tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32112362Mon, 05 Feb 2007 21:26:56 +0000http://www.phonecarddepot.com/blog/index.htmlTavis McKenzieBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32112362.post-3731735900673316295Mon, 05 Feb 2007 19:27:00 +00002007-02-05T13:26:57.148-08:00private calling cardsare calling cards anonymousanonymous calling cardsPhonecarddepot.com ran a simple test to see if your anonymity is protected when using a prepaid phone card. The test: does the number you are calling from show up on the call display of the phone you are calling? The way calling cards work is that your local access number connects you to a server that routes your call through the carrier's lines or through the Internet to a gateway in the http://www.phonecarddepot.com/blog/2007/02/are-calling-cards-anonymous.htmlTavis McKenzietag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32112362.post-2028826389377340486Tue, 30 Jan 2007 03:00:00 +00002007-01-29T19:24:15.358-08:0020/20 calling cardgood calling card from the united statesugly soccer player20/20 plusOur previous post entitled "Is your vision 20/20" mentioned the vast differences between two calling cards: 20/20 and 20/20 Plus. That post can be summarized as follows: Good: Bad: Ugly*: *Ian Dowie, Manager of Charlton was given a 10/10 on the "ugly-o-meter" at uglyfootballers.com Callingcardreviews.org http://www.phonecarddepot.com/blog/2007/01/2020-plus-added-to-inventory.htmlTavis McKenzietag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32112362.post-1255317151764876850Fri, 26 Jan 2007 22:36:00 +00002007-01-26T16:16:48.163-08:00stored value remote memory system calling cards phone cards what is a phone cardStored-value vs. Remote Memory System Phone Cards By: Tavis McKenzie, GM. Phone Card Depot There are two types of calling cards, Stored-value Phone Cards and Remote Memory System Phone Cards. One saves the balance of your service directly onto the card via magnetic strip or chip and the other stores the value of your service in a remote database. Stored-value Calling Cards: These cards have http://www.phonecarddepot.com/blog/2007/01/types-of-calling-cards.htmlTavis McKenzietag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32112362.post-1484398004971953133Mon, 25 Dec 2006 07:06:00 +00002006-12-24T23:45:29.198-08:00buy calling card onlinepacific mallonline20/20 calling cardcall chinacalling card onlinefirst markham placeconvenience storevariety storephone cardWhat turned out as an inventory addition expedition for Phone Card Depot ended up as a "Don't Listen to the Convenience Store Guy" lesson. The moral of this story: There are more resources available for calling card purchases on-line than in-store. More resources lead to more informed buying decisions and a better calling card purchase. Today we sent one of our purchasing reps out to look http://www.phonecarddepot.com/blog/2006/12/dont-listen-to-convenience-store-guy.htmlTavis McKenzietag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32112362.post-3443818128728945081Mon, 18 Dec 2006 20:29:00 +00002006-12-18T17:31:47.694-08:00safe online shoppingsslssl certificateholiday shopping onlinespybotnodonline safetysophosgeotrustthawtehacker safeadawareverisignTips for safe online holiday shopping from Phone Card Depot Anti-virus / SpywareAvoid internet cafes/kiosksLook for seals of approvalLook for the https symbolNever provide sensitive information in an e-mailAvoid using wireless networksBeware of Pop-ups 1. Anti-virus / Spyware: Get a good anti-virus or spyware program for your computer. Phone Card Depot recommends NOD (personal) or http://www.phonecarddepot.com/blog/2006/12/tips-for-safe-online-holiday-shopping.htmlTavis McKenzietag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32112362.post-5708059008965307130Fri, 15 Dec 2006 05:03:00 +00002006-12-14T21:36:21.433-08:0020/20 calling card2020 calling cardIs your vision 20/20? ... Maybe not. On September 15, 2006, 20/20 calling card by Group of Goldline was removed from Phone Card Depot's prepaid phone card inventory after it was added only a month earlier (Phone Card Depot adds 20/20 calling card to inventory). This card was removed because of an abundance of hidden fees. Callingcardreviews.org reviews 20/20 as follows: "This card is an http://www.phonecarddepot.com/blog/2006/12/is-your-vision-2020.htmlTavis McKenzietag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32112362.post-6519185755165187148Thu, 07 Dec 2006 10:07:00 +00002006-12-07T02:39:40.232-08:00wet cell phoneLast week an article was posted about how to use prepaid phone cards to launder money, following that was an article on programming your calling card into your cellular phone. What if you program your calling card into your cell phone and then throw your cell into the laundry? I am posting this article because last year I dropped my Motorola i830 into the toilet, it zip-lined down my belt and http://www.phonecarddepot.com/blog/2006/12/how-to-save-wet-cell-phone.htmlTavis McKenzietag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32112362.post-9159268286762242268Tue, 05 Dec 2006 02:52:00 +00002006-12-04T19:11:50.446-08:00calling card money launderingI read an article recently describing how calling cards have recently been used in money laundering schemes, enabling unscrupulous characters to turn 'dirty' money into 'clean' money. Here's the article: Imagine you have 10 millions of bucks in your backpack or something alike. You’ve earned this money… well, let’s say you sold something and never reported this sale to the officials to avoid http://www.phonecarddepot.com/blog/2006/12/how-to-launder-money-with-calling-cards.htmlTavis McKenzietag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32112362.post-115706812636273774Thu, 31 Aug 2006 23:35:00 +00002006-12-04T11:37:45.883-08:00hidden feescalling card purchase mistakesMany users buy calling cards on-line and regret it. Their card may not connect or it may disconnect earlier than expected. There's nothing worse than talking to a loved one overseas and hearing, "there is one minute remaining for this call". Below are the mistakes that many purchasers make and how to avoid them. 1. Hidden fee analysis 2. Incentive programs 3. Testing the customer service http://www.phonecarddepot.com/blog/2006/08/top-5-calling-card-purchase-mistakes.htmlTavis McKenzietag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32112362.post-115484060406537112Sun, 06 Aug 2006 04:29:00 +00002006-12-04T11:34:56.187-08:00feescalling card feeshidden feesPhonecarddepot.com does not support phone card manufacturers that do not clearly outline all fees in their card disclaimers and Phone Card Depot displays all fees associated with each card. Calling card fees are not necessarily disadvantageous because cards with these fees typically have a lower per-minute rate. Surcharge: usually a percentage that is added onto the per-minute rate. i.e. The http://www.phonecarddepot.com/blog/2006/08/hidden-phone-card-fees.htmlTavis McKenzietag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32112362.post-8939422626947114095Mon, 04 Dec 2006 19:22:00 +00002006-12-04T11:31:12.545-08:00local access numbercalling card access numberThis is a local telephone number, such as 1-416-244-4444, which is used as an access number for certain prepaid phone cards. Local Access Numbers are used to reduce network costs and provide better pricing for consumers. Many of Phone Card Depot's calling cards have local access numbers. Regards, Phonecarddepot.com "The Path of Least Resistance to Long Distance" Tags: local access number, http://www.phonecarddepot.com/blog/2006/12/what-is-local-access-number.htmlTavis McKenzietag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32112362.post-5921636156969610246Sat, 02 Dec 2006 07:23:00 +00002006-12-02T00:07:47.966-08:00cellular long distancelong distance cell phoneinsert pausecell phonecalling cards for cell phonesadvanced phone book functionsPhonecard Depot Tutorial: Programming Calling Cards into Cellular Phones Result: Have your local access number and PIN entered with the push of a speed-dial button on your cellular phone. Why: Programming a calling card into your cell phone means that you do not need to fumble around for local access numbers or your PIN, which can be a time-consuming task. In order to do this, you will http://www.phonecarddepot.com/blog/2006/12/programming-calling-cards-into-cellular.htmlTavis McKenzietag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32112362.post-116495641855028199Fri, 01 Dec 2006 06:50:00 +00002006-11-30T23:00:18.553-08:00SIFA Calling Card was added to our inventory last week due to several requests from our customers. SIFA has exceptionally low rates, however its only downfall is that it has a 25cent per week maintenance fee. The weekly maintenance fee timer only begins once you activate this prepaid phone card. The card is manufactured by the same company that brings you First Choice calling card, so it is http://www.phonecarddepot.com/blog/2006/11/sifa-calling-card.htmlTavis McKenzietag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32112362.post-116495575125510851Fri, 01 Dec 2006 06:40:00 +00002006-11-30T22:49:11.270-08:00If you are a Toronto resident looking for reviews and information on various Toronto calling cards, a new site has launched to provide comparisons and rankings of this cities finest prepaid phone cards. The site was launched two weeks ago and includes many calling cards that we carry, including cici calling card, bita, jia, 20/20, First Choice and SIFA. In summary, torontocallingcards.ca ranks http://www.phonecarddepot.com/blog/2006/11/toronto-calling-card-information-site.htmlTavis McKenzietag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32112362.post-116378552879059531Fri, 17 Nov 2006 17:38:00 +00002006-11-17T09:53:44.566-08:00You may see "UK Premium Service" as a calling destination when buying a prepaid phone card. UK Premium Services are services that you dial-in to at a higher rate (i.e. your landline or mobile will be billed more for that call). A more technical definition can be found at the bottom of this post. UK Premium Services Include Customer Help Lines Fax BacksCompetitionsSports TipsterLive http://www.phonecarddepot.com/blog/2006/11/what-is-uk-premium-service.htmlTavis McKenzietag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32112362.post-116328819111878647Sat, 11 Nov 2006 23:25:00 +00002006-11-11T15:36:31.133-08:00Q: I bought 2 calling cards for the Caribbean, at my variety store and THEY DON'T WORK. What happened? Have they expired? Did the variety store that I bought them at rip me off? They are Can/Carrib cards. -Jane A: On Nov. 11., 2006, Phone Card Depot wrote: Jane, I've never heard of that card. There are several reasons why the card may not work. Here's a link to a post I made a while http://www.phonecarddepot.com/blog/2006/11/qa-my-calling-card-doesnt-work.htmlTavis McKenzietag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32112362.post-116328730550437678Sat, 11 Nov 2006 23:03:00 +00002006-11-11T15:21:45.516-08:00Calling card manufacturers are typically anonymous businesses that create products that can be sold now and used later. So many of them go out of business because they have sold their inventory and and they now want to avoid the carrier rates that they will be charged once consumers start to use their card. ===== potential transcript from an illegal calling card operation Shady Supplier/Brokerhttp://www.phonecarddepot.com/blog/2006/11/why-do-calling-card-companies-go-out.htmlTavis McKenzietag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32112362.post-116105061342420560Tue, 17 Oct 2006 01:30:00 +00002006-10-16T19:15:53.550-07:00Today Phonecarddepot added First Choice calling card to our inventory. First Choice is one of the cleanest calling cards in the industry, boasting no connection or maintenance fees. We expect this prepaid calling card to be one of our best sellers in the future. First Choice Calling Card Tavis McKenzie GM, Phone Card Depot http://www.phonecarddepot.com/blog Tags: first choice calling card, http://www.phonecarddepot.com/blog/2006/10/first-choice-calling-card-added.htmlTavis McKenzietag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32112362.post-116019198111713162Sat, 07 Oct 2006 03:19:00 +00002006-10-06T23:45:34.390-07:00A major upgrade is being performed on Phone Card Depot this week to ensure that transactions remain safe and secure. Since we are committed to providing our customers with instant access to prepaid calling cards, it was tough to decide to take the site offline for 7 days. In return for the inconvenience, Phone Card Depot is offering customers a completely free calling card worth $5 if they http://www.phonecarddepot.com/blog/2006/10/free-calling-card-while-phone-card.htmlTavis McKenzietag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32112362.post-115749260423555489Tue, 05 Sep 2006 21:24:00 +00002006-09-05T21:13:00.070-07:00 Feature: Finding the perfect calling card in Toronto. Tags: toronto, toronto calling card Many of our Canadian customers are from Toronto, Ontario, Canada; most of these customers buy the 2020 Calling Card from our site. I wouldn't suggest 2020 for Toronto residents--really, this card has extremely high fees. The best Toronto Calling Card that we carry is "CiCi". Hands down, CiCi may nothttp://www.phonecarddepot.com/blog/2006/09/perfect-toronto-calling-card.htmlTavis McKenzietag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32112362.post-115751521362177694Wed, 06 Sep 2006 03:46:00 +00002006-09-05T21:02:15.530-07:00 Hey, it's not all-calling-cards-all-the-time. Today we made a friend named YYZTech. YYZTech is a news site that focuses on the Greater Toronto Area, they've got forums, and event listings, but our favourite is their reviews of internet cafes in Toronto. We thought they would be a good friend, because many budget conscous people use internet cafes and phone cards, perhaps at the same time. http://www.phonecarddepot.com/blog/2006/09/yyz-tech-friend-of-phone-card-depot.htmlTavis McKenzietag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32112362.post-115751330932004134Wed, 06 Sep 2006 02:47:00 +00002006-09-05T20:28:29.336-07:00 If you've avoided the Top 5 Calling Card Purchase Mistakes and your calling card still does not work, here is what you do: Call the customer service number (oops, this should work; see link above),Contact the retailer (where you bought the card)Ask the retailer who the card issuer is. Look up the issuer's head office number on-line or in the phone book, call it.If these options do not work,http://www.phonecarddepot.com/blog/2006/09/prepaid-phone-card-doesnt-work-steps.htmlTavis McKenzietag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32112362.post-115482932902614597Sun, 06 Aug 2006 01:32:00 +00002006-09-05T11:28:11.560-07:00Phonecarddepot.com starts a blog: We have started this blog to give consumers an insight into the operations and management of Phonecarddepot.com (PCD). We want to be available to our customers both on, and off-line. Why Phone Cards? Phone Card Depot was launched in May, 2006 to sell phone cards on-line. We loved that traditional calling cards had become instant deliverables, instant http://www.phonecarddepot.com/blog/2006/08/phone-card-depot-starts-blog.htmlTavis McKenzietag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32112362.post-115516736617145282Wed, 09 Aug 2006 23:27:00 +00002006-09-05T11:26:36.880-07:00 Why are the overseas calling cards that consumers see at most on-line retailers not available at any other online location or in-store. This is because many of these on-line calling card merchants have created private label calling cards. Do you ever notice that when you call your local access number for a calling card, the automated message prompts “please enter your pin”, rather than http://www.phonecarddepot.com/blog/2006/08/private-label-vs-brand-name-calling.htmlTavis McKenzietag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32112362.post-115522159414327124Thu, 10 Aug 2006 14:44:00 +00002006-09-05T11:25:44.480-07:00I am currently travelling in Mt. Tremblant, Quebec, sampling the raclette and the calling cards. After stopping into the local BoniChoix I bought two $5 calling cards from the local variety store. I always test each calling card prior to adding it to our inventory, so I decided to purchase a Connexion International calling card and VOX America calling card. The calling card read: “Services http://www.phonecarddepot.com/blog/2006/08/phone-card-testing-connexion.htmlTavis McKenzie