Cheaper International Calls

[pat22]

A while back I posted problems I was having with Globel calling cards and how Telkom has illegally blocked them.
Globel is back online but the system has altered. Anyway, in the mean time I used easyVoice , a UK based firm whereby you trigger calls using sms or the internet. I have found the service excellent. It’s prepaid and you are billed by the second. SA-UK calls are about 0.85cents per min anytime. Telkom charge R2.30 per min off peak. Globel charge R1.87 anytime.

The best part….Telkom can do nothing about it. You trigger the call by contacting the UK which sets up the connection, so it is an incoming call from the UK

I think the new Globel system works much the same, but it is more expensive.

Link : www.comxo.com/easyvoice

Maybe useful to someone.

pat

 

[pat22]

Just to clarify I am not sure if Telkom broke the law.
They may have been entitled to block the cards.

 

[Tharaxis]

To the best of my knowledge, utilizing such a service in South Africa is considered illegal (callback services), I think the reasoning is probably because of this, mainly, taking the money out of the pockets of Telkom and moving it into the pockets of an offshore company (even if it may be cheaper to do so).

 

[doekvoet]

The way I understood it is that it was illegal if the call is triggered by a call made from a telkom line - not if it is triggered via cellphone (sms) or the internet

 

[ajax]

What's the difference between Easyvoice and my friend calling me from Ireland who has conference call, him calling someone else in the US and getting off the line so that I can talk to the guy in the US?

 

[ASF]

Callback is not illegal - Storm Telecom's core business was based on a call back service when they entered the SA market before they became an ISP - to the best of my knowledge they still offer the service albeit to corporates only...

 

[Tharaxis]

Very true doekvoet, I do remember something similar along those lines being contested a year or two ago. It may very well be fine if it's done via SMS and not via a Telkom phone.

 

[caroper]

So the good old scotch ring is illegal, what about the "please call me" service? If you can find a way to make money out of the difference in two charges why is that illegal. Is it now illegal to exploit the very loophole that Telkom exploits to exploit you?[}]

OK rhetorical question[8D], but if Telkom played fair they would not have to worry about increasing our fees to pay the lawyers to protect them from open market competition.

Cheers
Chris

 

[antowan]

Good day friends,

Personally I believe that if there is a cheaper way of doing something it should not be blocked by law. It is the responsibility of the company losing out to find a better way of doing business in order to get its customers back.

Forcing customers to use a system when they know of a better and cheaper option is nothing better than state sponsored raping and pillaging in the middle ages!

Cheers
Antowan

He who does not understand the value of war at the right time, cannot comprehend the value of life at any time - Anonymous

 

[onionpeel]

Greetings from downtown Auckland (currently 16h35 here).
Haveing checked out a the local telco scene, we have 2 fixed line operators being Telstra Clear and Telecom New Zealand (has 70% market share I have been told). Both of the above are also mobile operators in conjunction with Vodafone NZ.
I pciked up a Telstra Clear calling card. The card is preloaded with varrying NZ$. Anyway, for me to call South Africa (anytime of the day) is $0.29NZ which is about R1.25. That is less than half the Telkom SA price I think (somebody can check that out for me). This makes a callback service worthwhile!
Local phonecalls are free within a city and surrounding suburbs if you are a residential user. Business users pay normal rates, but they are fairly cheap.
Telecom NZ has many branches throughout the city CBD, same with Vodafone. I haven't seen much presence from Telstra though.
I will be here for another 3 weeks, so if you want to know something about kiwiland, let me know. []