"The IRC phonecard chat channel is growing. In the last two days there have been more than 50 people access the channel through there web browsers. You can do the same if you do not understand IRC software or it is not compatible with your internet service provider.
Over the last two days, we have given away many phonecards at random. No one knows when these phonecards will be given away. When you see the notice, if your the first to speak up for it, you win it. This is a limited give away for a short period.
You can access the #phonecard chat channel with these two different locations, and it is very easy.
The page will load, you type in your name and off you go to the phonecard channel."
I spent a couple of hours chatting on Sunday evening (This is Alan talking again) - I had a great time. At one point eight people were chatting. There was a person from Dallas who did not know that cards were collectible, a few of us gave him a quick education about phonecards. Who knows, maybe we talked someone into collecting. It’s a lot of fun, and I recommend that everyone try to join. You need a java compatible browser, which means version 3.0 of Netscape or Internet Explorer. AOL should work fine, and if you do not have a browser that is compatible, there is always an IRC client that will work to get you in.
Please mail you checks to:
The Card Mall
17216 Saticoy St. Suite 319
Van Nuys, CA 91406
I’ll pay for the postage to ship your card.
I attended the Intele-CardNews phone card show this week in Miami Florida. As always, the people of Intele-CardNews put on a first class show, and for first time in recent memory, there was no entrance fee to get onto to the convention floor, and in a special touch of class, a complimentary lunch was served on both days of the show.
As has been the case over the last year or so, this show was not designed for the collector. The 70 or so exhibitors were mostly utility card manufacturers, card and plastics manufacturers, phone time providers, and various other telecommunication product vendors selling such items as point of sale terminals and hardware/software products. There were no dealers set up at the show, although some of the better known dealers were walking around.
The amount of show cards were fewer this year than in the past as well. I counted 13 different cards with some available for sale and some as giveaways, although if you wanted more than one, you had to buy them. Companies such as Continental Plastics, Worldwide Digital, and Jericho Printing had very nice cards as usual, and there were also some unusual cards, such as the one from Corn Card International, which showed a card made from 100% Nebraska corn, and it is totally biodegradable.
The shows are worth going to if they are in your area. At this point, if collecting is the sole reason for going, I would not travel too far to attend one of these. If on the other hand, you are looking to expand into the field of utility card sales or need phone time for some of your business ventures, then this is the perfect place to be.
Green, known as "the fastest man in the NFL," is serving as a celebrity spokesperson for PRIMUS, the fastest growing, facility-based worldwide telecommunications company. The team kicked off the calling card promotion early this month with interviews on eight-area radio stations.
In addition to discussing pro football in general and the Washington Redskins in particular, Green talked about the Foundation which he created in 1988 to serve Washington, D.C. youth through social services, civic and moral leadership, special events at the Darrell Green Learning Center. "PRIMUS and The Darrell Green Youth Life Foundation make a winning combination," Green told disc jockey Paul Harris during an interview on WARW-FM radio. "I have never lent my name to a marketing effort like this before, and I am very excited about doing this with PRIMUS. I found the executives at PRIMUS a supportive group who believe in and support my focus and efforts on behalf of children. Because of our mutual respect for causes such as The Darrell Green Youth Life Foundation, I feel that being associated with PRIMUS is an excellent resource for funding the Foundation."
"Our agreement with Mr. Green will benefit so many children over the next two years," said K. Paul Singh, PRIMUS chief executive officer. "We are committed to working with Darrell, and his fund-raising efforts for The Darrell Green Youth Life Foundation. It has been my pleasure to get to know Darrell off the football field and, as a company, we are proud to be associated with such a strong role model and civic-minded individual. He has made great contributions to the community over the past ten years.*
The PRIMUS Darrell Green Signature Pre-Paid Calling Card is available to consumers today for domestic or international long distance service. The PRIMUS Darrell Green Signature Card is purchased in half-hour or hour increments for $9.00 and $18.00, respectively, ten-percent of which will go directly to The Darrell Green Youth Life Foundation. The Darrell Green Signature Pre-Paid Calling Card can be purchased directly from PRIMUS by calling their Customer Care department at 1-800-877-4687.
Mintage is unknown at this time. The front of the card depicts a beautiful outdoor Winter scene. The US West logo appears in the lower left
Anchoring Ameritech's product line is the new A+ Card, an Ameritech branded prepaid phone card which offers consumers one rate on domestic calls regardless of the time of day, day of the week or destination of the call. By the end of the year, consumers will be able to purchase the A+ Card in thousands of retail stores nationwide.
In addition, Ameritech announced a unique co-branded card that doubles as a birth announcement for new parents. Together, Ameritech's A+ Card, co- branded cards and promotional cards, such as Ameritech's recent card featuring the Renoir exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago, complete one of the most robust prepaid product lines available today.
"The A+ Card is the final piece to our comprehensive prepaid phone card initiative," said Saul Hernandez, vice president of Ameritech Small Business Services. "We have a diversified product line with turnkey solutions that meet the needs of every business interested in prepaid phone cards, and the consumers who use them."
The A+ Card offers consumers a new method to budget and control phone usage. Customers don't have to itemize calls or deal with the hassles of billing. And because it offers one rate for any domestic call, consumers know exactly what they're paying per minute for long distance calls.
"We're giving consumers a convenient method to place phone calls with a card they can trust," Hernandez said. "Honest pricing. No hidden charges. And we guarantee the card will work or it will be replaced."
For retailers, the A+ Card is a low maintenance product that increases customer traffic while generating revenue. "A+ is more than just phone time," Hernandez said. "It's a turnkey solution that virtually markets itself."
Family Memories card is a great way to announce newborns
In a unique co-branded deal that could rival the age-old tradition of passing out cigars by new fathers, Ameritech and Texas-based Sportscall LLC. launched the "Family Memories" phone card, initially targeting new parents. Soon to be available in over 3,900 hospitals in all 50 states and currently available by phone, new mothers and fathers can send family and friends free phone time on a card bearing a lovable photo of their newborn.
"The Family Memories card is a great example of the creative opportunities that exist with selling or giving away phone time," Hernandez said. "Everyone can use free phone time. And what a thoughtful way to introduce your newborn to your friends and family."
The Family Memories card, which is available today by phone at 888-243-1033, can be used with any photo for any occasion: engagements, graduations, anniversaries, and more.
The Family Memories card is a new twist on the popular co-branded prepaid card, in which companies and organizations can use phone time to get their name and logo in front of consumers.
"With consumers reaching into their wallet over and over, each day, co- branded phone cards are like pocket billboards," Hernandez said. "They create mouth-watering brand awareness, day after day."
Stimulating promotional card displays Renoir work
Another creative and strategic application for phone cards is in promotions. Ameritech's latest promotional card offers a credit card-size rendition of "The Afternoon of the Children in Wargemont" -- one of the 65 portraits displayed in the "Renoir's Portraits; Impressions of an Age" exhibit, showing at the Art Institute of Chicago until Jan. 4, 1998.
To mark the special event, Ameritech, a sponsor of the exhibit, created 4,000 Renoir cards in five- and 20-minute denominations.
"Promotional cards are a unique way for businesses to say thank you to their customers," Hernandez said. "They can be tied to art exhibits, holiday promotions, seasonal sales, special events, you name it -- everyone values free phone time."
Other unique promotional cards created through Ameritech include a Halloween safety card featuring McGruff -- "the crime dog," a Macy's Mother's Day card, and more.
Organizations interested in creating their own promotional or co-branded card, or in selling the A+ Card can get more information by contacting Ameritech at 1-800-660-6035.
"Starting today, customers on the Upper West Side of New York City can purchase items in the time it takes to insert a card in a machine, without fumbling for cash or wasting time writing a check," said Terry Carter, Postal Service Assistant Treasurer, Payment Technologies, at the Treasury Management Association's eighteenth annual meeting here.
Smart cards store money in digital form in embedded computer chips. The cards are a boon to both merchants and customers because they are safer than cash, faster to process and are easier to use than checks.
"We see this as an opportunity to make it easier for customers to do business with us," said Carter. "Also, our participation in the pilot puts us at the forefront of leading edge technology. If this leads to smart cards becoming widely embraced by the public. We will be ready to offer our customers the latest in payment technology."
More than 700 merchants in Manhattan's Upper West Side, ranging from small cash-only stores, to large national chains, have signed up to accept the smart cards. Merchants are interested in smart cards because they increase security by reducing cash on hand, reduce costs associated with handling cash and checks, speed transactions, and are virtually impossible to counterfeit, thanks to encryption technology. Consumers like the cards because they offer the benefits and ease of using cash without the risk of carrying large amounts of money, or the inconvenience of handling change.
"As with cash transactions, the cards require no Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) or signatures," said Carter, whose group is coordinating the Postal Service's participation in the program. "No personal or identifying information is stored on the chips so, just as with cash, transactions are anonymous."
Two cards will be issued in the New York program: Citibank/Visa Cash cards and Chase Manhattan Bank/Mondex cards. Citibank is allowing the Visa Cash card to hold up to $500 in value, while Chase is allowing up to $200 in value on the Mondex card.
Both Citibank and Chase will issue two types of smart cards. A feature of the reloadable card integrates ATM and stored value capabilities within the same card. With this card, money can be transferred from a customer's bank account directly onto the smart card. The second type, called a stand-alone reloadable card, requires a separate ATM, debit or credit card to be used to load value on the card.
Currently, Mondex cards can be reloaded at 41 designated Chase ATMs in the area. Visa Cash cards must be taken to special kiosks located throughout the Upper West Side, including the participating post offices. A future enhancement will allow customers to load value onto either card from home using a special phone device or PCs equipped with an optional smart card reader.
The stored value cards can be used for all retail postal transactions except for C.O.D.s and passport fees. Beyond providing the ability to purchase items without cash at the post office, the cards also can be used for small purchases at news stands, fast food restaurants, dry cleaners, delicatessens, movie theaters and other establishments.
Three post offices on the Upper West Side are participating in the pilot test by accepting the stored value cards at 28 retail windows. A fourth site will be added soon. The locations are:
The new QQuick Miles 1 800 PRE-PAID(tm) Global Phone Card from Reno Air(tm) and 1 800 PRE-PAID provides low cost, quality long distance service to more than 200 countries worldwide. 1 800 PRE-PAID is the world leader in prepaid services offering airline mileage incentives. 1 800 PRE-PAID sells cards with American Airlines(R) AAdvantage(R) miles and United Airlines(R) Mileage Plus(R) miles in addition to their new program with Reno Air.
The new $50 phone card offers users 150 minutes of domestic long distance. Additionally, the $50 card carries a bonus 500 QQuick Miles award with every purchase; 250 miles with every recharge.
Announcing the launch of the QQuick Miles 1 800 PRE-PAID Global Phone Card, Douglas Fieldhouse, CEO of 1 800 PRE-PAID, said, "Prepaid is perfect for travelers and our customers are thrilled to be able to receive mileage awards from major U.S. airlines simply by purchasing a necessary service: low cost long distance."
1 800 PRE-PAID Global Phone Cards make long distance calling easier than ever and make terrific holiday gifts for students, family and friends while awarding the purchaser miles. The cost of calling is a flat rate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
For more information about the new QQuick Miles 1 800 PRE-PAID Global Phone Card or cards that award AAdvantage or Mileage Plus miles offered by 1 800 PRE-PAID, call 503/790-2500.
From: Andrew Henderson
"Early activation special! Sign up now and get a Sprint PCS $25 wireless prepaid phone card"
The card has the Sprint logo at the lower left, the wording "Sprint PCS" at the lower right, the NFL logo at the upper right, "$25" at the upper left, and appears to show a close up of the hand of a football player carrying his helmet by the facemask. Accounts must be activated by 12/21/97. The phonecard will be delivered in Sprint PCS welcome kit within approximately 14 days of activation.
From: Jim Silva
From: Brian Chanin
Free 30 min. NFL/Sprint Collector's Edition Calling Card in specially marked boxes of Hamburger Helper. Four Phone Cards: Drew Bledsoe, Dan Marino, Brett Favre, Steve Young Free phone calls expire on Oct 31, 1998 and sweepstakes ends June 30,1998.
A free game piece with complete official rules is available while supply lasts by hand printing your name, address and zip code on a plain 3" x 5" piece of paper and mailing the card to:
From: Pete Cuiry
From: The Phone Card Shopper (EMCards@aol.com)
Until Next Week,
Alan
2) Direct e-mail. Send a message to: phoneline@cardmall.com
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