TEST CARDS
CYTA from its outset, introduced coin operated pay phones to the towns and villages of Cyprus. In 1984, keeping in line with company policy of upgrading its services, CYTA in corporation with Plessey Telecommunications introduced the coin operated phones that exist today, and were upgraded again over a period of two years between 1990 - 1992.
With the introduction of the telecard, CYTA realized the benefits offered by this system, and in 1987 bought 225 card phones from Plessey Telecommunications. These phones were introduced to the main towns of Cyprus, and usually placed next to coin operated phones. The first cards to be used were the green definitive £5 and £10, and later followed by the £2 with large notch.
The test cards offered by Plessey were in values of 20, 40, 100 units, and also a single card "Crest Hotel Runcorn"
The General public, responded well to the card phones, and accordingly CYTA on 11 August 1989 advertised for tenders to supply card phones and cards. Numerous companies offered tenders, and supplied CYTA with card phones and cards( some loaded others not). The card phones which were sent for trial purposes were installed in various parts around the island, and tested accordingly.
Below is a listing of companies which offered tenders to CYTA:
LANDIS & GYR
Landis & Gyr produced a total of 2000 cards for Cyprus bearing the company logo, the control numbers range between 910G60000 - 61999
ALCATEL BELL
Presented for tender card phones with magnetic cards. Cards were retained by the phone once the units were used up for refilling. Loaded cards of 2 and 10 units were presented for trial purposes.
AMPER SA
Presented card phones and telecards with chip. Two types of cards with circular chips of 500 and 1000 units, bearing the TELEFONICA logo of Spain, of which Amper SA was the supplier of card phones and cards. Cards were presented as samples.
SCHLUMBERGER
Presented card phones and cards with chip. These cards were given free to the Greek contingent force based in Cyprus. The use of these cards were monitored by CYTA in order to evaluate the performance of these cards.
ANRITSU
Presented card phones and telecards calibrated in 50, 100, and 200 units.
GPT MAGNETIC CARD
Presented CYTA with cardphone, magnetized cards to test the card phones and unmagnetised cards as demonstration cards. These cards included cards which GPT had manufactured for other countries, including Singapore and Brazil, as well as cards which were plain white in colour (level 1 to level 4, each level representing the value of the card). These cards were all encoded with the Cyprus control code, and were for many years used by CYTA technicians for testing telephones.
Having won its tender for the supply of card phones and cards, GPT also supplied CYTA with the following :
Test cards to check new telephones before their installation.
Engineers test cards to check telephones after their installation
Cleaners cards, by which cleaners of the phonebooths registered their presence at a specific booth by inserting the card into the phone. The date, time and specific booth are recorded at the technical center for the maintenance of the cardphones.
What follows is a complete listing of cards supplied to CYTA by GPT for demonstration and tetsing purposes.
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The Albert Dock - Liverpool; cards encoded with Cyprus control codes
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Romario - Brazil; card encoded with Cyprus control codes
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Madonna - Spain; card encoded with Cyprus control codes
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EXAMPLES OF GPT CARDS USED IN 1989 AS TEST CARDS IN CYPRUS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES
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Singapore: 1SIGA
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Singapore: 1SIGC
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Singapore: 3SIGC
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Singapore: 5SIGF
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Singapore: 7SIGA
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Russian cards encoded with Cyprus control codes
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1989 GPT ENGINEER'S TEST CARDS
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The reverse of the card on the left is black without ferrit strip. Code has no lettering. Deep notch type.
The cards below are of the shallow notch type and have the code CTST
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1989 GPT CLEANER CARD ISSUE
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