Calling (phone) cards is a telecommunication credit card used by consumers to pay for telephone and cellular services. Calling cards purpose a prepaid credit system through the use of prepaid calling cards. Prepaid phone cards allow you to pay for your long-distance calling in advance.

The cards can be purchased from markets, vending machines or on Internet shops and allow you to make international or domestic calls from practically any telephone. Whereas the calling cards are more comfortable for travelers, some people find prepaid cards a convenient means to handle most or all of their calling needs.

Pre paid calling cards appropriate to all but most useful for travelers: immigrant, commercial traveller, tourists, friends, relatives or loved spending a much time on the phone. Most of pay phones have a very high calling costs and using calling cards give you lowest rates especially for international calls. Now there are hundreds of companies with thousands of affiliates and partner offer phone cards from different service providers and carriers such as ACC, AT&T, CLL, ECC, IDT, IDTE, NTC, NW-IP and etc. We hope our buying guide help you select the right calling cards. Choosing the best phone card for you calling needs is a difficult task. The way what you propose use a card help define character of calling cards will be good for you. We consider main features of calling cards: Fees, Expiration Dates, Calling Rates, Additional Service.

1 Fees

Calling cards may have additional fees - connection fee applies to calling card's balance every time when the connection is established. The charge varies depending on country a person is calling to. Connection fee reduces the advertised number of minutes on the phone card, maintenance fee - this fee is deducted from phone card balance if there is still enough balance. It is not charged on your credit card. Calling card provider starts charging a maintenance fee within 24 hours after the first phone call is finished, service, Payphone Fee additional charge per call if if call is made using a payphone, normally collected for the owner of the payphone. If you place many short calls will want to look for a card that has no connection fees, while those who make duration calls will want to look for lower rates and possibly take on a connection fee. Also phone card that has a weekly service fee should be evade if you want to keep your card and use it long period of time.

2 Expiration Dates

Calling cards expiration period, which starts after the first phone call was made. Make sure that the expiration date of you telephone cards is enough for you to be able to use your entire funds.

3 Calling Rates

Generally the first thing people see is a calling rates to need destination. This number may greatly change from card to card. Do not make a decision based only on this feature. For example - one calling card offers you 500 minutes, another - 200. The first card expired in a 1 month, the second - 2 month. So, if you talk near 25 minutes per week (or 25 x 4 = 100 minutes per month), which phone card is better for you? The card that provide you "only" 200 minutes. Always compare calling rates offered variety calling cards. You may use calling rates calculator on our site.

4 Additional Service

Some calling cards offer additional features such as Web or SMS callback, Prepaid conference calls, SMS refill service, Toll-free number, Permanent PIN, Speed dial and much more (for example Continental calling card). It's features expand use a calling cards but consider you need it? Why cost if you just talk with you friends or family members.

You may be an expatriate missing home. Or you may be a person on the go with lots of people to call and an empire to direct. Whichever you are, you will need a phone card to keep communication lines open. With the help of the Internet, you now have a choice from quality telephone cards online. You just have to know how to choose.

A telephone or calling card is used to place domestic and international phone calls. There are two types of telephone cards: prepaid and re-loadable. The prepaid cards have a set amount which is used up every time you make a phone call. After you have depleted the balance, you need to buy a new one if you wish to make more calls. The re-loadable cards begin with a set amount which when depleted, can be refilled. Most quality telephone cards online are of the re-loadable type.

There are also two types of telephone card technology: stored-value and remote memory. The stored-value card has a memory chip on the card itself where balances are stored. You need the card to make an actual phone call. Calls using remote memory cards require access numbers to reach a database where your balances are stored. You don't need a physical card, only your access numbers, to make calls. Typically, quality telephone cards online are of the remote memory type.

You have a virtually limitless choice when it comes to telephone cards online. There are a lot of companies who buy talk time in bulk from telecom providers and resell them to you through the Internet. Be sure to take advantage of the competition among the providers by picking only the best quality telephone cards online.

You should choose only those that will give you trouble-free communication anytime, anywhere, and a 24/7 customer service that can help you if any issues arise. The quality telephone cards online providers should also have a secure site so that you can safely enter your credit card information. To begin looking for quality telephone cards online providers, go to the companies' web sites and check their services. It would also be a wise move if you read the Internet reviews on the various providers. Only then can you have an idea on which companies really provide quality telephone cards online.

Quality telephone cards online also need not be expensive. Price is the other major consideration when choosing your phone card. With the stiff competition among phone card providers and their minimal operating expenses, quality telephone cards online should be cheaper than regular cards since the providers need not print physical cards. They need only give you access numbers to use the balance you paid for. To be able to choose wisely, you should visit each company's web site to check the rates that they offer, and then compare them against the rates offered by the competition. You should also be mindful of hidden charges. Sometimes, too cheap rates are too good to be true.

Calling cards sales experience strong growth all over the world. We want to tell about a history of development this business. Calling cards were invented in Europe in the mid Seventies. Over 11 years it reaches the United States of America. Now, may use a phone card to call in over 185 countries across the world.

1975: Calling cards were invented in the fall of 1975. The company involved, SIDA, was not in the telecommunications industry, but was a manufacturer and supplier of vending machines.

1976: The first prepaid phone cards were produced and put on the market in Italy to combat payphone vandalism. In fact there was a shortage of coins in Italy at the time and payphone theft was common. Cards were introduced with a magnetic strip on the back for use in special phones to combat the coin shortage. The first calling cards were too thin and jammed frequently.

1977: Calling cards using magnetic strip authorization spread to the rest of Europe. In particular to Austria, Sweden, France, and The United Kingdom. They became reasonably popular.

1978: Was invented inductive technology by Nelson G.Bardini in Brazil. The system uses a series of coils embedded in the card including on which blows when the card is used up. The phone card was first shown at a national inventors' exhibition in 1982.

1982: Japan's Nippon Telephone and Telegraph introduced the first Japanese phone card. Japanese commuters had to use a large coin to operate payphones on their subways. The Japanese calling cards was considerably more convenient and was sold to tens of thousands of daily subway riders in Osaka and Tokyo.

1984: France experiments with chip-based "smart cards".

1987: World Telecom Group is the first company to launch a significant phone-card product in the United States. GPT, a consortium formed by Siemens and GEC (General Electric Company), developed and issued cards with their own magstripe technology. This is now among the most widely used magstripe cards.

1988: The first catalog of telecards for calling card collectors was published by Dr. Steve Hiscocks, in England.

1989: AT&T enters the prepaid calling card market. The first remote telecards appeared in Hawaii.

1990: NYNEX (New York's RBOC or Regional Bell Operating Company) offers the first non magnetic based calling card in the U.S. These were prepaid calling cards that used a PIN (Personal Identification Number) as a means of identification. Nynex's card permitted the cardholder to dial an 800 number and enter his PIN to make long distance phone calls. This method permitted the caller to make phone calls from any telephone anywhere in the U.S. without the need for coins or incurring hotel surcharges, encountering call-blocked numbers, or any of the other additional items routinely used to bloat public phone bills.

1992: All of the major regional and long distance phone companies including Sprint, and many of the smaller carriers were offering pre-paid phone cards. Industry-wide revenues reached $12 million with projections calling for double that over the next several years. This projection proved to be radically short of things to come.

1993: Phone card sales exceed $25 Million, more than double that of the previous year.

1994: Displaying exponential growth, calling card sales exceed $250 Million.

1995: Sales hit $650 million. US West provides the first chip-based prepaid cards. Sprint releases "FONCARD" and Bell Atlantic temporarily discontinues its calling card efforts.

1996: Calling card sales reach an unprecedented $1 Billion. American Express experiments with a trial prepaid calling card.

1997: Sales reach over $2 Billion.

2000: Sales of over $3 Billion are achieved with no end to the expansion in sight. Projected sales for calling card industry reaches 10 Billion dollars per year by the year 2010.

2001: The first disposable combination cellphone/calling cards make their appearance.

2003: Growth the Internet of shops selling telephone cards. Providing of additional features for card Web callback, SMS refill, Speed Dial, Permanent PIN's, Prepaid Conference Calls.

Now, manufacturers of calling cards offer many additional features besides opportunity simply dials. Offer description some of them.

Permanent PINs Permanent PIN is a features available of refillable calling cards only cards allow add more funds to account without the purchase of a new. When you make phone calls your personal identification number is identify automatically - not need keep in mind hard to remember PINs.

Speed Dial With Speed dial functions you may call from you regular or cell phone regular or mobile by pressing two or three keys only. Not need remember long phone numbers - you will have personal phonebook.

Web call With Web Call service you can make long distance calls anywhere an internet connection is available.But no special hardware or software is required. In web interface you enter your country codes and phone number, destination country codes and number and get connect immediately. You will talk phone-to-phone, not your personal computer.

SMS Call SMS Call is a feature to allow you make international and domestic calls from your SMS Message enabled mobile phone. Send SMS message from your cellphone contains the phone number you wish dial. Special system recognizes you and establishes a connection.

Prepaid Conference Calls Prepaid Conference Calls solution allow you start conference calls in minutes as many people as you need across the Globe. For start a conference just dial special phone number, enter the conference and security code. You partners should dial same number and enter the conference code. You negotiations will be absolutely secure.

SMS refill SMS refill service get you useful option - add minutes to you calling card just by send SMS. It's feature help you always stay on connection.

Personal toll free number It feature allow you have personal toll free number. Calls will be redirect to toll free number. It ideal for business, military personel and family members.

VoIP, PC-to-Phone VoIP converts the voice signal from your telephone into a digital signal that travels over the Internet. If you are calling a regular phone number, the signal is then converted back at the other end. VoIP features more advantageous for international calls as exist company provide free VoIP for domestic calls.

In a corporate environment, there can be many departments with just as many varied and specific budgets. Keeping track of the expenses from department to department and who should pay for which charges can be overwhelming without some sort of a call detail records associated with call accounting software in place.

Consolidated billing, which is sometimes referred to as convergent billing, combines telecom billing onto a single statement for non PBX traffic. The ability to track telecom costs from multiple sources that are incurred throughout the entire network and to generate a single statement to bill back cost centers, departments, projects, or end users is often invaluable to corporations and allows for better cost analysis.

Telephones - voice, data, video and imaging - are some of your biggest expenses. They're a cost that should be allocated to the products you are making, or the departments and divisions in your company. Telephone costs can determine which product is profitable and which isn't. A software company recently dropped one of its three "big" software packages because phone calls for support got too expensive.

Even at the departmental level, client and project bill back for telephone charges incurred on their behalf can be what keeps costs to a manageable level.

Every lawyer, government contractor, and architect does it. It makes sense. It's a feature commonly used in shared tenant situations such as with the resale of long distance and local phone calls. As in a hotel/motel, hospital, shared condominium, etcetera, someone's got to send out the bills, and it's not the phone company. In fact, with a call accounting system, you can be your own phone company.

But even at the departmental level regardless of your industry, allocating costs can be a chore for corporate accounting departments, and a call accounting system can better manage those departmental budgets.

Lots of people are concerned about invasion of their privacy. Idea that government can look over our shoulder in just about every aspect of our lives isnt very appealing. With new highly complicated technology government has the ability to listen to your phone calls, check your banking accounts and access whatever personal information they want without your or mine approval.

I believe most of the people who think as I do that we have nothing to hide, have mixed feelings about this, but if this can help prevent another 9.11., fine they can listen on my conversation to their harts delight.

Where one draws the boundaries? And is government truly the greatest threat to our privacy? Or maybe we should worry about multinational corporation who gather and sell information? Thoughts like these make us think twice about services like reverse cell phone lookup because it being the latest personal information gathering technology.

Reverse cell phone lookup services are completely legit, and they are no different then any other similar search directory in the last 10 years. If done by the law they are no more threat to our privacy then any other lookup service.

But why do we see it differently then lets say search engines? Probably because we see cell phones as very private item, and the idea that someone might record our every call and distribute that information free or for a price is very disturbing and makes as feel vulnerable.

But if you stop for a minute and think about it there is nothing more anyone can find out about you then it is possible to find out already by searching online. However our feeling of security (even if we have nothing to hide) is very important to us. We need to know that it is there if we need it. Because of that we have devised many techniques to hide our calling number, we do not list in a phonebooks and many other techniques.

I guess there is a small James Bond lurking in anyone of us, just waiting to pop out. Fortunately there are several federal laws that protect our privacy rights. And naturally it is always a good idea not to list your number, you can give the number to the people that you want to have it, and for the others who cares.

Overall concern regarding reverse cell phone lookup is a bit over stated. There are much bigger concerns regarding your privacy then reverse cell phone lookup, like for example identity theft through stolen or lost credit card or even social security number.

With drastically improved technology available, performing a reverse phone number lookup is as easy as using a simple search engine, you simply enter the number and instantly you have access the information you need. But does this instant access to information mean that the information you are receiving is up to date and accurate?

The reason you are performing a reverse phone number lookup is because you want recent and reliable information. Getting the person's name, address, zip code and more is only as good as the database the information is coming from and if the database is not regularly updated, then the information you are getting obviously is not as well.

What reverse phone number lookup providers are you relying on? There many of phone trace services but no different then any other type of service, you want to ensure that you are using the most accurate information available. Questions you need the answer prior to start using a reverse phone number lookup provider are…

1. How recent is the information you are receiving?

Ensure the information you are using has access to many different public records sources from dependable sources and their records are updated as soon as the county databases make them available.

2. Is the reverse phone lookup website secure?

You need to ensure that the service you are using is tremendously responsive to the privacy and security concerns that persons have with respect to personal information. Check that the web site you are using is completely secure and utilizes at bare minimum a 128bit encryption.

3. Are My Searched Private?

Make certain that nobody is notified that you are using a phone number lookup service; you want all searches to be completely secretive and unidentified.

Reverse phone number lookup services are not all the same. There are a lot of great services available but many are unsecured, unreliable and totally not to be trusted. Be accountable for your own information research.

We are! We’re killing our language. All of us! And as a marketing type, I have to plead guilty to aiding the process. Words no longer mean what they once meant. Take “new” for instance. In the language of marketing, “new” no longer means brand spankin’ new. It can mean just a different color, a different package, a slightly different formula. But truly new? Not really. And marketers aren’t the only guilty ones.

Management types have been killing the language since at least the industrial revolution. I remember a time – not that far back, though – when the newest management practice went by the acronym “MBWA.” What it stood for, really, was – are you ready for this? – Management By Wandering Around. Heck, management has been doing that for years, sometimes aimlessly, but always keeping an eye on employees. You walk, you watch, you soon learn who’s performing, who’s not. Seems that wasn’t really anything “new,” either.

Management has also come up with some nice names for things that already have not-so-nice names. But managers feel better using their nicer names. Take the word “problem,” for example. Problems are inherently bad. Always were. That’s why management likes to refer to problems as “challenges” and “opportunities.” They’re much nicer words. But you can believe that when a manager hears either one, he or she knows there’s a problem.

Then there are lawyers. OK, attorneys if you prefer. Books have been written about what they’ve done to our language – made it undecipherable. And in the process reduced the once powerful comma to little more than sticky tape with which to connect an endless series of disjointed phrases.

Now our elected officials and the bureaucrats in D.C. have come up with the mother of all language killers. We’ve known for a very long time that these officials have very little respect for our language. Add your own examples here, please. And it doesn’t make any difference which party label they‘re sporting, either. Could the cause be something in the air that hangs over D.C.? Or maybe something in the water?

Now they’ve taken a very powerful word – “hunger” – and decided to abolish it. No, not abolish hunger. That’s too difficult. What they’ve abolished – at least as it applies to people in the U.S. – is the word “hunger.” Because, they claim, it can’t be quantified. But, it seems, hunger can can still exist in other countries.

Anyway, some bureaucrat, with the blessing of our elected officials, have now said that in the U.S. “hunger” no longer exists. In its place they’ve chosen to use two clever phrases that closely resemble each other, perhaps to confuse us even more – “low food security,” and “very low food security.”

Why, because there’s less stigma attached to having millions of people go to bed at night experiencing “low food security” than there is to having them go to bed feeling hungry. Could it be that “very low food security” may actually mean they’re starving?

Who are these people who suffer from this… I’m sorry. “Suffer” is probably the next word our pals in D.C. will send into retirement. Allow me to rephrase: “Who are these people who experience this sensation of “low” or “very low food security?” Buried deep in the report that abolished “hunger” was a description of them: Families with an annual household income of $37,000 or less.

Moving right along, if we don’t watch out, we’ll soon live in a world where black means white, peace means war, up means down and rich means poor. Then those of us who earn our livings as wordsmiths, corporate managers, lawyers, elected officials and bureaucrats will have to find something else to tinker with. Or start saying what we mean.

A PBX phone system is basically a switching system that interconnects a company’s telephone extensions with each other and the outside telephone network. The earlier systems were made up of only fixed telephone lines. With the arrival of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), PBX phone system now interconnects not only the fixed telephone lines but also the Internet.

Modern PBX phone systems are usually hybrid in nature, integrating both the traditional telephone network and the packet switched networks. The usage of packet switched networks like the Internet allows easy and cheap connections to any part of the world. A company which has numerous offices across the globe can avail of the services of a hosted PBX service provider. The hardware required for setting up this system are relatively inexpensive and easy to setup. Once installed, newer services can be added without requiring any change or addition of new hardware. All the services are software controlled hence no modifications are required in the hardware front. The system comes with a software administrative tool through which changes to the setting can be implemented by just a few clicks.

PBX Phone systems now come with loads of features apart from the conventional telephone and fax services. Newer features include voice mail, auto attendants, remote extensions, call management, and fax to email service. Some modern systems even come with voice enabled auto attendants. All these features are made available without the need for installing specialized telephones. Hosted PBX systems are mostly preferred by small and medium businesses (SMBs) owing to their rich features and relatively low cost of installation and maintenance.

A hosted PBX system provides the functionality of a conventional PBX without the need for installing any equipment. This service is provided by an Application Service Provider (ASP). A client does not have to purchase or install any PBX equipment. Instead it is given access to the PBX system maintained at service provider’s site. The service provider can add new features, which are instantly made available to all the clients.

A major difference between Hosted PBX systems and conventional PBX systems is the fact that in a hosted system an extension is associated with a particular person, and not a telephone. This enables a person to receive calls independent of his current location. This facility called follow-me calling utilizes a list of phone numbers associated with the person. The person can provide the phone number of his current location to the system, which then associates this number with his office extension number. Any business calls to this extension number is automatically routed to the phone number of the employee’s current location.

Companies which have offices and employees in different locations stand to gain a lot from the follow-me facility. The single recipient point provided by the hosted PBX system gives the illusion of a single office location. Companies can thus provide their clients and customers a better service using non variable telephone numbers. Other advantages of Hosted PBX include low installation charge, low maintenance cost, easier management, and greater scalability.

You are ready to have your video produced, and you are about to choose a video production company to do it. Did you know that choosing the right production company will make or break your show? No matter how great the subject or script, the overall quality they give you will determine where your video falls on a scale between powerful and effective or weak and useless.

Yet how do you know what to look for when choosing a production company? Video quality is determined by far more than just the types of equipment used or the price being charged. I’d like to show you why the quality of your video is so important, how to identify what makes great quality, and how to choose a company that will give it to you!

Why choose great quality?

Show viewers a video with below average quality or even the average level of quality many production companies give, they will have trouble focusing on the message. Without all of the elements of quality in your video, it will not achieve the results you are looking for.

On the flip side, when you do have good quality, viewers really don’t notice it. What they notice is the content of the show. They become absorbed in your message. When you watch TV or movies, do you think about the production quality? Most people don’t notice the elements of the show such as shooting, pace, camera work, lighting, sound, editing, music, etc. They experience the show and get the message.

Also keep in mind that your video quality will reflect on the quality of your company, yourself and your message. It’s similar to the principle of dressing for success! Your video can impact your image. Here are some examples of where quality can make a difference:

- A nicely done employee orientation tape or corporate communications tape “sets a tone” that can influence the employee’s perception of the company, inspire pride and can even motivate them.

- In a sales or marketing video image is everything. For example, who would you hire to manage your money? An investment counselor who drives a Kia or a Lexus? Good video quality identifies you as a credible success who can be trusted, and with something valuable to offer. Poor quality teaches the viewer not to trust you.

- A training tape with good quality says you are knowledgeable and serious about your subject. It will influence viewers to “buy in” to what’s being shown. It also says that you value them enough to give them something valuable.

- A demo tape with good quality says you are a successful in demand consultant.

- A public relations video must have good quality for stations to use it on air, and to draw the viewers’ attention.

While paying a high price for your video is not a guarantee of quality, often the opposite is true. Usually the bargain that’s hard to pass up is what you should pass up. There is always someone out there who will charge you less.

Here’s a little story I heard that says it all. Driving along the road to work, a man passed the little 2-man barber shop that had been there for ages. The lot was filled to the brim and there were cars lining the street... There were LOTS of folks going in. As he passed the throng, he saw the sign out front:

"We fix 7-dollar haircuts".

I’ve had many clients come to me to fix programs done by other companies that were poorly produced. It may seem like you are getting a deal at the time, but in essence you may be throwing away your money.

It is true that in today’s economy, production companies have had to drop their overall prices somewhat. Generally those charging below industry averages are either without experience and/or talent, without the right type of equipment and resources, or those whose businesses are in the process of going under. Although you may be able to find the rare true bargain, I have seen over and over in the world of video that the old adage is true when it comes to extreme low prices: You get what you pay for.

What makes great quality?

Let’s look at several areas that you need to be aware of when determining the level of quality a production company will give you:

Equipment: Believe it or not, a high priced company using the best equipment does not automatically translate to quality. You can put me in a gourmet kitchen, but would you serve my food at a dinner party attended by your boss and co-workers? No way! It is the same with video. Having the best tools can help, but without the right knowledge, experience and skills you can end up with an ineffective video that you would not want to be associated with. So beware of the production company that primarily stresses their state-of-the-art equipment.

It’s become easier and more affordable to buy video equipment. So these days, many people are becoming “video professionals”. In fact, it seems like almost everyone these days has two careers – whatever they do for a living, and video production. Yet every aspect of video production really is an art form. It takes talent, years of experience and a wide range of training to make a quality video. When choosing a company it is essential to look beyond equipment, and to the total package you will be getting.

That being said, the main requirement concerning equipment is that it be broadcast quality. As long as it falls into that category, you have the potential to receive good quality. Anything below this will have that amateur, unprofessional look.

Experience: In my opinion this is probably the most important issue. It will dramatically impact the way the video is planned, shot and edited. Think about when you flip through the TV channels looking for something to watch. Do you stop and view the local cable access station? Most people flip right by that, deciding in a split second that this not worth their interest.

They may not be able to tell you all of the reasons why, but these days if a show is not done with quality, most folks perceive it and will tune it out instantly. Almost everyone can make a video with today’s available technology. My nieces used to produce their own music videos in elementary school. However there is a huge gulf between amateur video and a professionally produced show that holds the viewers attention and accomplishes your goals. There is a huge difference between the quality you get with various professional video production companies. Experience and talent have everything to do with that.

There are many production companies out there who have the appearance of being able to handle the work, but hire them and you won’t get the impact from your video investment you are hoping for. Find people with natural talent along with education, experience and developed instincts, and you’re more likely to have success! Ask questions such as the following:

- How much experience do they have creating videos? Are they fresh out of school, or have they had any professional education? Is this a second career stemming from a hobby? The experience level of almost every crew member will impact every aspect of your video, so ask about them also.

- Will the more experienced people actually be working on your video from start to finish, or will they delegate to less experienced people?

- What type of clients have they worked with in the past? For example, I would not want a wedding video company to videotape my corporate video.

- Does the video crew have good corporate manners? Can they work well with the people who will be involved with your shoot? Video crews are notorious for vulgarities and inappropriate dress and manners.

- Can you get references from their other clients? Are they credible?

- Do they have an in depth understanding of the type of video you are creating? For example, if it is a marketing video, do they understand marketing concepts? If it is a training video, do they understand training concepts? Having the appropriate knowledge helps the director plan, shoot and edit the video for maximum effectiveness.

- Do they seem to know how to create mood and atmosphere? Can they tell a story effectively? Are they able to create appropriate emotions? Look at their demos and see how you feel as you watch them. Do you feel “sold”, motivated, inspired, etc?

- Will someone who understands all phases of production work on your show from start to finish? As a producer/director/editor, I understand each phase and that impacts how I plan and create the entire show. Many production companies pass the project along like an assembly line. The show can become disjointed and ineffective.

The right producer/director will know what questions to ask you, and then they will know what to do with the answers!

Shooting: As I mentioned before, if the camera work is good, the viewer usually won’t even notice it. They will simply experience the message. Take a look at their demo and observe the following:

- The framing of shots. This means heads will not be cut off, and usually the camera will have the focal point centered on the screen. If there is more than one focal point, they will be equidistant to the sides of the screen. These rules can be broken if there is a creative effect being achieved, but you will sense whether or not it works.

- The focus. You would think this goes without saying, but an inexperienced camera operator may go out of focus and may not be able to get the image back into focus quickly.

- Camera movements. They should flow smoothly, capture all the important action and information, and add variety to the screen, making the show more visually interesting. Steady camera moves make the camera work unnoticeable to the viewer.

An amateur may be shaky, zoom in too quickly or not quickly enough, and may have rough camera moves. They may not move enough to keep the show interesting, or they may move too often. These things will become distracting. Again, these rules can be broken for effect, but watch for those who overuse these effects or do them poorly.

Lighting: A poorly lit shot can make you look 10 years older! If you have a one-inch long wrinkle, poor lighting can extend it to be at least two inches. Great lighting gives your picture dimension and poor lighting makes your image flat and one-dimensional. Visible shadows should be kept to a minimum, and there should be no bright spots.

Sound: Great sound is essential. Today’s audience is savvy when it comes to good sound. If it is less than perfect, you will increase the likelihood that you will lose them. Poor sound is like going to a fantastic movie but the people behind you won’t stop talking! Professional sound is crisp, clear, not too loud, not too soft, and you hear only what you are supposed to hear.

Add music to a less than perfect audio track and the music will sound like an increase in noise. Add the right music to a well done sound track and it can transform the listener. Check the following on their demo:

- Sound volume. Is it consistent and audible? Does the viewer have to strain to make out words?

- Clarity of sound. It may be loud enough, but without clarity it still can be a strain to make out all the words. Think about sound on cable access stations. You can often hear a kind of echo, like they are talking into a tin can.

- Background sounds. For example, air conditioning, airplanes, lawn mowing, footsteps… Sometimes it is impossible to avoid, but whenever possible, these sounds should be avoided as they will be very distracting.

- Music. Is it right for the video? Is it playing at the right volume? Music should never overpower or distract. Yet the right piece can set the tone. It can create excitement, calmness, etc. A long piece can actually seem shorter and more interesting with energetic music.

Video effects: Page turns, tumbling boxes with video in them, funky wipes - recognize those from your wedding video? Effects do have their place, but usually your video is not that place! The very occasional effect is fine in most videos. An abundance of them can make a video look very amateurish.

Editing: This is an art form in itself. A talented editor will know how to choose the right shots, cut them together smoothly to tell the story, create a mood, teach a concept, and sell your product. Things to watch out for are cuts from the same angle over and over, hard cuts that don’t make sense to the brain, etc…

It really takes years of training to be able to identify the elements of a well edited video. However, once again I would say that when watching a demo, you should not even notice the editing. The video should draw you in and flow smoothly.

A satellite is a most sophisticated communication device, which works as a relay station orbit up above the earths crust. All satellites have receivers, converters and transmitters with all the accessories needed for wireless communication. A typical communication satellite has 12 to 24 on board transponders. A Transponder is nothing but a package consisting of receivers, converters and transmitters and the normal output is calculated between 5 to 10 watts. It has the potential to operate in L-Band, C Band or KU Band or in the microwave range. KA-bands (18 to 31 GHZ) can also be operated in some cases. Communication through Mobile satellite system cannot be operated.

Geosynchronous Earth Orbit Satellite – GEO:

It is a satellite which orbits the earth some 22000 plus miles up above the equator. It is having a fixed direction corresponding to Earth. It is finely synchronized with the rotational speed of Earth so much so it would appear as though it stands stationery at that spot all the time. Earth-satellite-Earth time is about 0.25 seconds. Normal Bands operate on 4 to 6 GHZ (C-Band) and 12 to 14 GHZ (KU-Band normal frequency is 10.9 to 17 GHZ). Signals that go beyond 3 GHZ are considered microwaves.

Low Earth Orbit Satellite – LEO system.

In this system a constellation consisting quite a large number of satellites put on a circular orbit above the earths surface at a constant altitude of a few hundred miles (as against 22000 plus miles in GEO). The entire constellation is systematically arranged in such a way that at least one satellite in on sight always. Every geographical area is covered by the orbiting satellites. Internet access though wireless is possible in this configuration. L. Band - 0.5 to 1.5 GHZ – is operated which means satellite phone handset to satellite in quite possible.

Medium Earth Orbit Satellite: MEO

It is not stationery from a fixed or definite point on earths orbit like a GEO. In fact it is between a GEO and LEO. You need access methodology to access the satellite or use a precise frequency band in order to track the satellite with the help of a non-direction antenna.

The increasing convergence between television and phone services has been made more apparent this week, with Shaw and Telus coming up with new ways to grab each others customers in the province of British Columbia.

Shaw has recently started its own digital phone VoIP service, which offers unlimited local and long distance calling at a cost of $55. Although somewhat expensive for a VoIP offering, Shaw uses their existing brand name to inspire trust, and targets customers who spend a lot of money on long distance calls.

Shaw has already recruited 90,000 digital phone customers across Canada, and has recently announced that they are expanding into the huge market of Vancouver, BC. Merrill Lynch estimates that the service will steal 150,000 customer from Telus over the next year.

Telus, meanwhile, is trying to pull of a similar trick against Shaw Cable, by launching a satellite television service in Edmonton and Calgary late last year. They plan to launch a similar offering for Vancouver and the Fraser Valley by the summer.

Ultimately, both companies will end up in direct competition with each other over the same market. Most customers will end up choosing one or the other as their exclusive provider, in order to save money by bundling services.

At this point it is difficult to tell whether this trend of market convergence will cause one company to become dominant over the other, or if it will simply result in a gradual reshuffling of subscribers. If the later happens, customers will likely benefit from the increased level of choice and potential for pricing competition.

Technological evolution, the driving force behind the growth of the telecommunications industry, continues to change the way we communicate. Entry level candidates seeking a fresh challenge, as well as experienced professionals seeking to advance their telecommunication career should familiarize themselves with the latest technologies in order to successfully thrive in this rapidly growing industry. Enhanced data transmission capabilities and faster communication services in the future will continue to reveal whole new worlds for the innovative and the tech savvy.

The impetus is irrevocable. One must therefore, furiously build and sell their technical skills to compete effectively for the best telecommunication jobs available.

Telecommunication jobs are distributed in several employment sectors within the industry: wired and wireless telecommunications, resellers, satellite, cable and other telecom providers, for example. The increased use of wireless communication in the past decade has made wireless telecommunications carriers the largest employment sector in the industry, followed by wired telecom. Professionals are employed from all occupations. 17% are engaged in technical positions of computer software engineering, computer programming, network systems and data communications analysis. As significant growth in wireless, cable and satellite technology, high-speed voice, video, graphics and other data services mark the future of the industry, many new telecommunication job opportunities will avail themselves to aspiring engineers and computer professionals.

For those in pursuit of up to date technical skills, college education/certifications, online technical programs or ongoing professional development/information seminars are worthwhile options to consider. Telecommunication programs equip students with basic, as well as advanced technical knowledge and skills to help expand their career opportunities. While Bachelor of Science degree programs focus on the fundamentals of telecommunications, Master’s degree programs allow students to specialize in specific areas of interest. Online programs and distance learning opportunities enable full time professionals to pursue continued training without compromising their present career commitments.

All in all, investing in continued technical education, while preparing for a future telecommunications career will surely reap long term benefits - it is going to take much coveted knowledge, background and skills in wireless technology, laser and fiber optic technology, telephony, data compression, programming and/or software design to impress the next generation of telecom employers.

Communications Intelligence (COMINT) involving the covert interception of foreign communications has been practiced by almost every advanced nation since international telecommunications became available. COMINT is a large-scale industrial activity providing consumers with intelligence on diplomatic, economic and scientific developments.

Various communication intelligence equipments have been and are being designed in order to provide with a secure communication channel. As satellite communications is growing day by day and is taking the major seat in the global communication network, products are being designed keeping this Security issue in mind.

One of the fast Developing technology nowadays is the VSAT Interception, Monitoring and logging systems. The system is designed for real time collection and traffic analysis of VSAT Satellite Networks. It would provide for total traffic (Voice/ FAX, Data and Multimedia) analysis of TDM/TDMA and SCPC DAMA systems.

Further the system is based on a modular hardware and software architecture, allowing the end customer the flexibility of processing multiple channels simultaneously. The system also provides a GUI for all functions such as equipment control, monitoring, storage etc.

Such a system would be very beneficial and useful especially for the government organizations working for the Defense, as it would have the capability of monitoring the overall target VSAT systems traffic analysis of data, voice and multimedia.

The system is a total integrated and engineered solution for the purpose of monitoring, analysis and processing of multiple target VSAT stations from one remote site.

In case of TDM/TDMA networks, the system provides generic monitoring and processing capability for inbound/outbound traffic.