Calling Destinations for US Phone Cards
January 25, 2008
While not the most up to date information (the numbers are from 2004), the following data still remains fairly indicative of the current market:
Breakdown by Continent:
- North and Central America = 30% (this has no doubt decreased since 04)
- South America = 19% (this has no doubt increased since 04)
- Western Europe = 13%
- Asia = 10%
- Eastern Europe = 7%
- Caribbean = 6%
- Africa = 6%
- Other = 9%
Some calling cards defraud, according to study
January 22, 2008
A recent study made by the Hispanic Institute, based in Washington, D.C., revealed that when buying certain prepaid phone cards, you might not be getting what was advertised.
The study included 45 calling cards. Each card was tested for one call each to Mexico and Guatemala. Around 30% of the 45 cards tested delivered the full call-time promised. 7 of the 45 cards (15.6%) tested didn’t work at all while 8 of the cards tested had call completion rates of 50% or less. The 3 cards left provided less than 20% of the minutes promised.
Carla Ramos, co-owner of Garibaldi Latino Market, said she tries to steer customers to cards that are recommended by other customers. She said some cards will work better in calling particular countries or states within the United States.
“Some of the cards with try to defraud people but not all companies,” she said.
Free Global Conference Calling to Facebook Users
January 18, 2008
The focus on telecommunications in 2008 is now put on the wireless industry, while faster pipes enable wireless broadband networks deliver voice, multimedia, and data applications to a wider range of businesses and consumers.
Rebtel, is the telecommunications company that introduced Group Talk — a new Facebook application that lets users set up free conference calls that can included both Facebook and non-Facebook users in 40 countries around the world.
“Do something fun, celebrate a friend’s birthday together, plan an event, or use Group Talk to schedule a free one-on-one call with someone special living abroad,” said Hjalmar Winbladh, Rebtel’s co-founder and CEO.
Setting up a Group Talk call can be done in less than a minute. The person who sets up the call enters their Facebook friends’ names, clicks Add, and can then make the call private — just for the people invited — or public, which makes the call open to any of their friends who want to join.
To include people who are not Facebook users the person setting up the call enters participants’ names, mobile phone numbers or landline numbers and their email addresses, and clicks Add.
