the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) may have just effectively eliminated the final “gray” regulatory areas commonly used by prepaid providers who offer “enhanced” cards; menu-driven phone cards; use Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) to transport prepaid phone card traffic; or use IP or local access numbers to hinder, or avoid, carrier reconciliation of access charges for VoIP calls from prepaid cards. In its Report and Order on Docket WC 05-68, The Regulation of Prepaid phone card Services, the FCC squarely tackled all above issues as related to prepaid phone cards that utilize IP transport connection with their services, or that utilize other information service offerings in their phone cards to “bend” their regulatory definition from voice telephony services to information services.
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2006 Prepaid Calling Card Compliance Rules

Retail drives prepaid. And consumers drive the type and range of prepaid products available at the retail level. Today’s prepaid retail offerings run the gamut from traditional J-hook phone cards to electronically dispensed gift and debit cards and wireless products. According to experts, success in prepaid now lies not only in providing all the products consumers want to buy but also in making them available in the way they want to buy them – electronically or off-the-shelf. The industry has recognized this consumer trend and is working closely with retailers to help them profit from it. Continue Reading »
Prepaid Retail Industry

You’ve decided to get into prepaid, but what do you do first? Should you buy your own prepaid calling card switching platform or partition services on someone else’s prepaid switching platform? Perhaps you don’t want to mess with any kind of switch, preferring to sell cards as a distributor for a company that handles the backroom while you concentrate on marketing. What are the costs, benefits and drawbacks associated with these choices? Following is a guide that addresses factors to consider when answering these questions. Continue Reading »
Tips on buying prepaid switching equipment

TelePlus Group Inc., a subsidiary of Texxon Inc., on Monday announced it has signed with vending machine manufacturer U-Select-It (USI) Corp. and vending software developer VendNovation to develop new telecommunications product/service distribution platforms for the travel market.

The agreements allow TelePlus to provide vending machines and kiosks that contain its proprietary product/service at destination points like airports, malls and hotels. Its Vocalyz product is a telephone service that bundles international long-distance with proprietary, in-language services for international travelers. The product provides travelers and tourists with a 24/7 live private assistant who functions as a translator, concierge or emergency dispatch in their native language; the service is available for more than 120 languages. Continue Reading »
TelePlus Launches Cell Distribution Using VendNovation, USI Technology

Summer might be over, but the prepaid industry continues to heat up, as providers look for new ways to fuel revenues in the face of slimming margins. To this end, seasoned prepaid veteran Scott Matthews, president of Orlando-based IGE Inc. (International Gateway Exchange), is utilizing his experience in the phone card industry to launch two stored value products.