Phonecard
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A Telstra Phonecard (also called a calling card) is a pre-paid card that is used to make phone calls at payphones to international numbers and satellite phones. These cards are sold in denominations of $5, $10, and $20 at select Telstra outlets[2], and they are the only way to pay for such calls, as cash payments were discontinued at some point after domestic calls were made free in 2021. Phonecards can be programmed to autodial a number, which can be useful for agents as it allows making captures on payphones with damaged keypads.
History
Telstra started issuing phonecards in late 1980s. This first generation of cards were made by Japanese company Anritsu and had the value encoded onto a magnetic stripe, which would be decremented by the payphone. The phone would also punch holes into the card to provide a visual indication of the remaining credit.
In 1997, with the introduction of the Telstra Smart Payphone, a new generation of phonecards with a chip was introduced. As these could not be used with older payphones, Telstra introduced a simple colour code: chip cards carried a red arrow matching the red arrow on Smart Payphones, and the older magstripe cards carried a green arrow matching the green arrow on older payphones.[4] This has since been retired as there are no longer any phones remaining that accept magstripe cards.
Telstra also promoted the Smart Phonecard as a possible stored-value payment system beyond payphones, stating that Smart Phonecards would soon be accepted in vending machines for snacks and drinks.[5] The extent of any later vending-machine rollout is unclear.
Technical details
The chip used in the Telstra Smart Phonecard has been identified by hobbyist and collector testing as the Siemens/Infineon SLE 4436 family. The SLE 4436/36E was specifically designed for prepaid telephone-card applications. Manufacturer information describes it as containing 221 bits of EEPROM memory, 16 bits of ROM, a control/security unit, and a computing unit for chip authentication.[6]
The chip stores the card serial number, the remaining value on the card, an autodial number of up to 10 digits and certain other data. For security reasons, the chip is programmed to only allow one way writing. Credit cannot be added, it can only be deducted, hence why it is required to exchange the card for a new one if a refund is required. Similarly once an autodial number has been set, it cannot be edited or removed.
Ranges of serial numbers to invalidate can be sent to payphones in case a batch of phonecards is lost or stolen. This is likely also how cards are invalidated when expired.
It has been observed recently expired phonecards (e.g. 2025) continue to work. It is possible Telstra has stopped invalidating these cards so that unsold stock can continue to be sold, given the extremely low sales volumes now that the vast majority of calls are free. Please note this is not officially documented, so agents should purchase these cards at their own risk.
Finding a phonecard
Telstra Shop staff may not know what a Telstra Phonecard is, especially because they are now rarely requested. When asking for one, avoid only saying calling card, as staff may think of mobile recharge vouchers, international PIN cards or discontinued products. Useful wording:
I’m after a Telstra Phonecard calling card for use in Telstra payphones. Telstra’s website lists it under Calling cards and says it is available in $5, $10 and $20 denominations at selected Telstra Stores and retail outlets.
It may help to show staff Telstra's Calling cards page, which states that Telstra Phonecards are used for international, mobile satellite and other chargeable calls from Telstra payphones.[7] Ask whether the store can check old stock, the accessories drawer, or internal product listings.
Exchange
In certain cases, phonecards can be exchanged for a new one by posting it to Telstra with a completed form:
- Exchange magstripe for chip card (ended 3 May 2010)
- Exchange expired card with value remaining for new card (except where marked otherwise on card)
- Exchange faulty card for new card
- Exchange card where value was deducted incorrected due to a payphone fault
- ↑ https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/396077653712
- ↑ Calling cards, Telstra, [1](https://www.telstra.com.au/phone-line/calling-cards). Accessed 3 May 2026.
- ↑ https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/396077695502
- ↑ Using our new Smart Payphones and Smart Phonecards is easy, Telstra advertisement, The Sydney Morning Herald, Fairfax Media clipping via Newspapers.com, [2](https://fairfaxmedia.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-telstra-smart/196788410/). Accessed 3 May 2026.
- ↑ Using our new Smart Payphones and Smart Phonecards is easy, Telstra advertisement, The Sydney Morning Herald, Fairfax Media clipping via Newspapers.com, [3](https://fairfaxmedia.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-telstra-smart/196788410/). Accessed 3 May 2026.
- ↑ SLE 4436/36E Short Product Information, Infineon Technologies, [4](https://cardplus.ru/wp-content/themes/new_templete/files/sle4436.pdf). Accessed 3 May 2026.
- ↑ Calling cards, Telstra, [5](https://www.telstra.com.au/phone-line/calling-cards). Accessed 3 May 2026.