You get Pepsi points by purchasing Pepsi product. Points range from 2
points for a 2 litre bottle, 5 points for a 12 pack of 12 ounce cans, and 10
points for a case. The phonecards cost 35 points. However, after your first
20 points, you can buy points for ten cents. This means $3.50 per card, for a
15 minute card, not the usual 5. Once you buy those 48 cans of Pepsi (I am
a coke drinker myself, wish they had more of these promotions!) you can
buy as many cards as you want. Doing the math, the phone time is only 23.3
cents per minute - Quite a deal! Take into consideration that the PIN is
exposed, and that there is absolutely no difference between used and new,
my recommendation is to buy the cards in quantity, and use them! I don't
know the expiration date, but usually Pepsi products have a short shelf life.
Phone time is provided by LDDS. There are two designs (One reader was
kind enough to send me a catalog) - Which are displayed on the web site.
Check it out if you have web access.
phonecard-collectors@nic.funet.fi
It's been a while since I have subscribed, the usual way to subscribe to a listserv is to type in the body of the message SUBSCRIBE (YOUR NAME) Type in your real name though!
This particular listserv has an international audience, with many people living everywhere over the world. Please note that since everyone subscribed gets your e-mail, keep your posts infrequent and to the point. Finally, do not send commercial messages via listserv.
What you'll receive is a list back via e-mail. You delete items that do not apply to you, and customize where you can. Might be a good way to list your interests and trade with people worldwide, since the directory originates in Melbourne, Australia.
Although I am not a fan of Amerivox, I would not want to see them go under. It would be very bad for the hobby, many people use Amerivox cards. My biggest problem with the company is that they seem to not be up front with information. Even something as basic as their rates are cause for confusion. Amerivox points out that the rate per minute is 29.9 cents, which seems respectable. However, something that many reps don't know about, and something that Amerivox openly admitted on CompuServe last year was that there is a 10% tax that is added to the phone time, which automatically increases the rate to 33.3 cents per minute. They claim that AT&T and MCI are their competition, not GTI and LDDS. The charge calling cards do add tax as well. However, Amerivox issues prepaid phonecards, and I do not know of any other prepaid card that charges taxes that are not figured into the rate. Ever wonder why when you use an Amerivox card, it does not tell you how many minutes are left, and almost every other card I have ever used does?
Of course, there is a larger issue with Amerivox, and that is the time per minute really is about 70 cents, not 29.9 or 33.3 - Before all the Amerivox reps jump me and tell me I am wrong, listen to these figures. A card that costs $21 will yield 30 minutes of calling - That is 70 cents in my book. Most cards charge a $1 celebrity fee, and a $10 activation fee. Granted you do get the $10 back if you place the card on a renewal program, but this turns the card into an active credit card. You wouldn't in your right mind trade your Mastercard. would you? The activation fee is something that may have worked in 1993, but not in today's market, and Amerivox must be feeling the competition. I was a rep very briefly, before I realized that there was no way I could sell a card for $21, say the phone rate was 29.9 cents per minute (Which it is not) that was in reality much more. Amerivox definitely seems to have a smaller piece of the phonecard pie so to speak, but they still are a major player and will be around. I hope that the company comes clean and becomes honest with the rates, we'll see.
The following weekend I will be at the Northeast Corridor Collector Show at the Clifton Country Mall near Albany, NY. This show currently has about 20 phonecard dealers/tables, so if you are anywhere near Albany (This includes New York, Boston, etc.) definitely make plans to stop by. It will be a blast, and will be a real phonecard collector show.
That's all for now, next week I will have a Binghamton show report, and the following week and Albany show report. These reports will also be printed in the print edition of PCM Report.
Until Next week, Happy Collecting,
Alan
2) Direct e-mail. Send a message to: phoneline@cardmall.com
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