GTE Airfone Inc. announced its in-flight phone service soon will be available using prepaid calling cards, provided by Frontier Communications and GTE Card Services Inc.
Kathy Harless, president of GTE Airfone, said the company was receiving increased requests from customers who wanted to use prepaid cards for in-flight calling.
The “air-land” cards will provide customers access to GTE Airfone’s in-flight phone services, including conference calling, and local and long-distance services. Eventually, the company hopes to add access to other wireless services.
Today, users pay a $2.99 access charge and $3.28 per minute for GTE Airfone service, said Harless. By using the prepaid card to make calls, users can save up to 36 percent on Airfone’s rates and up to 50 percent or 60 percent on local and long-distance calls. Each card is worth a predetermined amount of time and the value or denomination of the cards will vary by card vendor, noted GTE Airfone. Cards will be sold in bulk increments starting at $20.
Oak Brook, Ill.-based GTE Airfone hopes to achieve a widespread presence in the prepaid market, said Harless, which includes its in-flight service as a feature of other vendors’ prepaid cards.
GTE Airfone wanted to establish initial distribution with industry leaders, said Harless. “GTE Card Services and Frontier have stepped up to the bat.”
Initially, 15 million cards will be produced between Rochester, N.Y.-based Frontier and GTE Card Services of Irving, Texas. The cards will be sold throughout the United States, in retail and convenience outlets, airports, through credit card programs and consumer goods and services companies and by calling GTE Airfone, said the companies.
To activate an air-land prepaid card, users either will dial an 800 number on the ground or while on-board an airplane will press a speed dial number for access. Callers will be prompted to enter a personal identification number, printed on the card, then place the call.
