Govt approves int't call rate increase: Report<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Without any prior publicity, the government has
\napproved an increase in international call and telex rates,
\neffective on Nov. 15, Antara reported on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Quoting a source, the state news agency said the approval was
\nstipulated in a Minister of Communications decree issued on Nov.
\n12.<\/p>\n
Details on the percentage increase were unavailable, it said.<\/p>\n
\"The decision to increase the tariffs is unfair because it was
\ntaken without publication and without discussing it with
\nconsumers and owners of telephone kiosks,\" the source said.<\/p>\n
In September, the ministry's Director General of Post and
\nTelecommunications Sasmito Dirdjo said that the government would
\nproceed with its plan to raise phone rates in October.<\/p>\n
He said the measure was needed to avoid massive foreign
\nexchange outflow to overseas providers.<\/p>\n
The government raised international call rate by 25 percent in
\nMarch.<\/p>\n
Publicly listed state-controlled international call operator
\nPT Indosat has lobbied the government to raise the rate to offset
\nthe rupiah's sharp depreciation against the U.S dollar.<\/p>\n
Indosat argues the rupiah's fall has caused its international
\ncommunications costs to rise because its providers, such as
\nAmerica's AT&T and Japan's NTT, charge it in dollars while its
\nrevenues are in rupiah.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian currency has lost about 66 percent of its value
\nto the dollar since July last year. It is currently trading at
\nabout 7,500 to the dollar, compared too 2,450 in early July.<\/p>\n
Analysts said a rate increase was essential for Indosat to
\nmaintain its strong operating results and warned its losses could
\nadversely affect the stock exchange.<\/p>\n
Antara said the new decree set international calls tariffs to
\nBrunei, Bangladesh and Vietnam at Rp 4,900 per minute.<\/p>\n
Tariffs to Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Bolivia, Congo,
\nEthiopia, Ghana, Iran, and Malaysia are Rp 5,650 per minute,
\nwhile those to Cyprus, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Nepal and the
\nPhilippines are Rp 6,250 per minute.<\/p>\n
Phone calls to Alaska, Fiji, Malta, Monaco, Portugal, Turkey
\nand the Vatican are charged Rp 7,150 per minute, while those to
\nAustralia, Canada, Hawaii, New Zealand, and Taiwan are Rp 8,300
\nper minute.<\/p>\n
Rates to the United Arab Emirates, India, Japan, and Saudi
\nArabia are Rp 9,400 per minute and to Austria, Belgium, China,
\nGermany and Italy Rp 10,700 per minute.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Indonesian Telephone Kiosks
\nOwners Association (APWI) Saleh Daulay complained the increase
\nwas burdensome to his members because they would have to pay to
\nreprogram their software to the new rates.<\/p>\n
Saleh said kiosk owners had already paid to reprogram their
\nsoftware several times this year due to rate increases by PT
\nTelkom, the state-owned company which manages local and long-
\ndistance calls. (gis)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-approves-intt-call-rate-increase-report-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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