The Prepaid Press - March 2009 - (Page 10)

PREPAID TELECOM March 15 · 2009 - 10 TracFone Launches SafeLink Wireless in NY To Aid 1.5 Million Low-Income Households NEW YORK, NY (February 10, 2009) TracFone Wireless, Inc., a prepaid cell phone provider, has launched SafeLink Wireless in New York. SafeLink Wireless will serve as the company’s distribution of Lifeline - a U.S. government supported program for income eligible households that ensures telephone service is available and affordable for eligible low-income households. The SafeLink Wireless service will provide eligible low-income households a free cell phone, mobile access to emergency services and free 68 minutes of air time, monthly, for one year. The cell phone offers in-demand features: voicemail, text, call waiting, international calling to over 60 destinations and caller ID. “More than 1.5 million households in New York qualify for the Lifeline services – offering these participants the opportunity to have the same access and privileges many individuals take for granted when it comes to using cell phones,” said Jose Fuentes, Director of Government Relations for TracFone. “The SafeLink Wireless service is truly unique because we are providing a service that no other company has made available before – a free cell phone and free monthly minutes to qualifying low income families,” added Fuentes. SafeLink Wireless offers low income families accessibility, freedom and the security in knowing that should an emergency occur – wherever they are, they will stay safe and stay connected.” The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) created the Lifeline program in 1984 and worked to update the service after the crises of Hurricanes Katrina and Ike, as well as the tragedy of September 11th. At the dawn of the 21st century, modern universal telephone service is necessary not only to ensure that the U.S. maintains a rapid, efficient, nationwide communications network, it is important for the purpose of national defense and to promote safety of life and property. By approving the SafeLink Wireless program, the FCC took action to enhance its Lifeline program and keep the right to communicate in pace with technology. Comverse Launches Next-Generation IMS Solution Includes Integrated Voice, Messaging and Billing Services WAKEFIELD, MA (February 12, 2009) Comverse has launched an end-to-end IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) solution to accelerate the rollout of rich communication services, such as converged messaging, address book management, residential and business voice, presence, visual voicemail, video, and prepaid and postpaid billing services. The Comverse IMS solution includes the Comverse Netcentrex IMS core infrastructure, pre-integrated telephony servers, and telephony and data application enablers. “With the launch of these IMS core products, Comverse has shown that it is a provider of strategically targeted end-to-end, carrier-grade IP solutions delivering a fully integrated communications services package,” said Joe McGarvey, principal analyst at Current Analysis. “The combination of a Telephony Application Server, a rich set of converged messaging and valueadded services, and the necessary components to support convergent provisioning and billing to meet the needs of tier-1 carriers positions the company among the major players in the IMS space.” Comverse says its holistic approach to IMS integrates next-generation applications with network components on top of an IMS core, simplifying network and service deployment, reducing service time to market, and providing device and platform interoperability. Operators benefit from standardized interfaces for presence, converged messaging and a network address book for all communication devices -- PC, laptop, and mobile. Comverse currently has four IMS networks in various stages of deployment with major operators around the world for both residential and business subscriber segments. The Comverse end-to-end IMS solution was developed and designed to leverage open industry standards and the many areas of Comverse’s communications leadership in large-scale residential and enterprise IP telephony deployments. At the same time, Comverse says its expertise in converged messaging and Business Support Systems (BSS) supports a synergistic, end-to-end solution that uses low-cost hardware with architecture scalability and flexibility to keep service providers’ operating and capital expenses down. To strengthen the synergies between this IMS solution and the rich communication services enablers, Comverse has joined the Rich Communication Suite (RCS) program of the GSM Association, underscoring Comverse’s strong support for the RCS vision and roadmap and the industry’s support of open communications standards. “Our IMS solution enables operators to quickly roll out services from the innovative Comverse HUB of value-added services portfolio, such as SMS, MMS and Visual Voicemail, and allows subscribers to enjoy a converged and consistent user experience from fixed phones, mobile handsets, Voice Over IP phones, and PCs,” said John Bunyan, Chief Marketing Officer of Comverse. Source: Comverse (www.comverse.com) The Funding of Lifeline Lifeline is part of the Low Income Program of the Universal Service Fund (USF), which is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) and is designed to ensure that quality telecommunications services are available to low-income customers at just, reasonable, and affordable rates. The Lifeline program is not funded from federal taxpayer dollars, but rather from contributions to the USF by telecommunications carriers collected in part from the Universal Service Charge billed to cell phone users. Instead of a discount on the user’s monthly bill, SafeLink applies the USF subsidy to free wireless minutes. Although a common misconception, TracFone says it provides the free wireless cell phone to the SafeLink program at the company’s expense, in order to make the program viable and attractive. Program Eligibility The SafeLink Wireless service will be provided to low-income families for up to one year. Participants may renew service and will be required to re-submit eligibility documentation upon their year completion. If the participant no longer qualifies for this free service, they will be notified and will be able to keep the cell phone to continue enjoying the benefits as a regular TracFone customer. Unused minutes will never expire and will automatically rollover. When recipients surpass their allocated 68 airtime minutes, they will be able to purchase prepaid SafeLink Wireless airtime cards or TracFone airtime cards, including double minute cards. Source: SafeLink Wireless (www.safelinkwireless.com) TracFone Wireless (www.tracfone.com) Prepaid Companies Agree to Pay $2.25 Million Part of FTC Crackdown on Fraud in the Prepaid Calling Card Industry card industry, which sells billions of cards a year, many of them to recent immigrants from Latin America, Africa, and elsewhere from around the globe. The defendants’ cards, which retail for $2 to $10, are sold through small retailers such as grocery and convenience stores, gas stations, and newsstands in Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. In addition to the payment of $2.25 million, as part of the settlement announced today the defendants have agreed to a court order barring them from misrepresenting the number of minutes of talk time consumers will receive from prepaid calling cards, and requiring them to disclose any applicable material limitations, such as any fees or charges. The settlement is part of an ongoing FTC crackdown on fraud in the prepaid calling card industry. The FTC has brought similar charges against Clifton Telecard Alliance, another major prepaid calling card company. The FTC has also established a joint federal-state task force concerning deceptive marketing practices in the prepaid calling card industry and has other active prepaid calling card investigations. The Commission vote to approve the settlement was 4-0. The proposed settlement was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida in Miami. The Commission wishes to thank for their invaluable assistance with this case the Offices of the Attorneys General for Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, as well as El Salvador’s Defensoría del Consumidor, Colombia’s Superintendencia de Industria y Comercio, the Egypt Consumer Protection Authority, Mexico’s Procuraduría Federal del Consumidor (PROFECO), Panama’s Autoridad de Protección al Consumidor y Defensa de la Competencia (ACODECO), and Peru’s Instituto Nacional de Defensa de la Competencia y de la Protección de la Propiedad Intelectual (INDECOPI). NOTE: Stipulated final orders are for settlement purposes only and do not constitute an admission by the defendant of a law violation. A stipulated final order requires approval by the court and has the force of law when signed by the judge. Copies of the complaint are available at http://www.ftc.gov. Source: FTC (www.ftc.gov) iPayStation Enables International Top-Up U.S. Based Customers Can Top-Up Mobile Phones Worldwide GARDNER, MA (February 2, 2009) iPayStation has announced the expansion of its Mobile TopUp Product Category. The expanded category provides direct top-up of International mobile phones from U.S. based customers to consumers in other countries. The new iPayStation service replenishes a wireless user’s account for voice, data and text services. Replenishment is done in real-time; the recipient receives a text message notifying them of the top-up increase. “iPayStation’s initial launch includes more than 40 International carriers in 42 countries worldwide. Destinations include Mexico, Central and South America, Caribbean, Middle East, China, India, and the Philippines,” says iPayStation CEO Osvaldo Rodriguez. “In most countries we provide the most popular carrier, however in some countries we provide the top three provid http://www.comverse.com http://www.safelinkwireless.com http://www.tracfone.com http://www.ipaystation.com http://www.navy-nex.com http://www.phoenixsoft.com http://www.ftc.gov http://www.navynews.com http://www.ftc.gov

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of The Prepaid Press - March 2009

The Prepaid Press - March 2009 Contents The Retske Report: A Disconnect in Connecticut Regulatory Rundown 5 Minutes With Brooks Smith, CEO of InComm TracFone Launches SafeLink Wireless in NY iPayStation Enables International Top-Up Comverse Launches Next-Generation IMS Solution Prepaid Companies Agree to Pay $2.25 Million Prepaid Telecom in Brief Boost Mobile Reintroduces Itself Virgin Mobile Announces New Branding Campaign The State of Prepaid Technology: Becoming a Virtual Operator Prepaid Wireless Roundup New Prepaid Calling Plans from Verizon Wireless The Legal Line Jobless Benefit Debit Card Usage Debated InsurCard Provides Catastrophic Relief Solution Metavante, Monitise Americas Launch Text Banking TransCard Provides Personal Financial Management Walmart to Help Americans Manage Finances Payments and Processing in Brief Prepaid Consumer and Employee/Partner Incentives CashStar Launches Interactive Gift Card Platform VIPGift Continues Sales Expansion Pentagon Installs Unique Card Personalization Line Digital Promotions Grow in Popularity The Ultimate Gift Card Network Retail Sales Show Unexpected Rebound Smart Transaction Systems Selects Hypercom GiftCards.com Acquires Swapagift.com InComm Gaming Opportunities on the Rise VCT Adds Equipment to New Jersey Facility Gift Cards and Promotions in Brief Our Advertisers Contact Us

The Prepaid Press - March 2009

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