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    soewin's Avatar
    soewin Posts: 4, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Mar 10, 2007, 03:56 AM
    How to start a calling card / phone card business?
    I would like to start a calling card / phone card business with little capital. If anybody knows how to do this please advise me. Any advice welcome.
    Lowtax4eva's Avatar
    Lowtax4eva Posts: 2,467, Reputation: 190
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    #2

    Mar 10, 2007, 08:39 AM
    This has been asked a few times, I can't find the old threads though so I will reply. First, contact a major phone carrier and explain what you want to do, you need to buy a block of airtime (like several thousand minutes) at once so if you have limited funds to start it that's a problem.

    Next you need to get a toll free number for people to call, and have someone program a computer system to handle the calls, verify the PIN numbers on the card and keep track of how many minutes each card has.

    Finally, print the cards... and printing company could handle this. Your major problem with limited funds is getting the minutes from the phone company.
    Fr_Chuck's Avatar
    Fr_Chuck Posts: 81,301, Reputation: 7692
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    #3

    Mar 10, 2007, 09:07 AM
    The limited funds will be a difference, in most cases you will have to buy large blocks of time from a major carrier. This takes money, next you will have to build and make cards.

    And if you don't sell the cards within a time frame, they expire and you lose your investment.

    Also you do realise most people don't use them as much any longer.
    I would truly investigate the business and its return on investment before I got into this
    soewin's Avatar
    soewin Posts: 4, Reputation: 1
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    #4

    Mar 11, 2007, 05:17 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by Fr_Chuck
    The limited funds will be a difference, in most cases you will have to buy large blocks of time from a major carrier. This takes money, next you will have to build and make cards.

    And if you don't sell the cards within a time frame, they expire and you lose your investment.

    Also you do realise most people don't use them as much any longer.
    I would truly investigate the business and its return on investment before I got into this
    I found that there are many affiliate programs and wholesalers. If I start business with them is it profitabale without throwing in too much money? I interested in online virtual phone cards which is only the PIN numbers so the cards do not need to be printed.
    Fr_Chuck's Avatar
    Fr_Chuck Posts: 81,301, Reputation: 7692
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    #5

    Mar 11, 2007, 07:13 AM
    That sounds interesting,

    I am all for people going into business for thierself, but only want them to understand all the risk.

    Any business can be good if you work hard and right. If you do decide to get into it, come back ( good or bad) and let us know how it went.

    Starting your own business is the American dream, the going into the business wilderness as the early pioneer and cutting your part of the terrortory with hard work.

    I am just starting my own business right now myself, and believe everyone should follow that dream
    soewin's Avatar
    soewin Posts: 4, Reputation: 1
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    #6

    Mar 13, 2007, 02:54 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by Lowtax4eva
    This has been asked a few times, i can't find the old threads though so i will reply. First, contact a major phone carrier and explain what you want to do, you need to buy a block of airtime (like several thousand minutes) at once so if you have limited funds to start it thats a problem.

    Next you need to get a toll free number for people to call, and have someone program a computer system to handle the calls, verify the PIN numbers on the card and keep track of how many minutes each card has.

    Finally, print the cards... and printing company could handle this. Your major problem with limited funds is getting the minutes from the phone company.
    I am looking for advice on how to start and what to do. But it seems nobody knows the phone card business and its nature. What Lowtax4eva's way is the most fundamental and most profitabale but higher capital and risk. I can not afford that much money but want to do as retailer or affiliate. Any idea?
    SMARTbiz's Avatar
    SMARTbiz Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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    #7

    Oct 13, 2008, 06:17 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by ipsmarx View Post
    It's not that hard to start your own calling card business.

    If you want to start a company of your own, approach a VOIP solution provider who can give you a complete package with software, hardware, directions for getting your cards printed, on how to start your own website as well as leasing options.

    We help clients on day to day basis. The entrepreneurs we have helped come from various industries, with or without any technical knowledge. The starting investment is also not that high.

    Let me know if you need more information.
    Do you know any of those VOIP solution providers, I tried to Google but didn't get anything interesting.
    Genextex's Avatar
    Genextex Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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    #8

    Jan 2, 2009, 09:57 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by ipsmarx View Post
    It's not that hard to start your own calling card business.

    If you want to start a company of your own, approach a VOIP solution provider who can give you a complete package with software, hardware, directions for getting your cards printed, on how to start your own website as well as leasing options.

    We help clients on day to day basis. The entrepreneurs we have helped come from various industries, with or without any technical knowledge. The starting investment is also not that high.

    Let me know if you need more information.
    How can I contact you? I would like to start my own calling card business for South East Asia. Please let me what is the startup capital?
    rim2008's Avatar
    rim2008 Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
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    #9

    Feb 17, 2009, 10:32 PM

    I can help you out with the setup at minimal cost for you;
    kabbir40's Avatar
    kabbir40 Posts: 14, Reputation: 1
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    #10

    Apr 28, 2009, 10:46 AM
    Do you buy the airtime the same rate for everywhere?

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    If I buy I block of airtime is it going to be the same rate for all the different countries. Like for us its like few cents and for cuba its almost a dollar for min. if I buy a block of airtime like 5000 min my choice for how much is it my choice for how much I want the rates for countries to be. If you now what I mean.
    Lowtax4eva's Avatar
    Lowtax4eva Posts: 2,467, Reputation: 190
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    #11

    Apr 30, 2009, 01:13 PM

    I think you just buy a block of minutes at a certain rate that would be applicable to most countries... when your ready to buy just ask the phone company if these minutes can be used to call anywhere.

    This thread is 2 years old and prices for internet phone service keep going down, you may want to consider that the market for long distance calling cards is probably not what it used to be.

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