Comanche7,

Thanks for the info on Mapseal. That's the product that I was thinking about at 3am this morning. Geez didn't think I'd ever remember that one.

As far as your phone card goes, keep in mind that each phone card company has its own dialing instructions for each country. And there is no single phone card that can work to and from every country. How do I know that? Because there are some countries that are considered AT&T exclusive countries, MCI exclusive countries, etc. Sounds like a monopoly I read about in school called Ma Bell. hehehe. I think I'll include this information in the original post as well.

On the topic of bartering in times of emergencies. I am of the same thinking as you on this topic. I didn't want to start preaching my ethical views in the original post, but I did want to include the information. Now that I think about it, I think I may take out any reference to my ethics since I do have that statement at the end of the post that says "Please feel free to use this information any way you see fit." I'm just trying to be objective.

As far as having this information included on the actual website. That would make my day. I've been a member of this board for a few years and I've come to appreciate it and all its members contributions. To have this information included would be an honor.

Thanks,
Wayneburg

Hello again,

I've been asked if I would provide the results of my research into phone cards.

Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with the following products and am only providing this information as an objective researcher.

Now with that out of the way here are my picks so far from a few weeks of research.

In alphabetical order:

Costco MCI 3.47 cents per minute PrePaid Phone Card
-No Experation Date
-Operator Assisted Dialing
-No First Minute Surcharge
-International Calling
-Rechargable (credit can be added to it) Can be recharged using an automated system or with a live operator.



Sam's Club AT&T 3.47 cents per minute PrePaid Phone Card.
-No Experation Date
-Voice Dialing
-No First Minute Surcharge
-International Calling
-Rechargable (credit can be added to it) Can be recharged using an automated system or with a live operator.


I'll include this info in the original post.

Thanks,
Wayneburg

Hello yet again,

I'm going to add to the tips for using phone cards
-Some phone cards have an Activity Threshold. This means that the phone card company maintains the card for a certain amount of time. If there has been no activity with the phone card for a certain amount of time the phone card will be put into an inactive state. Meaning you may have to take extra steps to have the card re-activated for use. This is something you probably don't want to deal with in an emergency situation so I would recommend using the card for at least one minute every two months or so. OR if you don't want to spend your minutes do this:
1. Dial the toll free access number
2. Dial the PIN
3. Select customer service from the automated menu
4. Have a nice conversation with the customer service representative.
This will show up as activity on the card and that conversation with the CSR is free. Please keep in mind that this works with some cards not all cards. This Activity Threashold is different for every phone card company and may be known by other names.

-Phone cards can be used to send faxes and for internet dial-up use. Ask customer service for insturctions.

I think I'll do some research for Pre Paid Cell Phone cards too. These are cards that allow you to use a Cell Phone without a dedicated cell phone carrier company. Unless someone else has already got that info.

Thanks
Wayneburg

Another item that crossed my mind after rereading this thread, is that sometime back, I received a "free phone card" that was given to me at work as a thankyou or "attaboy" recognition. I placed it in my wallet and figured that one day I'd use it, a year later, the day came, I pulled it out to use it, removed the sticker from the back of the card and suddenly found that it had expired about two months after I'd received it as a gift. I don't have any sour grapes feelings about it, but it did irritate me that the information was not plainly visible on the card. By the time it happened to me, the gift giver have been burned by several of her (the boss) own cards expiring the same way. Live and learn. Thanks to Wayneburg's research and comments on this thread (and the others referenced above, Ditchfield thanks for the link) we may not all have to reinvent the wheel.

Comanche7

I forgot to mention that nearly all of the phone cards I've researched use AT&T phone lines at some point in a telephone line connection to place some calls.

]I've experienced ocassions where I've helped someone and they ABSOUTELY insisted on [providing] some form of renumeration.[

I read once that there's an old Chinese saying that a debt to a stranger cannot be repaid to a friend - only to another stranger.

(This idea was also the basis for the movie "Pay It Forward".) I've always liked the idea, myself. If possible, tell them that your religion doesn't permit you to accept remuneration - sometimes, telling them this and asking them to donate any remuneration to charity, or to promise to help another stranger in need, will allow them to "save face".

A friend of my brother was an engineer who worked for one of the Canadian companies that fell afoul of the Helms-Burton law for doing business in Cuba. He was flown down to Cuba to help set something up and was there for several weeks. When it was time for him to return to Canada, the workers - as was their custom - insisted on throwing a huge, lavish party in his honour; despite the fact that they were desperately poor and he was a highly paid Canadian engineer, they refused to let him pay for any of the meal. He insisted that his religion demanded he pay for part of the celebration, and finally convinced them to let him pay for the roast pig - which he knew was the single most expensive item. This way, he didn't leave feeling like he'd ripped off a bunch of poor people, they didn't feel like they'd offended their guest, and everybody enjoyed the celebration.

(Hoping this doesn't start a political flame war about the rights and wrongs of Canada doing business with Cuba. <img src="images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> )

Wayneburg,

Great post and valuable information. I was just about to buy a phone card. Thanks a lot for posting.

Do you happen to know if the Sam's Club cards are the same ones they sell in regular Wal-mart stores at the checkout? Sam's Club stores are kind of thin on the ground around here, but Wal-Marts are everywhere.

Thanks again and take care,

Andy

I've said for years that my religion doesn't allow me to work, no one ever believes that.

But your idea that your religious beliefs do not allow you to accept renumeration for a good deed is one i will have to remember. I have been in the same position as Comanche where there was no way i could talk someone out of paying me after lending a helping hand. And why does it seem like the people that insist on paying are almost always the people that look like they can't afford to spare the money. Now i can use an excuse that stands a chance of working.

Thank you Aardwolfe.

I am adding to the list of phone cards I have researched

BJ's Wholesale Club MCI 2.98 cents per minute PrePaid Phone Card
-No Experation Date
-Operator Assisted Dialing
-No First Minute Surcharge
-International Calling
-Rechargable (credit can be added to it) Can be recharged using an automated system or with a live operator.

Ade,

Sorry, Sam's Clubs are the only place I've seen that carry the card I've listed. I know that Sam's Clubs and Wal-Mart are related, but as far as the phone cards go they are specific to each store.

Wayneburg