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Calling card

A calling card (also known as a visiting card), in the context of social etiquette, is a small printed card containing an individual's name, address, title, and sometimes additional personal details, primarily used in 18th- and 19th-century social etiquette to announce a visitor's presence, facilitate introductions, or leave a record of a call when the host was unavailable; the term is also used for prepaid telephone cards (see below).^[1] Originating in 15th-century China as a means for officials and elites to introduce themselves during visits or express condolences, the practice spread to Europe by the late 17th century, where it evolved into a formalized custom among the aristocracy in France and England.^[2] By the 19th century, particularly during the Victorian era, calling cards had become an essential element of middle- and upper-class social interactions in Europe and the United States, serving not only as identifiers but also as markers of status through their engraved designs, quality of paper, and decorative cases.^[3]^[4] Strict etiquette governed their use: cards were typically the size of a playing card, with women's versions slightly larger than men's, and were presented upon arrival at a home; if the host was out, the card was left on a tray to indicate the visit had occurred, while folding specific corners conveyed additional intent—such as the upper right for a personal call or the lower left for condolences.^[5]^[1] The tradition declined in the early 20th century with the rise of telephones, automobiles, and shifting social norms that made formal visits less practical, though remnants persisted in diplomatic and military contexts.^[5]

History

Origins in Europe

Although originating in 15th-century China, the European practice of using calling cards, also known as visiting cards, began in France in the 17th century among the upper classes, where printed cards replaced earlier signed playing cards or handwritten notes left by visitors to announce their presence or intent to call.^[1]^[6] These early cards evolved from a custom among the French nobility of inscribing their names on the backs of engraved playing cards, known as visite biletes, which served as informal announcements of arrival or social intent.^[7] By the mid-18th century, this tradition had formalized, with cards featuring decorative images on one side and space for handwritten details on the other, reflecting the rigid etiquette of aristocratic social interactions.^[8] In the 18th century, calling cards gained prominence within French aristocratic circles, including the royal court, where they functioned as essential tools for navigating complex protocols without uninvited intrusions. Early adopters among the nobility customized cards with titles, addresses, and family crests to signify status and lineage, underscoring their role in maintaining hierarchical social order.^[9] The initial purpose was to formally signal an intention to visit, allowing recipients to prepare or decline in advance, a practice tied to the elaborate courtly rituals that demanded precise announcements of presence.^[10] By the 18th century, the custom had spread to England through emulation by the upper classes, becoming a staple of Georgian- and Regency-era social life.^[11] In Britain, calling cards mirrored French designs but adapted to local etiquette, with leaving a card at a residence indicating a recent call or desire for future acquaintance. This is evident in contemporary literature, such as Jane Austen's novels, where references to card-leaving highlight its integration into everyday aristocratic interactions—for instance, in Pride and Prejudice, characters use cards to mark visits and assert social connections during stays in new towns.^[12]

Spread to America and peak usage

Calling cards arrived in the United States in the early 19th century, introduced through European immigrants and the adoption of continental social customs among the American elite. By the 1830s, the practice had taken root in urban centers like New York and Philadelphia, where etiquette manuals began codifying their use to navigate growing middle-class aspirations. One of the earliest American guides, The Laws of Etiquette (1836), detailed protocols for leaving cards during visits, underscoring their role in formal introductions and social reciprocity.^[13]^[14] Their popularity peaked from the 1830s to the 1890s during the Victorian era, becoming a cornerstone of middle-class social interactions across the nation. Mass production, revolutionized by lithography in the mid-19th century, enabled ornate, affordable cards that democratized the custom beyond aristocracy to aspiring professionals and families. This technological advance allowed printers to incorporate multiple colors and intricate designs, facilitating widespread distribution and personalization.^[15]^[16] The ritual of exchanging cards permeated American literature, vividly illustrating its cultural significance. In Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence (1920), set in 1870s New York, characters navigate high society's intricacies through card-leaving customs, such as enclosing invitations or signaling personal intent via handwritten notes on cards. These depictions highlight how cards enforced decorum and subtle hierarchies in daily life.^[17] During the Gilded Age (roughly 1870s–1900), surging industrial wealth amplified calling cards' role as markers of status among newly minted elites like the Vanderbilts and Carnegies. Lavish cards, often engraved on heavy stock with heraldic motifs, distinguished old money from nouveau riche, reinforcing social gatekeeping in an era of rapid urbanization and class mobility.^[18]^[16]

Decline in the 20th century

The decline of traditional calling cards as a cornerstone of social etiquette began in the early 20th century, driven primarily by technological and societal shifts that rendered formal visits less necessary. The widespread adoption of the telephone after 1900 allowed individuals to communicate directly and spontaneously, bypassing the need to leave physical cards to announce or schedule visits.^[19] Similarly, the rise of automobiles in the 1910s and 1920s facilitated impromptu travel and weekend escapes to rural areas, further eroding the ritual of structured afternoon calls on Sundays or weekdays.^[19] These changes aligned with broader transformations in social norms, including women's suffrage in the 1920s, which empowered greater independence and informal interactions among women, diminishing the rigid protocols that calling cards enforced.^[19] Commercial production of calling cards reached its final peak in the 1910s, with stationers in major cities like New York fulfilling large orders for engraved cards as a staple of upper-class life. However, by the 1920s, demand had sharply dropped; reports from stationers indicated a reduction from typical orders of 500 cards per client to just 100-200, reflecting fewer formal social obligations overall. Etiquette authorities, such as Emily Post in her 1922 guide, observed that many young married women used fewer than a dozen cards annually, primarily for accompanying gifts or flowers rather than routine visits, signaling the custom's fading relevance. By the 1930s, as informal communication prevailed, calling cards were increasingly viewed as relics of a bygone era, with etiquette literature emphasizing their obsolescence in everyday interactions.^[19] The decline accelerated after World War II, particularly with the mass suburbanization of the 1950s and 1960s, which dispersed populations into sprawling, car-dependent communities where formal visits became logistically challenging and less common. Suburban lifestyles prioritized family privacy and casual neighborhood gatherings over the orchestrated calls of urban Victorian society, further marginalizing the practice. Despite this obsolescence, calling cards left a lasting cultural legacy, influencing modern networking practices by establishing the precedent for exchanging personal identifiers during introductions. Examples are preserved in institutions like the Victoria and Albert Museum, which holds collections of 19th- and early 20th-century Parisian and British visiting cards, highlighting their artistic and social significance. Additionally, the tradition experiences revivals in historical reenactments, such as Civil War-era events where participants recreate period etiquette by producing and exchanging facsimile cards to immerse in authentic social rituals.^[20]^[21]

Rules for presentation and leaving cards

The formal protocols governing the presentation and exchange of calling cards in the 19th century emphasized discretion, hierarchy, and indirect communication, ensuring social interactions remained structured and polite. Visitors typically avoided direct confrontation with absent hosts, instead relying on intermediaries to convey their intent. These rules varied slightly between European and American practices but shared core principles derived from aristocratic customs that spread across the Atlantic.^[5] The standard procedure involved hand-delivering the card to a servant at the entrance, who would place it on a silver tray and present it to the household's lady or master. If the host was at home, the servant would inquire on the visitor's behalf; if absent, the card was left on the tray for later discovery, signaling a desire for a returned call without requiring the visitor's prolonged wait. Direct presentation to the host was reserved for in-person visits only, and cards were never mailed unless inscribed with specific messages like those for farewells. In both Europe and America, this method preserved the visitor's dignity while adhering to the era's emphasis on not imposing uninvited.^[2]^[22]^[23] Corner folding, or "dog-earing," served as a non-verbal code to indicate the visit's purpose, with the folded corner distinguishing personal intent from formal or familial gestures. In common 19th-century practice, folding the right upper corner denoted a personal visit by the card's bearer, while the right lower corner signaled a congratulatory call. The left upper corner indicated a call on behalf of the entire family, and the left lower corner for condolences during mourning periods. This system allowed servants or recipients to interpret the card's meaning at a glance, and by the late 19th century, such folds were sometimes considered outdated in favor of written inscriptions, though they remained influential in etiquette guides.^[5]^[23]^[24] Quantity norms dictated leaving one card per intended recipient in the household—such as separate cards for the mistress, daughters, or other ladies—rather than a single card for the entire family, to acknowledge each individual's status. For a standard visit, only one card was left if targeting the primary host, but farewell calls required multiple cards inscribed with "P.P.C." (pour prendre congé, meaning "to take leave"), sent or delivered when departing for an extended absence like travel or relocation. This inscription, often handwritten in pencil, conveyed closure without necessitating a personal meeting, and etiquette manuals advised against overleaving cards to avoid appearing presumptuous.^[22]^[5]^[23] Time-based rules structured calls around daily and seasonal rhythms, with cards often left in the morning to arrange afternoon visits. In Europe, particularly during Britain's Regency and Victorian eras, afternoon visits known as morning calls (typically 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.) were standard, aligning with the social season from spring to summer when families were in town. American etiquette, influenced by European models but adapted to urban routines, favored afternoon visits between 12 p.m. and 4 p.m., with cards left earlier in the day to signal intent; seasonal variations were less rigid, though winter holidays prompted special inscribed cards like "P.F.N.A." (pour féliciter Nouvel An) for New Year's greetings. Returned calls were expected within a week to ten days, underscoring the reciprocal nature of these exchanges.^[22]^[23]^[5]

Types of visits and card signals

In the 19th century, social visits facilitated by calling cards were categorized into distinct types, each serving specific purposes in maintaining relationships. Afternoon visits known as morning calls, typically conducted between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., were informal social interactions limited to 15-20 minutes to ensure brevity and respect for the host's time.^[25] These visits allowed for light conversation on neutral topics, often occurring on designated "at home" days when the hostess was available to receive callers. Ceremony calls, such as those following a wedding, were more formal and required prompt follow-up; after a marriage, cards were left at the couple's new residence, signaling an expectation for recipients to return the visit within 10 days to affirm social acceptance.^[5] Condolence visits expressed sympathy during bereavement, often using black-bordered cards to denote mourning and inquiry about the family's well-being, with the folded left lower corner of the card further indicating the sympathetic intent.^[5]^[26] Calling cards conveyed nuanced signals about the visitor's intentions and the nature of the interaction. Returning a call within a week to ten days of receiving a card demonstrated civility and reciprocation, while delays beyond this period could imply disinterest or rejection.^[27] Leaving multiple cards—such as one for the hostess and two bearing the husband's name for the host and hostess—indicated that the visit represented the entire family's interest, particularly when the left upper corner was folded to include daughters or other household members.^[27]^[5] Response etiquette emphasized reciprocity, with hosts typically leaving their own cards in reply during a subsequent visit or sending them via a messenger if unable to call in person, a practice especially common in high society to maintain propriety without direct confrontation.^[27]^[26] For instance, after formal events like dinners, cards were returned the following day, often with a note of thanks if delivered by servant.^[26] Cultural variations highlighted differences in rigidity between British and American practices. In Britain, etiquette was stricter, with social hierarchy dictating that calls were initiated by superiors or equals on newcomers or inferiors, and cards were not extended downward to avoid impropriety.^[27] American customs proved more flexible, allowing broader reciprocity without such pronounced rank-based restrictions, reflecting a less formalized social structure.^[5] Calling cards played a pivotal role in reinforcing social hierarchies during the 19th century, particularly among the upper and middle classes in Europe and America, where they served as visible markers of status and refinement. Upper-class individuals typically used engraved cards on high-quality, unglazed paper, a labor-intensive and costly process that signaled wealth and exclusivity, while middle-class users opted for more accessible printed or lithographed alternatives to emulate elite customs without the full expense.^[16]^[5] This distinction not only highlighted economic disparities but also perpetuated class boundaries, as the working classes were effectively excluded from the practice due to its financial demands and the intricate etiquette required, which presumed leisure time and domestic servants for delivery.^[28] Gender dynamics further underscored the hierarchical nature of calling cards, with women's versions often inscribed solely as "Mrs. [Husband's Name]"—such as "Mrs. John Smith"—erasing individual identity and reflecting patriarchal norms that curtailed female autonomy and social agency until reforms in the early 20th century.^[16] Although women's cards were generally squarish and larger in format to accommodate family designations, they remained simpler in ornamentation compared to men's narrower, pocket-sized designs, emphasizing women's roles as extensions of male households rather than independent actors. This convention limited women's networking to supervised spheres, reinforcing their subordinate position within stratified societies.^[11] In elite social circles, calling cards acted as a form of "social currency," facilitating essential networking in contexts like the 19th-century debutante seasons, where they enabled young women to exchange visits and build alliances in the marriage market, often under parental oversight to secure advantageous matches.^[29] The ritual of leaving cards at potential in-laws' residences or during formal introductions allowed for calculated advancements in status, turning personal introductions into strategic tools for alliance-building among the aristocracy and emerging bourgeoisie. The superficiality of this system drew sharp criticism in contemporary literature, notably in William Makepeace Thackeray's Vanity Fair (1848), where calling cards are depicted as "trumps" in the protagonist Becky Sharp's hand, satirizing the manipulative gamesmanship and hollow pretensions of class ascent in Victorian England.^[30]^[31] Such portrayals highlighted how the practice prioritized appearances over genuine connection, exacerbating social divisions and inviting ridicule of its rigid, performative nature.

Design and production

Standard elements and format

Traditional calling cards, also known as visiting cards, were typically produced on thick cardstock to ensure durability during handling and transport in card cases.^[2] In the United States during the 19th century, standard dimensions varied by gender and marital status: men's cards measured approximately 3 to 3.5 inches wide by 1.75 to 2 inches high for a narrow, pocket-friendly rectangular shape, while women's cards were squarer at about 2.75 to 3.5 inches wide by 2 to 2.75 inches high.^[11] In Europe, particularly during the Regency period (early 19th century), cards were slightly larger on average, ranging from 1.25 by 2.6 inches to 3 by 4.75 inches, with most falling toward the smaller end to align with emerging etiquette norms.^[22] The core elements of these cards emphasized simplicity and formality, centering the bearer's full name prominently at the top or middle, often preceded by a title such as "Mr.," "Mrs.," "Miss," or professional designations like "Doctor."^[2] An address, if included, appeared below the name in the lower right corner, kept brief to denote residence without excess detail; titles or professions were added only if relevant to social context, such as for unmarried men indicating a club affiliation.^[2] Prior to 1900, telephone numbers were absent from cards, as telephony was not yet a standard social communication tool.^[32] Production methods reflected class distinctions, with elite cards hand-engraved on copper plates for a raised, tactile effect using black ink on white or cream stock, a process that allowed for precise, elegant script but limited output.^[2] By the mid-19th century, lithography emerged for mass production, enabling faster replication on the same thick cardstock while maintaining the black-and-white palette to adhere to conservative aesthetics.^[24] Designs began minimal in the 18th century with unadorned text and evolved to incorporate more decorative elements in the 19th century due to advances in printing technologies, though traditional calling cards prioritized simplicity and unadorned typography for clarity and restraint in social signaling.^[24]^[22] This emphasis on propriety reduced excessive embellishments to essential text by the late 19th century for formal use.^[22]

Variations and customization

Calling cards deviated from the standard format in several specialized types designed for particular social occasions or life events. Mourning cards, used to indicate the bearer's bereavement, typically featured black borders or edges to signal condolences during visits.^[33]^[34] Wedding announcements served as formal notifications of marriage, often incorporating floral motifs to evoke celebration and new beginnings, distributed to acquaintances in lieu of or alongside personal calls.^[35] Children's calling cards, smaller and simpler, allowed young individuals to make introductions during family visits or social events, fostering early etiquette training among the upper classes.^[35] A significant variation emerged in the mid-19th century with the carte-de-visite, small photographic portraits mounted on cards of similar size, which became immensely popular for social introductions across Europe and the United States.^[36] Customization options enabled personalization while adhering to social norms, often reflecting status or heritage. Embossing provided a raised, tactile effect for names and details, adding elegance without ostentation, while gilt edges on select cards subtly displayed wealth through shimmering borders on high-quality stock.^[16]^[37] In European versions, particularly among nobility, cards sometimes included family mottos or heraldic crests to underscore lineage and prestige.^[38] Regional differences influenced design practices. By contrast, American cards post-1850s favored simpler lithographic printing, prioritizing accessibility and mass production over elaborate handcrafting.^[39] Etiquette imposed strict limitations to preserve the cards' formal purpose, favoring plain text; while traditional guides viewed photographs as overly personal, photographic versions known as carte-de-visite became a popular variation in the mid-19th century. These rules also forbade excessive decoration that could border on vulgarity, ensuring calling cards remained concise tools for social signaling rather than elaborate displays.^[39]^[37]^[36]

Modern equivalents

Transition to business cards

As the popularity of social calling cards waned in the early 20th century due to the increasing ubiquity of the telephone, which facilitated direct communication and reduced the necessity for formal in-person visits, these cards began to be repurposed for professional purposes during the 1910s and 1920s.^[40]^[41] This transition marked a shift from purely social signaling to commercial utility, with cards evolving to include details such as occupations, addresses, and telephone numbers to aid in professional introductions and follow-ups.^[42] Printers played a key role in standardizing the format during this period, establishing the 3.5 by 2-inch size common in the United States to ensure compatibility with wallets and professional norms, while incorporating elements like company logos to emphasize branding; international sizes vary slightly, such as the ISO standard of 85.60 × 53.98 mm.^[43]^[44] Etiquette literature adapted traditional calling card protocols for business contexts, advising on the exchange of cards during meetings to build networks, much like social calls but with an emphasis on professional courtesy and timeliness. For instance, early 20th-century guides recommended clean, engraved cards without excessive ornamentation to convey reliability. Meanwhile, in Japan, the practice of exchanging meishi—formal business cards introduced in the 19th century via Western visiting card traditions—became integral to commerce. By the 1950s, as global trade expanded amid Japan's postwar economic recovery, the ritualistic exchange of meishi began influencing Western business norms, promoting more deliberate and respectful card-sharing in international dealings.^[45]^[46]

Digital and virtual calling cards

Digital and virtual calling cards emerged in the 1990s as email gained widespread adoption, with simple text-based signatures at the end of messages functioning as early digital proxies for physical cards by including names, phone numbers, and addresses. These signatures gradually evolved into more sophisticated formats, incorporating hyperlinks to websites and professional details, effectively transforming them into compact digital business cards that accompanied every email exchange.^[47] By the 2010s, mobile and social technologies advanced this concept further, exemplified by LinkedIn's introduction of personalized QR codes in 2018, which allow users to generate scannable codes linking directly to their profiles for efficient networking at events or meetings.^[48] Key features of modern digital calling cards include NFC chips integrated into cards or accessories, enabling a simple tap on NFC-enabled smartphones to transmit links to comprehensive digital profiles with contact info, social links, and multimedia content. Virtual variants extend this to online interactions, such as Zoom backgrounds featuring embedded QR codes or clickable elements that display professional details during video calls, streamlining contact exchange without physical handover.^[49]^[50] The post-2020 rise in remote work, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has significantly increased their usage, with platforms like Blinq and Haystack offering tools for instant sharing via QR scans, app links, or messaging integrations to support virtual networking and collaboration. As of 2025, adoption of digital business cards has increased by approximately 70% since the COVID-19 pandemic, driven by remote work and contactless networking needs.^[51]^[52]^[53]^[54] Among their benefits, digital and virtual calling cards are eco-friendly by minimizing paper waste and production emissions, while allowing real-time updates to information without the need for new prints. Drawbacks include privacy risks, such as unauthorized data access through shared links or NFC transmissions, necessitating robust encryption and user controls to mitigate vulnerabilities.^[55]^[56]

Telephone calling cards

Development and introduction

The invention of prepaid telephone calling cards originated in Italy during the mid-1970s, driven by a national coin shortage that hampered payphone usage and led to widespread vandalism of coin-operated machines. In 1976, the state-owned telecom operator SIP (Società Italiana per l'Esercizio Telefonico delle Poste e dei Telegrafi) introduced the world's first prepaid magnetic strip card, allowing users to insert the card into payphones for credit-based calls without needing coins. This innovation was tested in Rome's Villa Borghese area and quickly expanded nationwide, marking a shift toward electronic payment methods in public telephony.^[57] The motivation for these cards stemmed from practical challenges in coin-dependent systems, exacerbated by economic factors in Italy, and aligned with broader telecom deregulation trends emerging in the 1980s. In the United States, the 1982 Modified Final Judgment antitrust settlement paved the way for the 1984 breakup of AT&T's monopoly, fostering competition and innovation in long-distance services, including alternatives to coin payphones for travelers and business users seeking convenience and security. Prepaid cards addressed these needs by enabling cashless transactions at payphones, reducing the burden of carrying coins or dealing with jammed slots. By the early 1980s, Europe led adoption with magnetic strip technology spreading to countries like Germany and the United Kingdom, where similar payphone issues prompted implementation.^[58] The 1990s witnessed a global boom in prepaid calling cards, fueled by rising immigration and the demand for affordable international calls among diaspora communities unable to access traditional credit-based services. In the U.S., introduction accelerated around 1991 with offerings from regional Bell operating companies like NYNEX, followed by AT&T's entry in 1989, targeting both domestic and overseas connectivity. A key milestone came with the rollout of PIN-based cards in the early 1990s, which replaced physical magnetic strips or chips with remote access codes dialed via toll-free numbers, enhancing portability, security against theft, and ease of distribution for international use. This evolution supported the cards' proliferation in over 100 countries by the decade's end, transforming them into a staple for budget-conscious global communication.^[59]^[60] Usage of prepaid telephone calling cards began to decline in the 2010s with the widespread adoption of smartphones, mobile data plans, and internet-based calling applications such as WhatsApp and Skype, which provided cheaper or free alternatives, particularly for international communication. By the 2020s, they persisted mainly in niche markets, such as for certain immigrant communities or regions with limited mobile infrastructure, but overall market share had significantly diminished.^[61]

Mechanics and types

Telephone calling cards operate through a prepaid system that allows users to make long-distance or international calls by accessing a provider's network. To initiate a call, the user dials a toll-free access number or local access code printed on the card, followed by entering a unique personal identification number (PIN) to authenticate the account.^[62] Once authenticated, the user inputs the destination phone number, and the call connects while the system deducts usage time from the card's prepaid balance in real-time via backend servers that track and update the remaining credit.^[63] This process ensures calls are billed only for the actual duration used, with rates applied per minute based on the card's plan.^[64] Calling cards come in several types, including physical cards, which are tangible items sold at retail outlets with printed access numbers and PINs, often protected by a scratch-off layer for security.^[65] Virtual calling cards, in contrast, are digital equivalents purchased and managed online or through apps, providing PINs via email or account dashboards without a physical medium.^[66] International calling cards form another category, designed specifically for cross-border calls and frequently offering multi-language interactive voice response (IVR) systems and customer support to accommodate global users.^[67] Variations among calling cards include disposable single-use models, which provide a fixed amount of credit that cannot be replenished once exhausted, making them suitable for one-time or occasional needs.^[68] Reloadable cards, however, allow users to add funds multiple times, extending usability over longer periods.^[65] Call rates vary significantly by destination, with lower per-minute charges often applied to high-volume routes such as those to Asia or Latin America to attract frequent callers to those regions.^[69] Security features on telephone calling cards include scratch-off coverings over PINs to prevent unauthorized viewing before use, as well as printed expiration dates that limit the card's validity period to reduce fraud risk.^[70] In the 2000s, the industry faced notable fraud challenges, including deceptive practices like hidden fees and unauthorized deductions, which prompted enhancements such as improved PIN validation and, in some cases, transitions from magnetic stripe technology to embedded chips for better tamper resistance.^[71]^[72] These measures, along with backend monitoring for suspicious activity, helped mitigate cloning attempts where fraudsters duplicated card data for illicit calls.^[73]

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The calling card concept began in France in the 18th century and quickly spread throughout Europe and the United Kingdom. They were popular in the eastern ...
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Calling cards | Historic New England
Also known as visiting cards, the use of calling cards originated in Europe. American calling cards were often more elaborate than their British counterparts.
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Feb 20, 2023 · Calling cards of the time were meant to be simple and include a person's name, possibly an address, and for wives, the day of the week they accepted visitors.
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Aug 13, 2020 · Calling cards first became popular in Europe in the 18 century and were favored by royalty and nobility. Their popularity spread across Europe ...
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What has replaced 19th Century Parlors and Calling Cards?
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Sep 3, 2024 · The early 20th century witnessed the standardization of business cards. The familiar 3.5 x 2-inch format became widely accepted, making ...
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The Emily Post Institute Inc. is a fifth generation family business that has been promoting etiquette based on consideration, respect and honesty since Emily ...
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Calling card: the evolution of business cards in Japan
May 6, 2017 · The universal theme is clear: Your meishi is you. The impact of technology on business cards has largely been auxilliary. Exchanging business ...
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BUSINESS CARDS: A JAPANESE RITUAL - The New York Times
Sep 14, 1981 · The exchange of meishi is the most basic of social rituals in a nation where social ritual matters very much. It solidifies a per-sonal contact.
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Jun 28, 2018 · LinkedIn announced two new features Thursday: QR codes to enable users to quickly find profiles of people they meet and instantly connect ...
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Virtual Backgrounds for Zoom, Teams, & Meet - HiHello
Rating 4.9 (44,980) Transform your meeting backdrop into a polished, professional display for your contact information. HiHello is available on iOS, Android, and the web.
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Sep 23, 2025 · HiHello virtual backgrounds work both on Zoom and Microsoft Teams and are perfect for online networking and remote meetings. Add a HiHello ...
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Blinq makes it effortless to roll out digital cards across your org. Stay on-brand and sync with your systems - without the paper trail.Digital Business Card · Blinq · Pricing · Careers
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Haystack offers digital business cards for networking, easy sharing via QR, email, SMS, and lead capture, with brand reflection and one-tap sharing.FAQs · Blog · Digital Business Cards · Haystack Knowledge Base
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PREPAID PHONE-CALLING CARDS ABOUNDING IN MANY ...
Aug 20, 1995 · Six countries had them by 1982, and in 1991, a handful of companies introduced the cards in the United States. Initially, the cards were ...<|control11|><|separator|>
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Immigrants See Path to Riches in Phone Cards - The New York Times
Aug 11, 2002 · In five years, prepaid phone cards have transformed immigrant life. It no longer matters if a newcomer lacks the credit history to get long-distance service on ...
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In 1976 there was a huge coin shortage in Italy that really set off the use of calling cards. The calling card did not official appear in the United States ...Missing: Ente Nazionale per Telecomunicazioni
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Feb 25, 2020 · Prepaid phone cards can be purchased and used for a flat fee to make long distance telephone calls. Cards provide you a specified amount of call time to ...
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How Calling Cards Work - A2Billing
A calling card customer calls a DID or access number which is directed to the A2Billing Softswitch. The calling card customer is then prompted for some ...
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How Do Prepaid Calling Cards Work? And Where to Buy One
Dec 23, 2020 · In short, if you've asked yourself how phone cards work, the answer is simple: you prepay for a certain amount of calling time, and the card ...
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International calling cards for cell phones & landlines
There are two types of calling cards: disposable and rechargeable. The former is consumable, meaning you can use up $20 worth of credits, for example, then ...Missing: physical | Show results with:physical
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How Virtual Calling Cards Work - United World Telecom
A virtual calling card service allows you to make international calls by providing you with access to the network of the servicers through toll free and non- ...
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Oct 22, 2025 · Multilingual Support: Round-the-clock customer service in six languages ensures your calls go smoothly. Crystal Clear Calls may have higher fees ...Missing: multi- | Show results with:multi-
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International Calling Cards for Cell Phones
Jul 3, 2024 · There are two types of calling cards: disposable and rechargeable. ... They usually come with online or downloadable usage instructions.Missing: physical | Show results with:physical
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May 16, 2025 · Physical calling cards are available in stores and typically feature scratch-off PINs, whereas virtual calling cards are purchased online and ...
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Oct 6, 2008 · Consumer watchdogs and government officials warn that certain segments of the market are plagued by fraud and deceptive practices that give consumers fewer ...Missing: 2000s improvements