Calling Cards
Calling cards are basically credit cards used exclusively for telephone communications. By utilizing them, callers are able to make phone calls away from their homes or offices without needing change for payphones or having to use sometimes expensive cellular phones.
Calling cards can be paid for either through monthly bills or by the use of prepaid cards which deduct the cost of calls made from a standing (and usually rechargeable) balance.
Calling cards are an extremely convenient way to manage personal phone use and to make calls while traveling.
History
Calling cards were invented in the mid-1970's and made their market debut in Italy (where they were introduced to help mitigate both rampant payphone vandalism and a severe shortage of coins).
The technology, relying on a magnetic strip on the back of the card which could be read by specially equipped phones, spread quickly around the world landing in America in a big way in 1987.
In 1990, the US's first non-magnetic calling card debuted using a personal identification number (PIN) and a toll-free “800” number that allowed callers to place their calls from almost any telephone.
The growth of calling card usage around the world has continued to increase exponentially.
Uses and Costs
Prepaid calling cards very often have some of the lowest rates available for both domestic and international calls. They have the added advantages of being able to be utilized with almost any touch-tone phone and they carry no long-term commitments or contracts. The “pay as you go” system makes managing costs effortless.
The toll-free numbers through which you place calls also make it easy to keep track of your card's remaining time and, in most cases, easy to add more time (most often with a credit card) to your card when your minutes are running low.
Calling “cards” don't even necessarily have to have a tangible card involved. Instead, a caller is merely provided with an “800” number and a PIN as all they need in order to make calls.
Calling cards are available in countless locations. They are available directly from major telecommunications companies as well as in vending machines, in discount and department stores, and in supermarkets and even small convenience stores. They're even sold as fund raisers for charitable and other types of organizations.
The cost of the cards, and the per-minute cost for making calls with them, varies greatly depending on where you buy them and what you plan on using them for (domestic and/or international calls). Hidden fees, surcharges, and “round ups” could decrease the economy of using calling cards but a little careful comparison shopping makes that an easily avoided pitfall.
As the cards can be imprinted with almost any image or logo, there are untold variations in appearance possible. There is, in fact, a fast growing hobby centered around collecting unique calling cards like one might collect comic books or baseball cards.
Calling cards are basically credit cards used exclusively for telephone communications. By utilizing them, callers are able to make phone calls away from their homes or offices without needing change for payphones or having to use sometimes expensive cellular phones.
Calling cards can be paid for either through monthly bills or by the use of prepaid cards which deduct the cost of calls made from a standing (and usually rechargeable) balance.
Calling cards are an extremely convenient way to manage personal phone use and to make calls while traveling.
History
Calling cards were invented in the mid-1970's and made their market debut in Italy (where they were introduced to help mitigate both rampant payphone vandalism and a severe shortage of coins).
The technology, relying on a magnetic strip on the back of the card which could be read by specially equipped phones, spread quickly around the world landing in America in a big way in 1987.
In 1990, the US's first non-magnetic calling card debuted using a personal identification number (PIN) and a toll-free “800” number that allowed callers to place their calls from almost any telephone.
The growth of calling card usage around the world has continued to increase exponentially.
Uses and Costs
Prepaid calling cards very often have some of the lowest rates available for both domestic and international calls. They have the added advantages of being able to be utilized with almost any touch-tone phone and they carry no long-term commitments or contracts. The “pay as you go” system makes managing costs effortless.
The toll-free numbers through which you place calls also make it easy to keep track of your card's remaining time and, in most cases, easy to add more time (most often with a credit card) to your card when your minutes are running low.
Calling “cards” don't even necessarily have to have a tangible card involved. Instead, a caller is merely provided with an “800” number and a PIN as all they need in order to make calls.
Calling cards are available in countless locations. They are available directly from major telecommunications companies as well as in vending machines, in discount and department stores, and in supermarkets and even small convenience stores. They're even sold as fund raisers for charitable and other types of organizations.
The cost of the cards, and the per-minute cost for making calls with them, varies greatly depending on where you buy them and what you plan on using them for (domestic and/or international calls). Hidden fees, surcharges, and “round ups” could decrease the economy of using calling cards but a little careful comparison shopping makes that an easily avoided pitfall.
As the cards can be imprinted with almost any image or logo, there are untold variations in appearance possible. There is, in fact, a fast growing hobby centered around collecting unique calling cards like one might collect comic books or baseball cards.