From The Witness (25 November 2004)
http://www.witness.co.za/content%5C2004_11%5C29136.htm
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The great Telkom rip-off
LINDSAY BARNES
Subscribers charged for services they didn't even ask for
Unscrupulous telesales agents selling Telkom's phone facilities are allegedly increasing their commission by activating facilities such as the CallAnswer service without the permission of the phone account holder, who then foots the bill.
And callers dialling numbers on which CallAnswer is activated are also being charged the full cost of a call - which in the case of a cell phone is R1,90 - whether or not they leave a message.
The CallAnswer facility allows callers to leave a message if the line is engaged. Telkom charges the account holder R9,85 a month and people calling their number are also charged, but there is no cost for accessing messages.
However, it is not just this facility that is being activated on unwitting customers' accounts.
A source employed at one of the Telkom call centres in KwaZulu-Natal confirmed that customers have phoned to complain that they have had facilities installed on their phones without having requested them.
Last year a number of telesales agents were fired after it was proved they had committed this malpractice.
He said telesales agents could be activating facilities on different accounts without permission so they can secure sales commission.
"[A telesales agent] might phone you and maybe the phone will ring and you won't answer, or your child will answer, and you will find they have activated a service," he said.
The Witness has not been able to establish what the commission rates are, nor if any cases of this nature are being investigated by the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa).
Durban resident Enid Hodges (85) recently discovered that CallAnswer was activated without her knowledge.
Callers leaving a message for her would have been charged 56 cents up to the first 89 seconds - which means they pay 56 cents even if they put down the phone after just a few seconds and don't leave a message - and thereafter, 38 cents a minute. Similarly, people phoning nationally are charged 99 cents a minute and cellphone users fork out R1,90 a minute.
A Telkom telesales agent said the system kicks in after seven rings if unanswered and immediately if the phone is engaged.
Hodge's daughter, Madeline Fairbank of Chase Valley Downs, said she phoned her mother on Thursday last week and without ringing at all, her call went straight through to the CallAnswer system and told her to leave a message.
Her mother was completely unaware that this facility had been added to her account and that it cost her callers. She has since had it removed.
Telkom spokeswoman Rochelle Pillay said that in the Eastern Cape a number of customers complained some time ago that CallAnswer was activated on their accounts without their knowledge. She was not aware of any such instances in KwaZulu-Natal.
She said the error can be reversed by phoning 10219 and if a customer has been charged erroneously for a service, they should phone 10212 to discuss a refund.
Publish Date: 25 November 2004
http://www.witness.co.za/content%5C2004_11%5C29136.htm
Free registration required
The great Telkom rip-off
LINDSAY BARNES
Subscribers charged for services they didn't even ask for
Unscrupulous telesales agents selling Telkom's phone facilities are allegedly increasing their commission by activating facilities such as the CallAnswer service without the permission of the phone account holder, who then foots the bill.
And callers dialling numbers on which CallAnswer is activated are also being charged the full cost of a call - which in the case of a cell phone is R1,90 - whether or not they leave a message.
The CallAnswer facility allows callers to leave a message if the line is engaged. Telkom charges the account holder R9,85 a month and people calling their number are also charged, but there is no cost for accessing messages.
However, it is not just this facility that is being activated on unwitting customers' accounts.
A source employed at one of the Telkom call centres in KwaZulu-Natal confirmed that customers have phoned to complain that they have had facilities installed on their phones without having requested them.
Last year a number of telesales agents were fired after it was proved they had committed this malpractice.
He said telesales agents could be activating facilities on different accounts without permission so they can secure sales commission.
"[A telesales agent] might phone you and maybe the phone will ring and you won't answer, or your child will answer, and you will find they have activated a service," he said.
The Witness has not been able to establish what the commission rates are, nor if any cases of this nature are being investigated by the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa).
Durban resident Enid Hodges (85) recently discovered that CallAnswer was activated without her knowledge.
Callers leaving a message for her would have been charged 56 cents up to the first 89 seconds - which means they pay 56 cents even if they put down the phone after just a few seconds and don't leave a message - and thereafter, 38 cents a minute. Similarly, people phoning nationally are charged 99 cents a minute and cellphone users fork out R1,90 a minute.
A Telkom telesales agent said the system kicks in after seven rings if unanswered and immediately if the phone is engaged.
Hodge's daughter, Madeline Fairbank of Chase Valley Downs, said she phoned her mother on Thursday last week and without ringing at all, her call went straight through to the CallAnswer system and told her to leave a message.
Her mother was completely unaware that this facility had been added to her account and that it cost her callers. She has since had it removed.
Telkom spokeswoman Rochelle Pillay said that in the Eastern Cape a number of customers complained some time ago that CallAnswer was activated on their accounts without their knowledge. She was not aware of any such instances in KwaZulu-Natal.
She said the error can be reversed by phoning 10219 and if a customer has been charged erroneously for a service, they should phone 10212 to discuss a refund.
Publish Date: 25 November 2004