phones.

It is easy to understand the working of the phone cards. You simply have to pay for calling time in advance and reduce the prepaid balance as you continue to make the phone calls. To make a call you have to dial Toll Free Access Number or Local Access Number. After a voice delivers its welcoming speech, you have to enter the card's PIN number and then dial the Destination number.

Advantages of using phone cards

For those who hang onto the use of phone cards, there are some real advantages.

Savings

The online, domestic and international rates are much more cheaper than the services provided by the phone companies. Not only do they help you to bring your phone expenses within budget but also offer calls that are cheaper than collect calls and operator assisted calls.

Mobility

Phone cards provide solutions to all type of people like travelers, truck drivers, students and international visitors. They can call anytime from their home, office, cell phones, pay phones and foreign countries.

Convenience

You can get a wide array of phone cards ranging from the lowest to the highest prices. The Internet helps you to get access to PIN number and Access number instantly at any place and at anytime. There are no hassles of phone bills and extra payments. Sharon Albright is the owner of http://www.phone-cards-finder.info.. Read more articles on Phone Cards and visit her recommended resources. ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/commercial-pre-paid-phone-cards-for-boating-mariners-to-cargo-ship-staff-calls http://www.artwoo.com/article/commercial-pre-paid-phone-cards-for-boating-mariners-to-cargo-ship-staff-calls#comments Sat, 28 Apr 2007 18:39:56 +0000 pre paid phone cardsmost important thingsthis means thatpre paid phoneincrease your chancescommercial fishinglandline phones http://www.artwoo.com/article/commercial-pre-paid-phone-cards-for-boating-mariners-to-cargo-ship-staff-calls commercial fishing trips. They are also useful for anyone who is taking a long trip. One of the best places to buy commercial pre-paid phone cards is online. Because you will be traveling, you will need a form of communication that is just as mobile as you are. This rules out landline phones, and even cell phones are out of challenging, since they are limited in their coverage area unless it's a global cell phone. You also won't have to worry about the limitations you will face when using local carriers on your trip.

Perhaps one of the most important things that commercial fishing phone cards will bring you is anonymity. It is harder for people to know who you are talking to, and it will be easier for you to keep your conversations private. If you have been on international commercial fishing trips in the past, you are probably very familiar with the high rates for international phone calls. When you purchase Commercial ship phone cards, you will be able to get the lowest possible rates available. When most people first hear about these cards, they wonder why they should buy them online as opposed to a regular store?

There are a number of advantages that you will gain by purchasing phone cards online. First, you have a large selection of phone cards that you can purchase from one location. Unlike physical stores, which are limited in the number of products they can carry, digital stores can hold a much larger selection. This means that you increase your chances of finding the exact card you're looking for. Online, it is also easier for you to compare the cost of the cards. Offline, this will require you to leave one store and go into another. Online, all you have to do is click a few buttons, and you can go to another website.

When you purchase an international mariners calling card, you will be able to get the PIN immediately. It can be accessed anywhere to check your account, so long as you have access to the Internet. You will want to use the verification process so that you can avoid having to go through a lot of delays. While many people are familiar with these cards, they don't know exactly how they work. When you buy a phone card, you are simply paying for advance call time, and you are reducing the balance as the calls are made. When you look at the costs you'll save by using these cards, it is easy to see why they are so popular.

They are especially popular among those who are taking commercial fishing trips. It is impossible to use landline phones during these trips, its best to use these commercial fishing calling cards to make International calls from your cell phone or any phone. To be able to communicate with the outside world, you need a product that is reliable, high in clear call quality, and cost effective commercial phone card rates. It seems obvious that commercial shipping phone cards are the perfect solution. Jose Hernandez is a freelance writer and international mariner enthusiast that reviews commercial fishing prepaid calling cards such as Pingo (http://www.pingo.com) that provides International calling cards to mariners, boaters, fishermen to cargo ship staff that want to keep in touch globally. ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-many-uses-of-prepaid-phone-cards http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-many-uses-of-prepaid-phone-cards#comments Fri, 21 Jul 2006 04:27:11 +0000 prepaid phone cardsprepaid calling cardswal mart storestracfonecellular phonestoll free numberinternational calls http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-many-uses-of-prepaid-phone-cards Prepaid phone cards are very popular among college students, frequent travelers or simply by anyone who wants to save on their long distance and international calls. Rechargeable prepaid phone cards are especially economic because the minutes that are added after purchasing the card are often less expensive. For instance, an AT and T prepaid phone cards can be purchased at most Wal-Mart stores at a cost of approximately $.08 per minute. When recharged, the minutes average $.05 each.

There are a number of reasons why prepaid phone cards are so popular, including the need to sometimes dial into a long distance telephone number for internet connections. Rather than paying the higher charges with the phone company, the user can have their modem dial using the calling card and then connecting to the internet.

While on vacation, hotels charge significant rates for long distance calls, but prepaid phone cards allow the user to dial into a toll-free number before dialing out to a long distance line. This will save big bucks as it will eliminate any long distance charges on the hotel bill.

Some cellular phones, such as Tracfone, operate on a prepaid basis. For each local call, one minute of talk time is equal to one unit (or minute) of prepaid service. International calls, on the other hand, may be significantly more expensive. In an effort to minimize the cost, some cell phone owners opt for programming prepaid calling cards into their phone and dialing out using the toll-free number. International rates will be higher with prepaid phone cards, but will likely be less than that of a cellular or regular phone service. This process will work on either cellular phones or a regular landline connection.

Along that same line, prepaid phone cards are also helpful in sending faxes. The same rules apply with long distance fax numbers, which can be costly through local telephone companies. The use of prepaid phone cards can often reduce these costs.

Toll-free numbers are free at payphones, so if you find yourself having car trouble or needing to get in touch with someone and the only phone nearby is a payphone, don't worry about having the right amount of coins or having to call collect. If you have a prepaid phone card with you, the call will be routed through the toll-free number at no additional cost to either you or the person whom you are calling.

In addition to the aforementioned advantages, prepaid phone cards are simple to use, easy to recharge from the store of original purchase, online through the prepaid phone cards customer service or via the toll-free number listed on the back of the card. To get more facts about prepaid phone cards, check out our website at http://www.phonecardguide.info for lots of free prepaid phone cards information and reviews. ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/telephone-cards-how-making-calls-has-become-easier http://www.artwoo.com/article/telephone-cards-how-making-calls-has-become-easier#comments Tue, 09 Sep 2008 22:57:38 +0000 international calling cardsprepaid calling cardsitalian cardsphone boothsmagnetic stripesatm cardtelecommunication system http://www.artwoo.com/article/telephone-cards-how-making-calls-has-become-easier telecommunication system via which you make the calls. Different network providers might offer different types of telephone card services, but mostly all offer phone cards with a specific balance, which allows you to make a specific number of calls or rather equates to a certain amount of talk time. Such prepaid calling cards are disposable, so when you have exhausted your balance, you simply buy a new one.

There are other types of calling cards that carry a PIN on them, which allow the user to transfer their charges on calls made via these phone cards, from any phone, to a fixed landline account. The advantage of such phone cards is that they do not limit the talk time for the user, so there is no fear of calls getting disconnected if balance runs out. The user is able to charge the calls made on a calling card on a fixed telephone account, which allows for a consolidated billing.

With two main technologies used for calling cards, namely stored value or remote memory, users today can enjoy many facilities on their international calling cards or local prepaid cards. A stored value calling card contains a certain balance amount that you can exhaust for your calls. When you use them at public phone booths, the machine's card reader reads this value, and you can make as many calls you want valued within the stipulated balance amount. This system is similar to an ATM, which reads your ATM card in the same manner. The earliest calling card using such encoded value were the Italian cards made in 1976, which coded information on to magnetic stripes of the card. Nowadays the technology used in stored value card has advanced from the rudimentary coding systems of the past. Remote memory calling cards allows for the access to a database, checking for balance and other details. This is done via a toll free access number, but in countries where there is no nationalized telephone operating service; this feature is of limited use.

Calling cards are great deals for travelers, who need not carry cash to pay for their telephonic transactions. Making international calls is also a hassle free experience, as you can make long distance calls within a stipulated balance amount, and not have to worry about excessive bills. International calling cards allow mobile phone users to make long distance phone calls without having to worry about charges being added to their postpaid bill, or deductions from their prepaid cellular connection. Even local residents can enjoy the multiple benefits of telephone cards, which they can use anywhere when out and about town, and charge to their landline account, or simply do away with the need of paying for their calls from any local telephone booth.Smart-Phone-Cards.com offers calling cards, prepaid phone cards, international calling cards for Russia, India, China and other countries at affordable prices.]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/calling-cards-technology-used-over-the-years http://www.artwoo.com/article/calling-cards-technology-used-over-the-years#comments Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:01:37 +0000 chip card technologyoptical storage technologyprepaid phone cardsdeutsche bundespostatm technologyprincipal technologieseuropean telecommunications http://www.artwoo.com/article/calling-cards-technology-used-over-the-years principal technologies used in called cards, stored value and remote memory, the former is utilised in prepaid phone cards, which is the most popularly used phone card around the world. SIDA, a European telecommunications company made the first calling card systems in the mid 1970s, but it would take another decade for these phone cards to reach users in the US, and around the world.

A pre stored value phone card of the earliest calling cards employed a magnetic stripe to encode information, similar to key card or ATM technology. Some years later came the optical storage technology, which were more sophisticated than the magnetic coding used earlier. Optical telephone cards had physical readers on the cards like lines or holes, which the card reader would scan for balance information. Optical calling cards were widely used by many users around the world. Optical phone cards utilised relatively simple technology, so the disadvantage was that these could very easily be hacked. Due to these security concerns, the optical calling card was slowly being phased out from countries around the world.

By the next decade, a new technology was to find implementation in the calling card system, which was the chip technology. First manufactured by the Deutsche Bundespost in Germany in 1986, these chip stored value phone cards quickly became the norm when it came to calling card technology for the next few decades. Although initial concerns were the easy to scratch off programming voltage point in the card causing a security breach, later technology was much more reliable. With modifications to this primary chip card technology, today's calling cards using microchips are not easily hackable, with the addition of secure coding technology.

The other technology used apart from the stored value system, is the remote memory system. This involves a central database, which supplies information about balance, which the card registers through an access number. The company Phone Line launched the first ever, remote memory calling card in United States in 1980. These phone cards could typically be used from any phone with tone mode facility. This definitely was a boost for users because there were telephone cards around that required special card readers along with the phone. The only disadvantage that this type of card professes is the keying of many digits before you can actually make a call. International remote memory calling cards required the caller to dial three different numbers before the call could be connected, an error in any one of which would not allow the call to get through. This process was certainly a very laborious one for the user, and this was the major disadvantage of such a calling card.

Today's mobile phone or landline user can enjoy many benefits on their calling cards. Depending on the telecommunications service provider of such calling cards, the user can pick networks within which to operate, thus allowing for discounted rates as well as superior coverage.Smart-Phone-Cards.com offers calling cards, prepaid phone cards, international calling cards for Russia, India, China and other countries at affordable prices.]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/stop-calling-card-frauds-take-actions http://www.artwoo.com/article/stop-calling-card-frauds-take-actions#comments Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:43:17 +0000 international calling cardsselfish meansconversational tonenecessary stepscalling cardfraudsthieves http://www.artwoo.com/article/stop-calling-card-frauds-take-actions calling cards theft and do not want to repeat the same, make sure that the next time you are taking the necessary steps to stop the frauds from stealing your cards. Every one of us is vulnerable to the theft of important documents while we are traveling. You are also not an exception. Therefore, it is inevitable that you must take good care of your things when you are traveling. To help your card from being compromised to the thieves, given below are some recommendations that you can follow to avoid calling card theft:

- Your calling card is a unique way for identifying you as authorized user of the same. Do not use a calling card from a call-sell as it leaves the person with thousands of opportunities to get access to your number. If it is necessary to take out your card every time you have to make a call, there are chances that a caller may forget retrieving the number once a call is completed. It is also possible that the thief can see and memorize the number and use it for unfair means. Therefore, it is best if you can memorize the number yourself and keep away the card safe from public view.

- Call sell operators loiter around the places where the possibility of making a call is more using a calling card. They often take down the calling cards number of an unsuspecting, careless person and use the number for their own selfish means. Therefore, be careful about keeping the calling cards from public view and be careful about using your international calling cards.

- Operator assisted calls are another opportunity for the frauds to take notice of the calling card number. If you have to verbalize your number, to the operator, make sure that you are not overheard and speak in a normal conversational tone so that no one suspect you of telling an important codes. Then they may eavesdrop at your call.

- Do not share your number with anybody else, not even with your dearest colleagues who may need to make "just one call". You are supposed to guard the confidentiality of you calling card number like your Visa and credit card numbers.

- There is an important thing that you must remember as you are using international calling cards. No one is authorized to ask you about your calling card number except, of course, for the operator. If there is a call asking for the code of your calling card, do not give away the number, no matter how compelling the argument is.

- Do not use your number as an identification document. Remember that once your card is stolen, you are sure to lose a lot of money and communication with the required persons will hamper.

You must be very careful about your card so that the cards stay longer with you and serve your purpose of telecommunication. If you are careless, you may have to face the inconvenience, problems of lost calling cards and you will lose a lot of money and your telecommunication ability will be hampered.Smart-Phone-Cards.com offers calling cards, prepaid phone cards, international calling cards for Russia, India, China and other countries at affordable prices.]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/a-brief-history-of-calling-cards http://www.artwoo.com/article/a-brief-history-of-calling-cards#comments Wed, 10 Sep 2008 05:57:37 +0000 chip card technologymagnetic stripe readersprepaid calling cardsmicrochip technologyphone boothsmagnetic stripesmid seventies http://www.artwoo.com/article/a-brief-history-of-calling-cards Prepaid calling cards are perhaps the most widely used phone cards around the world today, and you can find a telecommunications provider who offers you a phone card for any country specific coverage you want. A great idea that cuts out the hassle in making long distance or short distance calls from public phone booths, the ubiquitous calling card of today started out as a simple piece of technology similar to the ATM or a key card. Technology has progressed a great deal since then, and today's calling cards are embedded with secure, sophisticated systems.

Prepaid calling cards were first used in Europe in the mid seventies. These calling cards could only function as local phone cards, and used magnetic stripes to encode balance information that the card reader would read when inserted into the same. It would take another decade and half for calling cards to slowly gain popularity and find usage around the world. Incredibly, in contrast to that, phone cards prevail all over the world, in more than 185 countries today.

Over the years, there has been a lot of development in the stored value calling card technology, spanning from the earliest magnetic stripe readers to optical storage, to microchip technology. Chip card technology is the most recent development in the history of calling cards, which had been inducted over two decades ago, in the 1980s in France and Germany. Many countries took their lead and began implementing their calling card system, embedded with such microchip technology. Initial security concerns over simple systems that could easily be hacked have given way to sophisticated secure technology of today.

Calling cards have become somewhat of collectibles, given their variety of different regional and national influences when it came to card design. Featuring a wide range of subjects, calling cards transformed from a dull monochromatic affair of the 70s and 80s to veritable displays of pop art. Bright and colorful, these phone cards had a visual appeal that prompted users to keep them even after there balance value had been exhausted, and there are serious collectors around the world who take great pleasure in chronicling these calling cards right from their early beginnings.

While the earliest users of calling cards used public phone booths with card readers to make phone calls, modern day users can just about use a calling card from just about any telephone line, or even from a mobile phone. Today, depending upon your usage, you can select your choice telecom network for the most suitable calling rates. With a plethora of calling cards for users to choose from, worrying about call rates is something of the past. Indeed, users can use calling cards to budget their phone bills. Along with advancements in the telecommunications industry, telephone cards have moved along just as well, and today have become an indispensable part of our everyday lives.Smart-Phone-Cards.com offers calling cards, prepaid phone cards, international calling cards for Russia, India, China and other countries at affordable prices.]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/what-phone-card-should-i-use http://www.artwoo.com/article/what-phone-card-should-i-use#comments Tue, 29 May 2007 05:29:55 +0000 connection feephone cardsmobile phone companyrate doubleslow cost internationallocal callinternational calls http://www.artwoo.com/article/what-phone-card-should-i-use
How long will you be calling for? If you are calling for longer than 25 minutes you should get a phone card that has a connection fee. If you are calling for less than 25 minutes get a phone card that has no connection fee. Generally a phone card that has a connection fee has lower call rates and phone cards without a connection fee have higher call rates. So when choosing your phone cards you need to consider the price based on the combined cost of the connection fee and the call rate not just the call rate. Generally the connection fee is equivalent to about a 15-20 minute call in terms of the call rate for the card.

What's the call rate? Of course the lower the call rates the better but is it a peak or off-peak rate. You see 99.9% of comparisons are based on off-peak rates that are always very late at night, such as 2am. At all other times, when you actually want to use the phone card, the peak rate applies and the peak rate is not used in the comparison. So if the comparison is based on off-peak rates you will definitely buy the wrong phone card.

Do you only make a local call to access the service? To use the phone card you have got to call a local access number to enter your PIN. You need to be sure the phone card has a local access number in your local area or a 1300 number with no surcharge. Otherwise you can make very low cost international calls but the call to the local access number will cost you a fortune. Never use your mobile phone to call the local access number because you are charged by your mobile phone company at their rates which could be 30c/min!

Does the call rate stay the same throughout the call? Some phone cards have a call rate that varies. So after 5 minutes or more the call rate doubles. Make sure the call rate stays the same throughout your call =96 that it is a flat rate throughout the day and night.

How long will the card last? All phone cards expire of a set time whether you have used the entire card or not. The phone cards generally have a life of 2 to 4 months but some last as long as 12 months. It is often better to buy a small value card, say $10, rather than $50 so that you can use the card up quickly and don't lose any unused minutes.

Are there any maintenance or service fees? Quite a few cards have service or maintenance fees that are charged daily or once a week. If your phone card minutes disappear without you using the phone card you are most likely being charged a maintenance or service fee! This is another reason you should by smaller denomination phone cards because you will tend to use them in one go.

Is there good customer support when you have problems with the card especially the billing? When is a minute not a minute? When it is a phone card minute! Make sure you can phone and speak to someone at customer service or that they respond to your email quickly. Try ringing their customer support number before you buy their phone card to see if they answer quickly. When something goes wrong with the card it is incredibly frustrating if you can't get it resolved. Make sure they have good customer service.

Now you know what to look for next time you want to make a long distance international phone call using a cheap phone card. Make sure your information source is unbiased and not tied to any one particular product =96 it shouldn't matter what phone card you buy only that you get a cheap phone card for your long distance call - visit http://www.ephonecards.com.au ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/international-cell-phone-services http://www.artwoo.com/article/international-cell-phone-services#comments Wed, 23 May 2007 00:29:55 +0000 international cell phonetelefone celulargsm phonegsm servicegsm standardcell phone serviceglobal system for mobile communications http://www.artwoo.com/article/international-cell-phone-services telefone celular) services worldwide? Do you have to buy a new plan? Do you have to pay outrageous rates? Just what is available?

First of all, the country where you live is very important when it comes to international cell phone (telefone celular) services. Most of the countries have one standard in cellular communications known as Global System for Mobile Communications or GSM. However, the United States did not follow the GSM standard and allowed competing wire carriers to develop their own standards. So, if you are coming from the United States and want to get cell phone coverage in another part of the world with your existing equipment, you probably will not be able to do it.

So let's get back to our options for international cell phone (telefone celular) service. It is important to understand that the key issues to having effective international cell phone service is that you must have a phone that will handle the frequencies plus a service that is compatible within the country you are communicating from. If you have a phone set that handles GSM service, then your phone will be compatible in at least 212 countries worldwide, as far as hardware is concerned. The only other item you will have to be concerned with is the service plan.

The GSM frequencies operate worldwide typically at 900 MHz but more and more the cell phones (telefone celular) are operating at 1800 MHz. There are some GSM phone services in the United States and Canada but they work at 1900 and 850 MHz and therefore are incompatible with the rest of the world. That is why more and more we are starting to see tri-band phones being sold that are compatible with both international and North American GSM frequencies. The Nokia 3220 is a good example as it will handle both the 1800 and 1900 MHz frequency bands.

But what about the international cell phone (telefone celular) service? If you get one of the tri-band phones you can get a SIM card that can be used in multiple countries. These SIM cards are somewhat like pre-paid phone service. You put the card in your GSM-capable phone and have international roaming coverage from wherever the card is valid.

When choosing an international cell phone SIM card for your GSM phone, there are things you should consider when making a decision on which SIM card to buy. First, what is the initial calling credit (how long before you have to recharge)? Of course you should know the rate structure of both the incoming and outgoing calls. Next you should make sure that your phone and SIM card you are purchasing will be valid for the countries you intend to travel.

Since you are not going to be global roaming with your home cell phone (telefone celular) service, you will want to let everyone there know how they can reach you by your new number. You can also change the greeting on the voice mailbox of your regular home cell phone service telling your callers your new access number while you are out of the country.

While you are using SIM cards that will be exchanged or replaced, make sure that you save everything (phone numbers, memos, notes, etc.) into your cell phone (telefone celular) handset and not the SIM card. If you save any information on your SIM card, then the information will be unavailable whenever you exchange for a new card in another country. This article can also be accessed in portuguese language from the News Article section of page http://www.polomercantil.com.br/celular.php Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for http://www.polomercantil.com.br ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/take-a-phone-card http://www.artwoo.com/article/take-a-phone-card#comments Sun, 30 Apr 2006 09:50:03 +0000 people travelcellular phoneextra moneyinternational callsreasoncities in europeconvenience stores http://www.artwoo.com/article/take-a-phone-card extra money, but have you thought to include a phone card as you begin your trip?

Unless you have the privilege of carrying a cellular phone that works internationally, a phone card should be at the top of your list of things to get. Many people forget to take a phone card on their journey because they are so used to just flipping open their cellular phone anytime they need to make a call.

Having a phone card is necessary for people traveling to any part of the world. Whether you will visit the most developed cities in Europe or the most undeveloped cities in South Asia, taking a phone card is a precaution no one can afford not to do. Most places in the world have calling centers that allow people to make domestic and international calls, however many of these places charge you much higher prices to make international calls than a phone card does. You can never be sure when a calling center will require callers to supply their own phone card for calls.

Even though many people travel the world to get away from family, friends, and work responsibilities, no one can know when an emergency that requires instant communication with the people back home will be required. Carrying an international phone card is a simple and easy way to be prepared for any emergency situation that might arise on your trip.

Taking a phone card on your trip is easy enough that there should be no excuse not to. Purchasing a phone card is as easy as stopping into most grocery stores, gas stations or convenience stores. A phone card can be purchased in a moment and at a relatively inexpensive price. You can buy a phone card and still have plenty of money to use on your trip.

The best reason to get a phone card before your next trip is that there is no good reason not to. There are few things as simple and inexpensive to buy and there are even fewer things that will come in handy during an emergency than an international phone card. Stop making excuses and get a phone card for your next trip today. Analeese Burnabaker has authored several articles on simple things like phone cards that makes life a whole lot easier. Learn more about the benefits of a phone card at http://www.coolphonecard.info ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/calling-cards-convenient-way-of-calling http://www.artwoo.com/article/calling-cards-convenient-way-of-calling#comments Sat, 09 Aug 2008 05:29:24 +0000 international calling cardsprepaid calling cardsunprecedented boomprepaid calling cardhectic placelong distancesmarket surveys http://www.artwoo.com/article/calling-cards-convenient-way-of-calling unprecedented boom over the last couple of decades or so. Consequently, numerous technical advances are everyday being put to use to make this industry even more successful. One such innovation in the recent years is the calling card. Several companies today offer calling cards to the customers. These cards help you stay connected over long distances. There are the international calling cards that help you stay in touch with your near and dear ones who stay far away from you. Different companies offer different rates and terms and conditions. Accordingly, these cards come in different variations.

These days, the act of calling and receiving calls is very easy. There are prepaid call cards, making the hassle of submitting your phone bills a thing of the remote past. The technology revolution has made communication very easy across great distances. The world is a hectic place today and people get very little time to establish contacts or meet their loved and dear ones. This makes time a very precious thing and communication a much sought after activity. This factor makes calling cards all the more important as one of the most preferred means of communication.

There are several companies offering discounts on prepaid call cards. As per market surveys, the sale of prepaid call cards is reaping great dividends for the respective companies. The prepaid calling cards offer the option of cutting down on the phone bills you incur and this indeed is a great benefit. The greatest benefit of the prepaid calling card is that it offers mobility to the user. Besides, it also offers anonymity to the user. No wonder that these are quite and offer the user numerous benefits.

These cards help you save money and they offer a wide array of features, rates, and services. These services vary from company to company. You need to do a bit of research to find the calling card that best suits your needs and requirements. The call cards come with PIN numbers. You dial the access number first. After that, you have to enter the PIN. Next, a voice prompt tells you to enter the phone number you are calling. There is a voice reminding you about the balance money that you have in the calling card.

There are calling cards, especially prepaid call cards, which can be paid with a credit card and recharged. There are also the 'use-and-throw' calling cards. Such cards do not need to be recharged. They provide the users with great levels of convenience and satisfaction. In case you decide to use these call cards, remember that they have expiry dates and this date vary from a week to a month, and even a year. Some companies also offer the automatically charged call cards. There is the option of pin less dialing, leading to configuration of the numbers you mostly call while using a calling card. There are PC2 phone facilities and you can call from your computer to any landline or computer, anywhere in the world.Smart-Phone-Cards.com offers calling cards, prepaid phone cards, international calling cards for Russia, India, China and other countries at affordable prices.]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/calling-cards-frauds-and-you http://www.artwoo.com/article/calling-cards-frauds-and-you#comments Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:50:17 +0000 digit authorization codeinternational calling cardsprepaid calling cardsmonetary lossescommunication cardsindispensable accessorymonetary transactions http://www.artwoo.com/article/calling-cards-frauds-and-you indispensable accessory in the information age where communication is of primary importance for professional survival. However, the worst side of using a calling card is that the frauds are also aware of the importance of these cards and are making a wrong use of them to serve their own selfish purposes. The theft of these communication cards has thus increased by great proportions today.

Many of the travelers are aware of the safety of their credit cards and other types of cards related to monetary transactions but they are not very much concerned about the safety of their international calling cards. It is because they are unaware about the value of these cards and realize their faults only when the card is actually lost. You should not be a victim of this type of fraud activities.

The criminals steal the prepaid calling cards and run illegal "call-sell" operations. In this type of organized criminal activities, the frauds mainly sell domestic and international telephone calls illegally to the public in lieu of a certain amount of money as call rate. The common people are attracted to this type of services, as they demand less amount of money as compared to other registered services.

Besides causing a huge amount of monetary losses, the unscrupulous people cause unwanted inconvenience to the legitimate users. All the telephone companies are eager to minimize the losses by deactivating those codes that are reported as stolen and used illegally. They are eager to save their skin by immediately deactivating and tracing all the frauds that are reported to them. Thus, as soon as a person loses his calling card s/he should report the matter to the concerned calling card company as soon as possible.

You must remember that these frauds do not necessarily have to steal your card. If they only come to know of your card's 14-digit authorization code, they are able to use it illegally without any hindrance. Although they never lose the possession of the card, the call-sell operators and frauds observe them, because the common people use the numbers at the public payphones. Many a times, the users are not aware about the type of card connection they are using at the public payphones and the frauds take advantage of this in making a lot of money from the stolen calling cards.

If you plan to travel abroad, make sure that you take your calling cards along with your other cards so that they are safe and secure from any potential instance of treachery. Always try to keep away suspicious characters from your calling card and other cards that are extensively personal to you and cannot be shared with others. Remember reporting the matter as soon as you lose your calling cards both to the police and to the concerned company. You are sure to get relieved if the organized fraud circuit is handcuffed and taken behind the bars so that any further theft of calling card is avoided.Smart-Phone-Cards.com offers calling cards, prepaid phone cards, international calling cards for Russia, India, China and other countries at affordable prices.]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-phone-cards-came-to-be http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-phone-cards-came-to-be#comments Tue, 05 Jun 2007 05:34:52 +0000 pre paid phone cardspre paid phonetelecom australiapre paid phone cardsprintworld telecomtelecom new zealand http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-phone-cards-came-to-be
The subsequent inflation created a shortage of coins in Italy which lead to a very high incidence of payphone vandalism and theft. To counter this the first prepaid phone card was developed to use in payphones that did not use coins but only phone cards.

These cards were made by SIDA a vending machine manufacturer. They were thin and had a magnetic strip on the back of the phone card.

The idea soon picked up and spread to other European countries in 1977. The phone cards didn't work very well, they kept getting stuck or jamming. Nippon developed Japan's first pre-paid phone card which worked very well and was adopted more widely.

The next big development step came when World Telecom in the USA developed a reliable phone card with Siemens and General Electric in 1987. Two years later ATandT also entered the market in the USA when they released their first pre-paid phone cards in Hawaii.

Phone cards were first introduced into Australia in 1989 when Telecom Australia (now Telstra) carried out a trial Victoria. About 300,000 phone cards were printed for 6 different cards. They were $1.50, $3 and $6 denominations. Telecom New Zealand also trialled phone cards in Christchurch in the same year.

It was in 1990 that NYNEX in the USA developed the first pre-paid phone cards based on a PIN (Personal Identification Number) as a means of identification rather than reading a magnetic strip. They used a free phone 800 number for their access number.

Since then pre-paid phone cards sales volumes have grown steadily to more than $5 billion per year globally.

Chip based smart phone cards were first experimented with in France in 1984 but didn't really reach the market substantially until Sprint developed its "Foncard" product in 1995. PIN based phone cards have dominated the market because they are much cheaper to manufacturer.

Six years ago the first prepaid mobile phone - phone card combo was first produced.

More recently there has been the rise of shops such as www.ephonecards.com.au that sell phone card ePINS. ePINS are phone card PINS delivered electronically over the internet. They also allow the customer to compare phone cards and choose the best phone card for their call.

It is anticipated that newer technologies such as VOIP or free services like SKYPE will take over from phone cards. VoIP has not made a great impact on the phone card market yet. This is unlikely to happen until about 2012 to 2015 when broadband and internet connections are more widely available throughout the world. Until that time phone cards remain cheaper than VOIP off-network calls.

Oh and by-the-way, Italy sorted out inflation and its coin shortage by switching to the Euro from the Lira! To enable you to select the best phone card for you phone calls be sure to use http://www.ephonecards.com.au who have an in depth knowledge of the phone card marketplace and are experts at comparing phone card quality. ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/various-telecommunication-services-including-calling-cards http://www.artwoo.com/article/various-telecommunication-services-including-calling-cards#comments Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:57:16 +0000 computer networking servicespublic telephone networktelecommunication techniquesdifferent kinds of computertelecommunication servicestelecommunication networktelecommunication networks http://www.artwoo.com/article/various-telecommunication-services-including-calling-cards telecommunication networks or telecommunication services? Yes, it is really tough since the telecommunication services have already come to be an integral part of the lives of even the common people in the world. If you feel interested about telecommunication services of various types, this page will be of immense importance to you informing you all about various telecommunication services including calling cards.

The telecommunication services are made to function by a strategic arrangement of the telecommunication links. The arrangements are made in such a way that massages are carried over a number of nodes and links from one part of the telecommunication network to the other. The telecommunication systems in the modern times take into account various types of telecommunication techniques and technologies. Some of these technologies are computer networking, internet, radio networks, mobile communication, broadcasting and public telephone networking.

Among the telecommunication services mentioned above, computer-networking services are thought to have brought about drastic changes in the world of communication. Different kinds of computer applications like web conferencing or video conferencing have served a lot in helping people in various parts for the world communicate with each other. Video conferencing has become immensely popular among the people since it allows them not only to communicate with the person at the other end, but also to see the person itself.

Keeping in mind the popularity and the facilities of all the types of telecommunication services, it has to be admitted without any doubt that the public telephone network is obviously one of the most popular forms of telecommunicating. Telephone networking does not demand you to spend much as voice chat or video chat through computer networking does. In fact, there are only a few other telecommunication services that will let you communicate with people at a cheaper price.

The popularity of the public telephone networks as one of the telecommunication services has been sky-rocketed by the advent of the calling cards. The long-distance calling cards let you enjoy the liberty if making a call to any number in the world from any place, irrespective of the location, which you are making the call from. The overseas calling cards and the international calling cards allow the users to make overseas and international calls respectively.

Several companies provide various types of calling cards with lucrative as well as exclusive schemes and facilities. The prices of the calling cards are cheap enough to be within the easy reach of your budget. In the modern times, it has become easier for you to avail calling cards since you need not visit the calling card shops any more in order to avail them. You can book the particular type of calling card by dint of the online calling card booking facility offered by many of the calling card selling companies. So, next time you are traveling abroad, do carry a long-distance calling card with you.Smart-Phone-Cards.com offers calling cards, prepaid phone cards, international calling cards for Russia, India, China and other countries at affordable prices.]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/when-is-a-minute-not-a-minute http://www.artwoo.com/article/when-is-a-minute-not-a-minute#comments Sat, 26 May 2007 03:25:01 +0000 phone cardsemailcustomer support numbercard companiesinternational phone callapplescard suppliers http://www.artwoo.com/article/when-is-a-minute-not-a-minute phone cards never seem to have the minutes they promise! You always feel like you have been ripped off.

That's why good customer support is so important. When something goes wrong with the card it is incredibly frustrating if you can't get it resolved. Make sure you can phone and speak to someone at customer service or that they respond to your email quickly. Try ringing their customer support number before you buy their phone card to test if they answer or respond quickly.

So why do you not get what you pay for? The long distance international phone call marketplace is extremely competitive. So the different phone card companies come up with a whole lot of unusual tricks and gimmicks or ways to present their product so that they look cheaper.

To really be able to determine which phone card to use you need to have access to a resource such as www.ephonecards.com.au that compares all the phone cards on the same basis. This includes using peak call rates and not off-peak calls rates and providing standardised information on each card in a "more info" section. This enables you to compare the phone cards on the same basis =96 apples with apples.

The most common marketing techniques used by phone card companies include:

=95 using off-peak rates to compare call rates. These call rates are generally at some ungodly hour in the middle of the night when no one makes phone calls!

=95 having connection fees that kick in after 5 minutes and then every 10 minutes. This way when the phone card is being compared it appears to have no connection fee =96 actually it is just hidden.

=95 using variable call rates so that after the first 10 minutes the call rate goes up by 50% or more. Again when comparing phone cards it looks cheaper against the other call rates. Make sure the call rate is a flat rate 24 hours/day and stays the same throughout the call.

=95 the card expires quickly =96 in less than 30 days. Phone card suppliers make a significant portion of their profit from the unused minutes on a card.

=95 applying a service or maintenance fee that gets charged once a week or every 4 days. You may suddenly find your phone card minutes have gone down without you using it!

If it looks to good to be true it usually is. The most important thing you can do to make the right choice is find a resource that compares apples with apples in a standardised methodical way and that your information source is not tied to any one particular product. If you need a free resource in Australia that provides standardised comparisons of phone cards and that is not tied to any one particular phone card supplier try http://www.ephonecards.com.au. ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/calling-cards-how-to-make-an-informed-buying-decision http://www.artwoo.com/article/calling-cards-how-to-make-an-informed-buying-decision#comments Sat, 15 Jul 2006 00:27:12 +0000 international calling cardscalling cardsave moneyinternational long distance serviceexpiration datehttpridiculous http://www.artwoo.com/article/calling-cards-how-to-make-an-informed-buying-decision Calling cards can be an excellent way to save money, both at home and abroad. Calling cards can offer you the lowest prices in domestic and international long distance service, no matter where you call from.

This means that the next time you're traveling, you won't have to pay the hotel their ridiculous long distance charges. Some hotels charge as much as $8 per minute! With a calling card, you can get rates for less than a penny a minute - now that's dome savings!

But if you want to save as much money as possible, you need to know several things about choosing the correct calling card for your uses. The cheapest is not always the best. Here are several factors to consider:

1 -- is there a connection fee? Some calling cards charge you a fee for each call you make, usually in exchange for lower rates. If you make short calls, this setup could be expensive for you.

2 -- is there an expiration date? Some calling cards have an expiration date -- if you don't use the minutes on the card within a certain number of days or weeks, they become invalid. Of course, this would not matter to you if you make lots of calls on a regular basis, and would use up the card before it expired.

3 -- how do the international rates work? If you will be calling to more than one country, look carefully at how the international rates work. Some cards may give you very low rates to one country, but high rates to other countries. Some domestic calling cards do not allow international calling at all, or charge very high rates. Every card is different -- just check before you buy.

All in all, if you get the right calling card for your uses, you can save a great deal of money over time. Just use these tips to ensure that you get the right calling card for you. Visit http://www.startdialing.com for great deals on international calling cards. ]]>