| When I was growing up in a small town in | | | | Since the mobile phone company executives must be |
| Washington State, I thought there were only around | | | | much smarter than I, it surprises me that none of |
| 5 or 6 nationalities of people who had major | | | | the major carriers really offer international calling. Yes, |
| populations in the United States. | | | | they may claim they have direct dial international calls |
| After moving to the New York City area after | | | | available, but people are not going to spend $1 per |
| college, I found out I was very wrong. There were | | | | minute to call the U.K., when they can call with a |
| people from Australia, Albania, Bangladesh, Brazil, | | | | prepaid phone card for under .05 per minute. |
| Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, | | | | There is only one cellular company that offers direct |
| France, Germany, Greece, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, | | | | dial international calls at competitive rates. That |
| Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Mexico, | | | | company is STi Mobile. STi Mobile's parent company |
| Pakistan, Philippines, Peru, Poland, Russia, Thailand, UK, | | | | STi sells about 200 million dollars a year in prepaid |
| Vietnam and many more. | | | | calling cards used mostly for international calls. That is |
| A few years later I started selling prepaid phone | | | | why STi Mobile understands the potential of |
| cards and I discovered that people living in the USA | | | | combining cheap international rates with cell phone |
| were calling family overseas. People were calling to | | | | services. |
| hundreds of countries worldwide. You name the | | | | However, STi Mobile has limited offerings for phones, |
| country, and calls were being made to that country in | | | | downloads and media. I would love to see a |
| mass amounts. Calls were being made to Cambodia, | | | | company put it all together. Great rates, competitive |
| Chile, Ethiopia, Laos, Kenya, Turkey and worldwide. | | | | direct dial international calls, great phones, and great |
| You know what? People living in the US are still | | | | add-ons. That would be cool. |
| making billions of dollars worth of international calls | | | | By the way, I am of Dutch descent. My dad was |
| and most mobile network providers don't realize that. | | | | born in Holland, but all his relatives are here now. I |
| People living in the United States with ethnic | | | | now live in North Carolina and was visiting New |
| backgrounds spend money. They spend a lot of | | | | Jersey for Christmas. My family and I visited Ellis |
| money on telecommunications in particular. They like | | | | Island last week and found it very interesting. Did |
| the latest phone. They like to talk, text message, | | | | you know the word "Hoodlum" is Dutch? Have a |
| download songs, etc. | | | | Happy New Year. |