Phonecards On-Line© is Published by Alan Cohen

January 3, 2010

Issue #205

Current Circulation: 0

Life is really good. I've got three kids now. Two of my kids were born and documented in POL (Aaron will be 13, and Abby is almost 10) - Aaron even had a phonecard created to announce his birth. My 3rd child, almost 4, is Alissa - no newsletter or phonecard for her, but I think she will be fine. I am still in Oregon, and am here for the long haul. 20 years from now I expect to be in Oregon. After moving a lot in the 90's, it is nice to be settled!

I still am running DealerMalls.com, but it is a lot smaller than it was in the 90's. I still have a phonecard dealer still in business - KARS Unlimited. I am sure Steve Eyer would still be with me but he passed away a few years ago now. Steve never lost enthusiasm for the hobby, I miss talking to Steve.

My main business is still online, but online sales of movies, music and other items. It keeps me busy and I enjoy it.

As far as phonecards go, the past seven years have seen almost no change, and as I thought back in 2002, I didn't see much of a future for phonecards in the US. That sentiment still holds. Who could have imagined how far cel phones have advanced this past decade. I just got a Motorola Droid, that thing is really amazing. I think it can tie my shoes, I just have to figure out how to get that app. Who would use a phonecard, we don't even dial phone numbers anymore - it all is programmed into our cel phones!

There really hasn't been much of a domestic market either. I occasionally scan the old newsgroups, but there is very little activity. It's kind of fun to read the history when things were very active. I even recently found my Moneycard Collector catalog, that really was fun to read through again. I sold a few phonecards on ebay a couple of years ago, I think they sold for $1 each (they were common cards, Gillette was one of them) - oh, I no longer have the razors, I gave them away several years ago. Except for those few cards I sold, I think I have every other card I owned in 2002. I never did another phonecard auction - there simply wouldn't be the interest. I am not really interested in giving away my inventory and collection for nothing, I have the space so it sits in a closet where I expect it to be 10 years from now if I am able to write another follow-up.

I wish I had done a better job of keeping up with phonecard hobby friends, but I know people get busy. If anyone wants to find me on facebook, I am at:

http://www.facebook.com/alanhcohen

Anyway, I will keep this brief, as I said, I am unsure if anyone will read this. I do get very occasional email from people with questions, but very occasional! I will try not to let 7+ years pass before another update. I think even if I ever shut down my DealerMalls business I will still host a site that has the archive there. As I said in 2002, when I go back and read POL, I am reading a history of my life! With kind regards,
Alan

Alan Cohen

Publisher, Phonecards OnLine.