"necoandjeff" <spam@schrepfer.com> wrote in message news:<su_Pc.6304$AY5.2064@newssvr21.news.prodigy.com>...
> "Louise Bremner" <dame_zumari@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:1ghzwny.jqxyd8ylcj26N%dame_zumari@yahoo.com...
> > necoandjeff <spam@schrepfer.com> wrote:
> >
> > > > > > Yeah, yeah, I know the companies providing these services are not
>  in
> > > > > > the least bit interested in letting consumers have a simple
> > > > > > pay-as-you-go system.
> > > > >
> > > > > Well, it's a slightly modified version: Pay-out-the-ass-as-you-go.
> > > >
> > > > Yup--1000 yen per call, since we'd probably be activating a new card
> > > > each time (or would it be 2000 yen, with the receiving end also
> > > > activating a card?).
> > >
> > > No, no. You pay 1,000 yen for a pre-paid card, and the card ticks down
>  as
> > > you use up the minutes.
> >
> > Yes, but if we only use them rarely, it's highly likely that the
> > activated card will expire before we next want to use them, so it'd be
> > effectively 1000yen per call....
> 
> I don't recall whether they expire a certain time after activation or not.
> 
In the US there's a limit; I think it's three months or so. I imagine
there is; makes good business sense to do it that way.

John W.