MaD
04-08-2004, 03:33 PM
As on the front page of Hellkom:
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<b>From:</b> Corporate Communication Broadcast
<b>Sent:</b> 02 August 2004 11:58
<b>To:</b> Corporate Communication Broadcast
<b>Subject:</b> Telkom's position on issues raised in yesterday's
Carte Blanche programme
To all employees
On Sunday 1 August, Carte Blanche broadcast a programme on Telkom
during which a number of allegations were made around three issues:
tariffs, staff numbers and anti-competitive behaviour. The programme did not provide an objective view and it is important to take cognisance of Telkom's position on these issues.
Tariffs
Telkom dismisses claims by NUS Consulting that its call charges are more costly than other countries. Research by international pricing research body, Tarifica, demonstrates quite the opposite - Telkom's call rates are in fact highly competitive and amongst the most affordable in the world.
Tarifica is recognised by the International Telecommunications Union and is used by leading communications companies across the globe for benchmarking purposes. Unlike NUS Consulting which only surveys 14
developed countries, Tarifica's information is based on a mix of developing and developed countries, including the UK, Germany, France, Sweden, and emerging market peers Czech Republic, Poland, Mexico and Hungary. European countries alone add up to 25.
Tarifica's latest research shows that Telkom's call charges are internationally competitive, and that there is no substance to NUS Consulting's contention that Telkom's call charges are hampering the
competitiveness of South African organisations.
NUS Consulting, for example, does not differentiate between the cost
of peak or off-peak calls. Such differentiation is important as prices vary markedly between the two.
For instance, Telkom's local peak-time calling charges are cheaper than those of many countries including Belgium, Switzerland, Spain and the United Kingdom. Our local off-peak call charges for a three-minute call are the fourth cheapest of the 26 countries surveyed by Tarifica, costing less than the same call in Hungary, the United Kingdom, France, Sweden, Greece, Belgium and Spain. Telkom's residential and business rental charges are also below the average of 26 countries.
Our rate for a 64kbit/s leased line over 50 km is amongst the most affordable of the countries surveyed by Tarifica, and compared to the mobile operators, Telkom's call charges still offer the best value-for-money in South Africa.
Staff numbers
The key to ensuring that Telkom has the right skills in the right place at the right time is a proactive approach that enables the Company to identify future skills and staffing requirements well in advance.
In this regard we launched the Alternative strategies and approaches
to avoid job losses and create new career opportunities in September
2002. This strategy is designed to enable Telkom to proactively develop a skills base that is aligned with our business needs, while meeting our commitments as a responsible employer and corporate citizen.
The tools Telkom uses for determining skills and staffing requirements are scientifically designed to be proactive, and include built-in early warning systems. These systems enable the Company to identify new growth areas requiring fresh skills and staffing concentrations, as well as to proactively identify the business areas that are slowing down and where jobs could be at risk.
Redundancies are therefore not due to the fact that the Company cannot afford to retain employees, but are brought about by process and system enhancements (functional realignment); multi-skilling; changes in technology and improvements in operational efficiencies and elimination of duplication.
Telkom and organised labour are continuing with a series of consultation meetings at which Telkom is sharing the numbers as well as the strategic and business rationale behind its efficiency improvement plan. Both parties have approached the talks in a constructive and engaging spirit
Anti-competitive behaviour
Public perception, fuelled by the current state of the telecommunications landscape, is that Telkom uses its position to engage in anti-competitive behaviour. In the recent past, a number of institutions have filed such claims against Telkom.
These allegations have been tested before the relevant Authority, and we have consistently been able to prove that we did not engage in anti-competitive behaviour our abuse our dominant position.
Going forward, Telkom will continue to seek new growth opportunities
in selected market areas and continue to act on good opportunities that fit the our business model. In pursuing such opportunities, Telkom will continue to act within the parameters of the law and the regulatory landscape. Telkom will at all times comply with both the Competition Act and Telecommunications Act, which also specifically outlaws anti-competitive behaviour.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
<font color="navy"><font size="1"><b>Where others have progress, we have Telkom.</b>
Hellkom website - www.hellkom.co.za</font id="size1"></font id="navy">
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
<b>From:</b> Corporate Communication Broadcast
<b>Sent:</b> 02 August 2004 11:58
<b>To:</b> Corporate Communication Broadcast
<b>Subject:</b> Telkom's position on issues raised in yesterday's
Carte Blanche programme
To all employees
On Sunday 1 August, Carte Blanche broadcast a programme on Telkom
during which a number of allegations were made around three issues:
tariffs, staff numbers and anti-competitive behaviour. The programme did not provide an objective view and it is important to take cognisance of Telkom's position on these issues.
Tariffs
Telkom dismisses claims by NUS Consulting that its call charges are more costly than other countries. Research by international pricing research body, Tarifica, demonstrates quite the opposite - Telkom's call rates are in fact highly competitive and amongst the most affordable in the world.
Tarifica is recognised by the International Telecommunications Union and is used by leading communications companies across the globe for benchmarking purposes. Unlike NUS Consulting which only surveys 14
developed countries, Tarifica's information is based on a mix of developing and developed countries, including the UK, Germany, France, Sweden, and emerging market peers Czech Republic, Poland, Mexico and Hungary. European countries alone add up to 25.
Tarifica's latest research shows that Telkom's call charges are internationally competitive, and that there is no substance to NUS Consulting's contention that Telkom's call charges are hampering the
competitiveness of South African organisations.
NUS Consulting, for example, does not differentiate between the cost
of peak or off-peak calls. Such differentiation is important as prices vary markedly between the two.
For instance, Telkom's local peak-time calling charges are cheaper than those of many countries including Belgium, Switzerland, Spain and the United Kingdom. Our local off-peak call charges for a three-minute call are the fourth cheapest of the 26 countries surveyed by Tarifica, costing less than the same call in Hungary, the United Kingdom, France, Sweden, Greece, Belgium and Spain. Telkom's residential and business rental charges are also below the average of 26 countries.
Our rate for a 64kbit/s leased line over 50 km is amongst the most affordable of the countries surveyed by Tarifica, and compared to the mobile operators, Telkom's call charges still offer the best value-for-money in South Africa.
Staff numbers
The key to ensuring that Telkom has the right skills in the right place at the right time is a proactive approach that enables the Company to identify future skills and staffing requirements well in advance.
In this regard we launched the Alternative strategies and approaches
to avoid job losses and create new career opportunities in September
2002. This strategy is designed to enable Telkom to proactively develop a skills base that is aligned with our business needs, while meeting our commitments as a responsible employer and corporate citizen.
The tools Telkom uses for determining skills and staffing requirements are scientifically designed to be proactive, and include built-in early warning systems. These systems enable the Company to identify new growth areas requiring fresh skills and staffing concentrations, as well as to proactively identify the business areas that are slowing down and where jobs could be at risk.
Redundancies are therefore not due to the fact that the Company cannot afford to retain employees, but are brought about by process and system enhancements (functional realignment); multi-skilling; changes in technology and improvements in operational efficiencies and elimination of duplication.
Telkom and organised labour are continuing with a series of consultation meetings at which Telkom is sharing the numbers as well as the strategic and business rationale behind its efficiency improvement plan. Both parties have approached the talks in a constructive and engaging spirit
Anti-competitive behaviour
Public perception, fuelled by the current state of the telecommunications landscape, is that Telkom uses its position to engage in anti-competitive behaviour. In the recent past, a number of institutions have filed such claims against Telkom.
These allegations have been tested before the relevant Authority, and we have consistently been able to prove that we did not engage in anti-competitive behaviour our abuse our dominant position.
Going forward, Telkom will continue to seek new growth opportunities
in selected market areas and continue to act on good opportunities that fit the our business model. In pursuing such opportunities, Telkom will continue to act within the parameters of the law and the regulatory landscape. Telkom will at all times comply with both the Competition Act and Telecommunications Act, which also specifically outlaws anti-competitive behaviour.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
<font color="navy"><font size="1"><b>Where others have progress, we have Telkom.</b>
Hellkom website - www.hellkom.co.za</font id="size1"></font id="navy">