Prepaid Debit Cards for Bieber Fans—and Everyone Else
Article from Businessweek:
The booming market for prepaid debit cards is drawing big players, such as JPMorgan Chase (JPM) and American Express (AXP), looking for new revenue streams and niche companies hoping consumers will pay a premium for a card with Justin Bieber’s face on it.
Although some prepaid cards hold a fixed amount of money, like a gift certificate, others operate more like conventional bank accounts. Users can add money by having their paychecks credited to the cards, and can use them to withdraw cash from ATMs. The research firm Mercator Advisory Group found that about 47 percent of U.S. households bought prepaid cards in the 12 months ended in June. The market is projected…………………continues on Businessweek
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Prepaid provider Ting wants your business, will reimburse early termination …
Article from The Verge:
Ting, the small wireless provider launched by Tucows last year, is pledging to cover your early termination fee if you’ll abandon your current carrier to join the prepaid ranks. The company is setting aside $ 100,000 worth of funding for the experiment, set to kick off in the month of February. Unfortunately there’s one big caveat: you won’t be receiving cash (or even a prepaid debit card or the like) if you switch, but instead will earn up to $ 350 in account credit with Ting. If you’ve got a family account, the company will dole out a maximum of $ 350 for each eligible line.
Equally important to remember is that, like other prepaid MVNOs, Ting doesn’t offer device subsidies. So while the promotion alleviates some of the headaches associated with switching wireless providers, you’ll still need to cough up a decent chunk of cash. Thankfully handset selection has improved notably since Ting got off the ground last year; popular choices like Samsung’s Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note II, and the…………………continues on The Verge
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