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19 June 2015
Free WiFi - Telkom simplifies access for off net users
Telkom today announced enhancements to its free WiFi offering that will make access to Internet and the management of time online, for non-Telkom customers, much easier across more than 6000 WiFi hotspots nationally.
Manelisa Mavuso, Telkom’s Managing Director: Content and Value Added Services, says, “Free WiFi, for business professionals, entrepreneurs, students or just for social media users, is always an attractive and welcome proposition. The changes we’ve made to our WiFi platform will greatly enhance the experience of users that are not on our network as it now allows them to connect securely and seamlessly to the country’s biggest free WiFi access network.
“From Monday 22 June customers will be able to connect to Telkom WiFi by registering once in 2 simple steps. Once registered, customers that find themselves in a Telkom WiFi hotspot will be able to login into their accounts with their user name and password and connect with just one click. It’s that easy,” continued Mavuso.
The Company launched its 30 minutes of free WiFi access to non-Telkom customers from an initial 400 hot-spots in August 2013. Users were required to connect to its free WiFi access by utilising a solution that entailed the sending of a SMS to acquire a unique pin each time connection was required at a Telkom WiFi hotspot.
In addition, non-Telkom customers will now be able to purchase additional WiFi bundles, for same-day usage, in denominations of 30 or 60 minutes at R15 and R25 respectively. The purchases can be made once the 30 free minutes have expired using a credit card.
“Although physical vouchers are still available at Telkom stores, the introduction of WiFi bundle purchases by card means bundles can be bought online through the WiFi portal without leaving the hotspot making the transaction as seamless as possible,” says Mavuso.
With the introduction of new features such as “Event History” and a real time count-down clock that indicates the time left on an internet session, customers will be able to easily manage their free minutes and purchased WiFi access bundle time.
Telkom’s post-paid customers, and pre-paid customers that purchase airtime to the value of R50 or more, will continue to connect via EAP-SIM and MAC Authentication to WiFi in a Telkom hotspot. User name and Password authentication for Telkom contract and pre-paid customers is scheduled to launch towards the end of August.
A map indicating Telkom WiFi hotspots can be found here: http://www.telkommobile.co.za/wifilocations/ .
Additional Information
WiFi landing page screenshots:
2 step Wi-Fi Registration
Step 1
Step 2
WiFi Landing Page (Registered Users)
After “Use Now” button clicked, user needs to confirm
Expanded Event History indicating time-remaining session status
30 Free Minutes depleted, Expired status indicated
Card Purchases
For further enquiries, please contact:
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Pynee Chetty Senior Specialist: Media Relations Group Communication Tel:+27 12 642 1716 Mobile: +27 81 389 7874 Email: chettpr2@telkom.co.za |
OR |
Leigh-Ann Francis Specialist: Media Relations Group Communication Tel: +27 12 642 1728 Mobile: +27 81 391 4780 Email: francilm@telkom.co.za |
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Telkom Park, The Apex 92 Oak Avenue Technopark Highveld Centurion |
ABOUT TELKOM:
Telkom is a leading communications services provider in South Africa. We had consolidated operating revenue from continuing operations of R31.7 billion and profit after tax from continuing operations of R2,889 million for the year ended 31 March 2015. Total assets amounted to R42.0 billion and equity attributable to the owners of Telkom to R25.7 billion as of 31 March 2015. The group generated free cash flow of R3.9 billion for the year ended 31 March 2015.
As of 31 March 2015, we had approximately 3.4 million telephone access lines in service and 964,196 ports connected via MSAN access. We offer business, residential and payphone customers a wide range of services and products, including:
- fixed-line retail voice services using PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) lines, including ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) lines, and the sale of subscription based value-added voice services and calling plans;
- fixed-line customer premises equipment rental and sales services both voice and data needs and these include PABX, Computers, Routers, Modems, Telephone handsets and other ancillary equipment;
- interconnection services, including terminating and transiting traffic from South African mobile operators, as well as from international operators and transiting traffic from mobile to international destinations;
- fixed-line data services, including domestic and international data transmission services, such as point-to-point leased lines, ADSL (Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line) services, packet-based services, managed data networking services and internet access and related information technology services;
- Data Centre Operations includes e-commerce, application service provider, hosting, data storage, e-mail and security services;
- W-CDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access), a 3G next generation network, including fixed voice services, data services and nomadic voice services;
- mobile communication services, including voice services, data services and handset sales through our mobile navbar-brand called Telkom Mobile;
- information and communication services including cloud services, infrastructure services, workspace services, global service integration management and hardware and network equipment sales locally, in seven African countries, the UK and Dubai through Business Connexion Group; and
- other services including directory services, through Trudon (Pty) Ltd, wireless data services, through Swiftnet (Pty) Ltd.
Convergence is one of our key strategic initiatives in building a sustainable future for Telkom. We will lead the provision of converged services in South Africa in support of our mission statement: Seamlessly connecting people to a better life.