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26 June 2015

Telkom’s Voice bundles introduce affordable flexibility

Telkom today introduced a range of mobile voice bundles aimed at offering customers greater flexibility in managing their fluctuating business and personal voice usage demands without incurring the higher cost of out-of-bundle voice minute usage.

Now, once customers have depleted their available voice allocation, they can purchase voice bundles at an in-bundle rate instead of having to go out-of-bundle at a higher rate. This flexibility allows customers to better manage their spending and offers more value for voice calling.

“These enhancements are a result of our renewed focus to drive innovation that delivers a sustainable balance of choice, flexibility and affordability to our customers. Delivering a superior customer experience is a clear priority for us and this offering is just another milestone on that journey with many more to come,” said Telkom’s Managing Director: Consumer and Mobile Services, Mr Attila Vitai.

The introduction of voice bundles to some of the industry’s most affordable mobile offerings also reduces the need for customers to irregularly switch between calling plans, especially when on contract.

“The quality and value that we are hoping to deliver is underpinned by simplicity and ease of use for our customers. Our aim is to ensure that Telkom is the one stop shop for all our customer’s communication needs,” concluded Vitai.

Additional Information

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is Voice minutes bundles?

Voice minutes bundles are voice bundles that enable subscribers to purchase additional voice minutes at an affordable price. Subscribers have an option to purchase once-off or recurring voice bundles to add to their current account. 

Which subscribers are eligible to purchase Voice minute bundles?

Postpaid, Saver/ Top-Up and Prepaid subscribers are eligible to purchase any of the voice minutes bundles.

How I do know which voice bundle to purchase?

Voice minutes bundles come in three variants and different denominations:

  • All-network minutes
  • Telkom mobile minutes
  • Telkom fixed-line minutes
Voice Minutes Bundles
All-network minutes
Price
Telkom mobile minutes
Price
Telkom fixed-line minutes
Price
25
R25
25
R10
25
R12
50
R50
50
R20
50
R24
100
R90
100
R30
100
R45
200
R180
200
R60
200
R90
300
R240
300
R80
300
R120
500
R400
500
R100
500
R200
1000
R800
1000
R120
1000
R320
 

How I do purchase these voice minutes bundles?

Subscribers have an option to add the bundles are once-off or recurring bundles:

1. Once-off bundles – subscribers can purchase the bundles via USSD by dialing *180# and dial button from the handset and follow the menu prompts.

2. Recurring voice minutes bundles shall be purchased via the Store or by phoning the Call Centre.

When will the voice minutes bundles expire?

1.Once-off voice minutes bundles shall expire at the end of the next calendar month from the date of activation.

2.Recurring voice bundles shall be permitted to carry over to accumulate a maximum of 6 months’ worth of unused voice bundle allocations(s) before the first-in-first-out rule is applied towards forfeiting the unused voice bundle allocation(s).

How will the voice minutes bundles be billed?

Voice minutes bundles shall be billed on per second billing methodology.

Do I still need to purchase airtime and convert it to a Voice minutes bundle on Prepaid and Saver/ Top-Up?

Yes, Prepaid and Saver/ Top-Up subscribers will need to purchase airtime and convert to voice minutes bundles via USSD by dialling *180# then dial button from the handset and follow the menu prompts.

Will I be able to call a Telkom mobile number if my Telkom Mobile minutes are depleted?

The voice minutes allocation(s) shall first deplete from the same calling/bundle type e.g. All-net calls will consume from All-net minutes. Once Telkom mobile or Telkom fixed-line minutes are depleted, only then shall the call consume from All-net minutes. All-net calls will only deplete from All-net minutes.

How do I check my voice minutes balance?

Dial *188# and dial button from the USSD menu, an SMS will be sent with all remaining balances.

Will I get notification when my minutes are depleted? 

Yes, an SMS will be sent when 10 minutes are remaining and again when minutes are depleted.

Will I be able to transfer my voice minutes bundles?

No, voice minutes bundles cannot be transferred to another user or subscriber.

Will I be able to make international calls with my voice minutes bundles?

No, international calling is excluded from the voice minutes bundles and will be charged at applicable international call rates. 

Is there limit of the number of voice bundles and denomination I can add or purchase?

Any combination and number of recurring voice minutes bundles may be added onto a subscriber’s account, excluding multiple of the same denomination bundles type. 

Will I lose the carry-over voice minutes bundles when I cancel the recurring bundles?

Once a recurring voice bundle is cancelled, the carry-over minutes will not expire in the bill cycle within which it is cancelled, but the first-in-first-out rule is applied towards forfeiting the unused voice bundles allocation(s).

Product Specific Terms & Conditions: Voice minutes bundles

1. Telkom Business mobile’s Terms and Conditions as well as Telkom’s terms and conditions for the provision of electronic communication services and products apply (full details available at http://www.telkom.co.za/sites/business/smme/productsandservices/mobile/voiceplans/)

2. The Voice minutes bundles will come in three variants:

  • All-network minutes
  • Telkom mobile minutes
  • Telkom fixed-line minutes

3. Definitions:

  • All-network minutes: calls to any local national mobile network within South Africa.
  • Telkom mobile minutes: calls to any Telkom mobile number or numbers ported to Telkom mobile network.
  • Telkom fixed-line minutes: calls to any Telkom fixed-line geographic numbers.

4. All-network voice minutes, Telkom Mobile minutes and Telkom fixed-line minutes shall be available for purchase as once-off or recurring bundles.

5. The voice minutes bundles shall be billed on per second billing methodology.

6. The voice minutes bundles/ allocation(s) shall first deplete from the same calling/bundle type e.g. Telkom mobile calls shall consume from Telkom mobile minutes, once depleted the Telkom Mobile calls shall depletes from All-net minutes.

7. The voice minutes bundles/ allocation(s) shall first deplete from the same calling/bundle type e.g. Telkom fixed-line calls shall consume from Telkom fixed-line minutes, once depleted the Telkom fixed-line calls shall depletes from All-net minutes.

8. The voice minutes bundles/ allocation(s) shall first deplete from the same calling/bundle type e.g. All-net calls shall consume from All-network minutes. Once All-net minutes are depleted, calls shall be charged at applicable Out-of-Bundle rates.

9. Once-off voice minutes bundles shall be purchased via USSD by dialing *180# and press dial from the handset and follow the menu prompts.

10. Once-off voice minutes bundles shall expire at the end of the next calendar month from the date of activation.

11. Once-off voice minutes bundles shall not be prorated.

12. Once-off voice minutes bundles cannot be cancelled once activated.

13. Recurring voice minutes bundles shall be purchased via the Store or by phoning the Call Centre.

14. Recurring voice minutes bundles shall not be prorated.

15. Multiple recurring voice minutes bundles of the same calling type are not allowed.

16. Carry over on recurring voice bundles shall permitted to accumulate a maximum of 6 months’ worth of unused voice bundle allocations(s) before the first-in-first-out rule is applied towards forfeiting the unused voice bundle allocation(s).

17. Once a recurring bundle is cancelled, the carry-over minutes will not expire in the bill cycle within which it is cancelled, but the first-in-first-out rule is applied towards forfeiting the unused voice bundles allocation(s)

18. These voice minutes bundles shall be available to new and existing Post-paid, Saver/Top-Up as well as Prepaid subscribers.

19. All voice calls are network restricted to 59 minutes 59 seconds. After 59 minutes 59 seconds, the call will be automatically cut by the network. Customers can dial again.

20. Any combination and number of recurring voice minutes bundles may be added onto a subscriber’s account, excluding multiple of the same denomination bundles type.

21. International calling is excluded from the voice minutes bundles and will be charged at applicable international call rates.

22. All premium-rated calls shall be excluded from the voice bundled minutes and will be charged at the applicable premium-rated call rates.

23. Should the customer wish to migrate to existing or new plans, recurring voice bundles shall not carry-over to the new plans and voice minutes will be forfeited.

24. All prices are subject to change, subscribers shall be notified. E&OE.

For further enquiries, please contact:

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

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.