Phone Cards Blog

Propelled by the “seeing is believing” phenomena video phone calling is continuing to increase in popularity and usage.  It’s growing adoption, however, is not being driven by traditional consumer calling (as one would think), but by niche applications.

A perfect example is recent news that VoIP, Video and IP Surveillance equipment manufacturer Grandstream Networks has teamed with NextIX Systems and Abot Tanaw to provide millions of Overseas Filipino Workers free video phone calling to their family living in the Philippines.

They’re doing it by deploying hundreds of Grandstream GXV3000’s located at six different malls in Philippines and a video call center in Hong Kong (with plans already set for sites in Philippines). Not exactly what you’d call traditional consumer video calling.

But these day’s it’s niche applications like this that are sprouting up everywhere you look.

Of course perennial front runners Polycom and Cisco are both shaping and growing the overall market, but even their video conferencing solutions often used in niche applications. Especially in the health care sector.

However it’s innovative video phone calling players like Skype and ooVoo that seem to be doing the most to foster new and exciting ways to use video phone technology. Introducing the technology to millions of new faces, in thousands of different ways.

Traditional consumer video phone calling services are not going to die, but video calling over an IP network is a flexible, portable, customizable application. As more standardization and interop happens within the idustry, it’s inevitable that even more niche applications for video phone calling will arise.

Via: http://www.smithonvoip.com

Yesterday South Africa’s second national operator (SNO) Neotel launched its first consumer product; dubbed NeoConnect Prime. The new service includes a wireless desk phone and is bundled with voice calls, text messaging, an e-mail account and high speed internet with connectivity speeds of up to 2.4Mbps (although average speeds are between 300kbps and 700kbps). The company is offering five different packages ranging from an entry level offering of 2.5GB data service priced at ZAR399 (USD51.84) a month, up to an unlimited internet access offering at ZAR999 a month.

The new packages will compete head on with similar products being offered by cellular operators, such as mobile internet connect cards. The SNO’s services are currently accessible in selected areas of Johannesburg and Pretoria, and will soon be expanded to cover Cape Town and Durban, with further rollouts at Port Elizabeth, East London, Bloemfontein and Kimberley in the offing. Neotel Managing Director Ajay Pandey said the company was aiming for 50,000 to 60,000 customers for NeoConnect Prime over the next six to nine months.

State and federal officials are cracking down on prepaid calling cards that promise more minutes than they deliver to immigrants, soldiers in Iraq and other frustrated phone-card users.
Recent investigations, lawsuits and legislation focus on what officials say are deceptive advertising and unfair business practices by some calling-card companies. They accuse the companies of cheating card buyers of minutes purchased or charging poorly disclosed fees — such as 99 cents to use a pay phone — that reduce the balance on the card.

A study last year by the Hispanic Institute, which researches issues important to Hispanics, found that on average, prepaid calling cards deliver 60% of the minutes they advertise.
The cards are big business. The Federal Trade Commission estimates that annually the industry sells $4 billion in calling cards.

“This is particularly acute in minority communities, because many people are poor, don’t have cellphones, rely on this and get cheated. They’re victimized,” says Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y.

Engel, who says he was shortchanged when he bought a calling card last year, has proposed a federal law that would require companies to prominently display the terms of their cards.

“We would really like these companies to deliver the minutes they’re promising,” says Gus West, president of the Hispanic Institute. “The low-wage users of these cards often don’t have other options.”

Last month, the FTC filed a lawsuit against Clifton Telecard Alliance, a national distributor of prepaid calling cards sold under names such as “African Dream” and “CTA Mexico.” The company made more than $28 million selling cards in the last quarter of 2007, primarily to immigrants who want to call friends and family abroad, according to court documents.

The commission tested 46 of CTA’s cards, says Lisa Hone, assistant director of the FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection. Three did not work, she says, and the rest delivered between 8% and 76% of the advertised minutes. In some cases, consumers who got a busy signal had minutes deducted, she says.

A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order April 2 forcing the company to provide the number of minutes it advertises and clearly disclose all fees. The FTC is seeking a permanent order.

CTA did not reply to five phone messages left and one e-mail sent this week.

Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum has subpoenaed 10 companies that sell or distribute prepaid calling cards. He is focusing on companies marketing to people who don’t speak English. In some cases, he alleges, disclosures about costs and fees are printed only in English, even though the cards and advertisements are in Spanish.

California Attorney General Jerry Brown’s office also is investigating calling-card companies, according to supervising deputy attorney general Margaret Reiter. “We are very concerned that what’s being represented to the public is not being delivered,” she says.

Last year, calling-card company Devine Communications settled with the state and was fined $118,000. It agreed not to mislead customers about the number of minutes on its cards.

A New Jersey law that takes effect Aug. 1 will require prepaid calling-card companies to register with the state and “conspicuously” disclose surcharges, fees and taxes on the cards and packaging. Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman, a Democrat, says she sponsored the measure after learning that U.S. soldiers stationed in Iraq received donated phone cards that didn’t deliver the advertised talk time.

“Here we were sending cards to the troops,” she says, “having expectations of their having a certain number of minutes to talk to family and loved ones back home, and they were getting a fraction of that.”

Via: USA Today

An important part of successful wireless cost-control is understanding the exact components that make up your monthly wireless bill. Admittedly, analyzing a wireless bill can be about as much fun as completing a tax return or watching paint dry. Routine analysis and auditing of wireless bills will help reduce overall telecom costs if you know what to look for – and if you know what actions to take in the case of billing errors.

It is important to understand that all of your wireless activities (i.e. making calls, receiving calls, text messaging, directory assistance, etc.) are meticulously tracked by telecommunications carriers’ large computer databases.
At the appropriate time of the month, your recent cell phone activity is collected from the carrier’s database by management software. The billing information for each component of the bill is then combined together to form your current wireless statement. Because these systems churn out hundreds of millions of wireless bills every month, it is easy to see why wireless bills are rarely “error-free.”

Wireless carriers do not produce CSRs (customer service records) the way local phone companies do. The key to understanding exactly what is contained on your wireless billing statement is the account summary page. The following will give you a step-by-step explanation of the components that go into making up the typical wireless phone bill.

1) Number/Name and Plan

The area of the bill that contains the name and number of the account holder and the specific plan the phone is contracted. The number of minutes the plan offers is often contained within this column as well. Phones that are added to the account and/or are part of a “pooled minute plan” are listed as “add-a-phone” or a similar term.

1) Monthly Recurring Access Charges

This section states the monthly fee for the phone that is under contract. This is the typical “recurring” fee that does not change from month to month. Calling plans can vary tremendously and change constantly in the marketplace but this number should stay consistent unless you specifically migrated to another plan the previous month. Additional phones added to a “pooled” plan are usually in the $10-20 per month range. This number usually reflects factored in discounts and/or service adjustments. (see next)

2) Service Discount/Adjustments

Service discounts and/or adjustments reflects the percentage that is “discounted” based on the wireless contract already in place. Always be certain that the percentage negotiated is correct. More importantly, be sure that the discount is properly applied to the monthly access charges. The amount of this discount can vary widely from contract to contract.

3) Cellular Minutes/Charges

This column lists the exact number of minutes used during the billing period, rounded up the nearest minute. Remember that wireless companies count incoming and outgoing calls as part of a wireless plan. The key here is to compare your typical usage during a 3 month period with the number of minutes that plan contains. Most wireless companies now allow plan adjustments (up or down), but be aware that making any adjustments usually means locking in for another year with that carrier. Under and over usage of minutes should be adjusted appropriately to maximize cost-savings.

4) LD/Other Charges/Credits

This column can include charges such as long distance calling, taxes and credits. This information will vary depending on the wireless carrier. For example, Verizon bills will include taxes on services and airtime, while Sprint does not. Long distance charges are generally not an issue since virtually all carriers include domestic long distance calling as standard on most calling plans.

5) Directory Assistance Charges

Directory assistance charges (sometimes called “related call charges”) are listed in this column. Dialing 411 for directory assistance is one cell phone expense that can easily be eliminated. There are many free 411 services available now in the marketplace that retrieve information from the same databases used by the big carriers.
For more information on using free 411 services, refer to this article: How to Get Wireless Directory Assistance Calls for Free

6) Equipment Charges

This column contains charges for handsets and other related equpment ordered for the previous month. In the corporate environment, wireless handsets come and go frequently. Oftentimes employees order phones on their own, only to expense them at the end of the month. The best way to control these types of charges is to insist that all equipment charges are handled by the corporate office. This is the only way to accurately track inventory of equipment as well. For more specific information, refer to this article and video: 6 Proven Strategies for Controlling Wireless Expenses

7) Direct Connect Services

Carriers (Nextel and Sprint) who offer direct-connect services to and from other subscribers will put those charges in this column. Since direct-connect is usually included in business plans, the use of this feature is the same as every other call. If charges occur in this column, make adjustments to your plan accordingly.

Text Messaging Charges

The amount of text messages made in the previous and their total charges are found in this column. The popularity and wide spread use of text messaging by wireless subscribers has created a “cash cow” for the wireless industry. Text messaging is probably the most expensive activity you will engage in with your wireless phone. At 10-20 cents per message, these charges can really add up fast. There are plans available that allot a certain (even unlimited) amount of messages per month. If you engage in any amount of “texting”, consider a plan that offers a small amount, then discipline yourself to stick with it.

9) Roaming Charges

Just a few years ago, roaming charges were feared by consumers. Making calls from outside your calling area could make bill go through the roof in no time at all. These days roaming charges are not an issue as they have been in the past. Wireless networks are now much more robust. Unless you are subscribed to an economy plan, you should not experience excessive roaming charges when making calls from outside your calling area. If you travel often, be sure to check your wireless bill for any charges that might appear here and make a note of the location(s) from which they originated.

10) Data and 3rd Party Services Charges

As wireless technology evolves, so do the columns that contain billing charges. Since a majority of wireless phones today have internet capabilities, data transfer and internet usage charges are now a billing issue that requires diligent monitoring. The best advice here is to make certain the plan chosen will accomodate the internet usage that will be used. Data transfer is recorded in kilobytes and is rounded up the the nearest kilobyte for billing purposes. Data sent and received usually includes, but is not limited to downloads, email, overhead and software update checks.

11) Taxes and Surcharges

A wireless bill would not be complete without excessive local, state and federal taxes and carrier surcharges. Keep in mind that some bills will separate these charges into specific columns. There is not much you can do to eliminate these annoying charges other than complain to your state and/or local government representatives about the escalating taxes placed on wireless bills. Here is a list of the top 10 states for wireless taxes

Wireless usage is the fastest growing segment of the telecommunications industry. As cell phones become more feature rich, the probability of errors only increases. The time spent becoming familiar with usage patterns and billing will pay off in the long run.

The Asia Domain Name Registration Limited report that : eBay’s Skype Internet phone sector has announced the first overseas long-distance telephone call when the package is not limited programme.

In charge of Skype North America’s vice president and general manager, Albert said that the new package will allow users no time limit applies to the 34 countries of the fixed telephone call per month for a 9.95 U.S. dollars.

Usable in most countries, including European, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, China, Singapore, China Taiwan, Japan, Korea and Malaysia. Packages also include domestic fixed-line and mobile phone call, you can also call Canada, China, Hong Kong and Singapore, the mobile phone in these areas, but can not dial the phone in other countries.

Skype has been in the United States and Canada to the user sales of the three U.S. dollars per month for unlimited calling package, the company will also sell 5.95 U.S. dollars per month for the new package allows users free calls to Mexico City, Guadalajara And Monterrey, Mexico, and also provides other parts of the call preferential measures.

Skype usually installed on a computer applications, and with a microphone, speakers or wearing headphones. However, users can choose a telephone call the local number, or to connect to the Skype service under the international number, users only pay for local telephone access fees or phone calls.

Via: link

America’s leading wireless carrier, AT&T Inc., has introduced a new mobile phone
plan designed specifically for small businesses.

Similar to the company’s FamilyTalk service, which allows two or more family
members to share wireless airtime, the new “BusinessTalk” plan lets as many as
40 small business employees draw from a single pool of Anytime Minutes.

The new service stats at $60 per month for five employees to share 700 minutes
of airtime, and can be scaled to support up to 40 users sharing 20,000 minutes.
It will be targeted towards small business owners seeking to reduce overall
communications costs and simplify billion, according to the president of AT&T’s

small business wireless division, Kent Mathy.AT&T officials say that some small companies could save almost 20% on their monthly wireless bills by switching to BusinessTalk from a standard voice pool
plan.

Via: http://www.teleclick.ca/2008/04/attlaunchesbusinesstalkpooledwirelessplan/

Telecom is hoping it can retain its mobile customers travelling to Australia, once the network they use there is closed down.

The Australian Government said it would let Telstra close its old CDMA mobile phone network from April 28.Unlike Vodafone mobiles, standard Telecom mobiles are not compatible with other existing mobile networks in Australia.In January, the Australian Government gave Telecom a three-monthreprieve when it forced Telstra to postpone the network’s closure.The shutdown will prevent Telecom pre-paid customers with CDMA-only phones from using their phones in Australia.On-account customers who do not already have a WorldMode phone
capable of connecting with both Telecom’s existing CDMA network and
second generation networks, will need to upgrade their phones or borrow

WorldMode phones from Telecom if they go to Australia.Telecom said it had been running a customer communications campaign since last year, focusing on customers who have roamed in the past two years, and offering special phone upgrade deals.Spokeswoman Katherine Murphy said the most regular roamers have been offered free WorldMode phones. Telecom has kiosks at Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch airports where its customers can buy or borrow a WorldMode phone.As a last resort, customers who arrive in Australia without a WorldMode phone can buy a phone from network operator Optus, on which
they can use their Telecom number.

Telecom is building a new $300 million WCDMA network, which will be
compatible with Australia’s networks. It is expected to be operating in
November.

Telecom acting chief executive of retail Simon Moutter told analysts
at a briefing last week that he expected that the company’s contingency
plans and its range of four WorldMode devices would help the company
“ride out the period where we have a poor roaming proposition to
Australia”.

Chief executive Paul Reynolds has described his inherited CDMA network as a dead end for the company.

At the analysts’ briefing, he said: “We’ve got to get out of this CDMA cul-de-sac.”

The new network would allow the company to offer new services and devices.

“And, finally, our ability to address the really lucrative
international roaming revenues which Telecom New Zealand is currently
virtually out of.”

Via:http://www.stuff.co.nz/4483376a13.html