TEST

The task of compiling and recording a complete listing of Test cards; Demonstration cards; Sample cards; etc used in the Republic of Cyprus is a Herculean task; primarily due to the lack of credible information. Few of the Cyprus Telecommunication Authority (CYTA) technical staff know any of these cards, and even fewer had actual contact with them, thus having to rely largely on the memory of a few people, we cannot present to you a true picture of this field. The cards pictured on these pages are cards which have been obtained from CYTA itself, so should be regarded as genuine, however; the reason for which they were sent, remains uncertain.

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 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.

Landis & Gyr produced a total of 2000 cards for Cyprus bearing the company logo, the control numbers range between 910G60000 - 910G61999. The reason for the SODECO card shown below is unclear, but it was sent to CYTA. Also reported is a red L&G card, which has found its way to some technicians, but the exact nature of these cards remain unclear.

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.

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.

GEMPLUS DEMONSTRATION CARD

Information regarding this card is non existent, even the Gemplus origin is not 100% certain. There is no evidence to prove that this card was an un - loaded demonstration piece, or a loaded one for that matter, and to its purpose in CYTA.

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.

Cleaners cards, by which cleaners of the phone booths 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 cardphone.


Albert Dock - Liverpool, encoded with Cyprus control codes. Only these two cards of the series were sent to Cyprus		Romario - Brazil, encoded with Cyprus control code.	Madonna - Spain, encoded Cyprus control code

	Left and right, Russian cards with Cyprus controls encoded. All the included cards in this table have appeared with and without control numbers, It has not been ascertained if the cards indeed have been encoded with Cyprus controls.

EXAMPLES OF GPT CARDS SENT TO CYPRUS IN 1989.

The reason for these cards is not certain. There are those who believe that the cards were sent purely for demonstration purposes, and those who believe that the cards were sent for trial purposes, which would mean that they were encoded with Cyprus controls. Their exact purpose remains a mystery


Singapore: 1SIGA	Singapore: 1SIGC	Singapore: 3SIGC

Singapore: 5SIGF	Singapore: 7SIGA


The card above is of the deep notch type, without ferret strip and control prefix. The two cards on the right are of the shallow notch type, and the control prefix CTST is also that of St Vincent and Kitts