Randi Altschul

While driving down a highway and talking on her mobile phone one day, she became frustrated with the signal of the phone and wanted to throw the phone out of the window. This moment was in her mind for quite a long time, which eventually pushed her to seek an alternative option to mobile phones. In November 1999, Altschul teamed up with Lee Volte, the Senior Vice President of Research and Development at Tyco, to create the first disposable phone. Their product was called the Phone-Card-Phone because it was the size of a phone card. The phone was less than a quarter-inch thick and was made of materials based on recycled paper. The phone also had a chip on it that allowed the owners to make purchases and use it as a credit card. In essence, this was the first attempt at mobile payment in history. The phone would sell for around $20 and could be used for up to one hour. People who returned the phone after usage would receive a credit of two to three dollars. In 2002, the Phone-Card-Phone was named "Product of the Year" by Frost & Sullivan.

Altschul and her company, Diceland Technologies, envisioned prospective customers of the Phone-Card-Phone as people who were not impressed by the latest technology or women who just wanted to ensure that their sons and daughters would be able to make phone calls to them and their families. Altschul aimed the marketing at those people who would not be interested in a long-term mobile phone contract or tourists who may not usually need a phone but would need one whilst holidaying abroad for the short period of their vacation.^[3]

• Altschul's Book Website: 'Sorry, You Can't Enter Heaven'^{[permanent dead link]}
• List of Altschul's Other Patents
• Altshul's Entry in 'A History of Inventing in New Jersey'
• Frost & Sullivan Entry on Altschul