Abstract: A payment method in public telecommunications systems uses pre-paid chip cards whose value management and communication is entirely controlled by a background system. A provider gives the chip a definite identification number of identification characteristic(s). A value is assigned to the identification characteristic(s), but not saved on the chip. The value and identification characteristic(s) are made available for a background system via a communications channel and saved in a databank in the communications channel. Label “not cleared” is provided to the identification characteristic(s), and is cancellable by the databank just before the card is sold, making the value ready for debiting. When used, only the identification characteristics are read out from the card to forward the identification characteristic to the background system and request a debit.