Prepaid services should have certain basic features as well as some enhanced features for value-added, money-generating options. Of course, there are various factors—such as whether marketing is done at a retail or wholesale level—that play a role in influencing requirements.

It is helpful to consider first the various ways in which basic prepaid service can be offered:

• as a one-time-use prepaid card in which after the amount is consumed, there is no warning and the call is dropped
• as a one-time-use prepaid card in which one minute prior to the complete amount being spent, there is a warning
• as a rechargeable prepaid card in which there is a warning and, at the same time, the option of recharging

The basic features required of a prepaid-card service provider include the following:

• multiple issuers
• multiple card types
• multiple rate schedules and customized modifiers
• fraud protection
• origination blocking
• destination blocking
• reports
• provisioning and customer-care interface
• tax rating
• ability to charge different legs of a call
• billing

Enhanced features that could make prepaid cards more attractive to users include the following:

• rechargeable option
• customized messages
• customized calling areas
• multiple-rate schedules and customized modifiers
• multiple languages and automated language selection
• fraud protection
• fixed-number auto-dialing
• automatic expiration date
• warnings
• user-friendly management of personal identification numbers (PINs)
• activation, deactivation, and recharge
• conferencing
• voice mail
• call forwarding
• pager notification
• message delivery
• fax, fax store, and fax forward
• information services