Telkom introduces XtraTime - Rubbish!!

[Mean_Monster]

Just something that I saw advertised on TV last night and found this on Telscum's website this morning. Am I just missing something or is this package aimed at the uninformed people of South Africa.[:(!] This service is very expensive and even ridiculous (spelling) (example of ridiculous is that there is no carry over of minutes) when compared to Infiniti Call.[:(!] Infiniti call being less than half the price. Yes, I know this is aimend at home and includes peak times, but people work during the day so what good does that really do.[V] Okay maybe I am looking at this package from an Internet (ab)user point of view only, but surely this is no great new product.[V] What do you guys/gals think[?] Maybe Telscum will change some of the other products like ADSL too. How about this. R 8 x 31 days per month = R 250. Now if Telscum did this whole Infiniti call thing right they could charge you R 250 a month to allow you to phone your ISP number as much as you like. [:D] Let's face it they are not suppose to drop your line anyway, so that would have been what they would have made in the first place. And all the gamers can play with 128K ISDN. just a 2c comment.

<b>The article:</b>
Telkom today announced two new user-friendly calling packages that are designed to help residential customers manage their monthly phone spend and enjoy savings on local and long distance calls.

Telkom’s XtraTime packages could save residential customers R18 per month on local calls and R23 per month on long distance calls, while the long distance plan gives an additional five percent (5%) discount to international fixed-line calls, any time of the day.

Telkom’s Managing Executive for Consumer Markets, Thami Magazi, said that the introduction of the calling packages was in line with the Company’s value-for-money enhancements and added that residential customers who opted for the packages would also enjoy free extra features such as detailed billing and Call Answer.

The XtraTime 400 Local package offers customers 300 standard time minutes and 100 CallMore minutes for a monthly subscription of only R120 (including VAT). The XtraTime 200 Long Distance package comprises 150 long distance standard time minutes and 50 long distance CallMore minutes. Customers get an additional five percent (5%) discount on international fixed-line calls, and also receive free detailed billing and free Call Answer. The monthly subscription fee is R160 (VAT inclusive). These offers are exclusive of the normal line rental.

“XtraTime packages offer attractive value-for-money in that the long distance calling plan includes an additional 5% discount on International calls,” said Magazi.

<b>Calls are charged per second. Minutes are however not transferable and must be used during each month.</b>

XtraTime is available to post-paid residential customers on digital exchanges only. For more information visit www.telkom.co.za or the nearest Telkom Customer Service Branch, or call 10219.
Terms and conditions apply. Telkom’s new calling packages are part of a six-month trial

[ajax]

Maybe I am still suffering from a hangover, but the math does not add up.
300 minutes standard time = R189.30 minimum
100 minutes callmore time = R25.30 minimum
( minimum meaning you call only once so you pay once the minimum fee of 56.3c)
Total = R214.60
If the subscription is R120 pm (this is on the local package), then you save nearly R100. Why then do they say you save R18 per month?

I suppose you lose out if you don't use the minutes in a particular month. Maybe that's what they are putting their money on.

Ajax

[ajax]

Yes, I had a hangover!
This offer is crap. Its just another scheme to suck the consumer dry.
1 minute in standard time costs 37.86 c.
1 minute in callmore time costs 15.18 c. (Both excl minimum cost of 56.3c when you call).
300 minutes in standard time is then R113.58.
100 minutes in callmore time is then R15.18.

It adds up to just over R120, so Telkom will indeed make money out of you if you don't use the minutes!

Ajax

[microfast]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Mean_Monster</i>
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Telkom can now state that they offer R120.00 per month fixed cost
local telephony.

This is what many have been demanding.


Just like ADSL this is a capped and crippled service.

(a) This is a 6 month trial. Just as ADSL was.

(b) Subscribers must also pay R79.00 line rental.

(c) Infinitecall does not apply.

(d) 300 minutes CAP on local calls - (The magic 3)



What is needed is fixed monthly cost telephony of about R150.00
with unlimited local calls including internet access 24/7.
This can be obtained in any decent country.

Telkom is the founding member of DSA (disgracefully SA)

[BTTB]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> Telkom is the founding member of DSA (disgraceful SA)<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Good One.

I’m afraid the rotten apple extends beyond the borders of Telkom high up into government. Tim Modise should take a good look at PSA and some of its members if he and the state want PSA to succeed.
PSA members themselves should talk to PSA as Telkom is pulling them all down. When I see the logo of PSA, I see TTT. Touch Tomorrow Telkom. Complete rubbish these people want us to believe. The New South Africa is going nowhere beside making a few new rich elites.


<b><hr noshade size="1"></b><font size="2"><font color="red"><b>You can take Telkom out of the Post Office but you can't take the Post Office out of Telkom.</b></font id="red"></font id="size2">

[Sash]

Also bear in mind that if you subscribe to this service you cannot use XtraTime minutes for internet calls, the 'discount' only applies to voice only. This I do not understand, what is the difference in cost to Telkom between an analogue modem call and a voice call??? Maybe i'm missing something.

[pat22]

The only way this system can really work is for people who make a lot of quick fire calls. For example at present with minimum charges 3 x 20secs = 3 x 56c = R1.68. But on xtratime it would eat up just 35c of your R120.00
(based on standard times) as there is no connection charge and it is per second billing.

If you did a lot of this you’d save quite a bit. 10 x 60 second calls a day costs R5.60 against R3.50 on xtratime.

This is ideal for dial ups checking email. So it comes as a complete surprise Telkom has blocked ISP numbers…….

(sarcasm off)

Just checking email 5 times a working day per month clocks up at least R56.

If my maths is wrong please correct me. I did my best fail it. My teacher was nearly right[:)]

[Karnaugh]

ROFL

Just saw this, yes I was confused about how spending R180/m can save you A WHOPING "OMFG" MASSIVE.... R18.... Like anyone who is willing to spend that ammount gives a toss about saving R18?

Telkom are simply spaming people with asinine and just plain bloody stupid "savings" packages to give them the illusion that Telkom are actualy making the slightest effort.

Never fear, we will win, We will prevail ;)

- Colin Alston
colin at alston dot za dot org

"Warning: Use with extreme caution."