S'pore Telecom unveils sweeping tariff cuts<\/p>\n
SINGAPORE (AFP): Singapore Telecommunications Ltd. yesterday
\nannounced sweeping tariff cuts in international direct-dial (IDD)
\ncalls to sharpen the city-state's edge as a regional business
\nhub.<\/p>\n
The tariff cuts would cause Singapore Telecom to give up S$108
\nmillion (US$77.14 million) in revenue over the next 12 months.<\/p>\n
Singapore Telecom said it would reduce IDD rates to Britain,
\nIndonesia, Japan, Taiwan, the United States and 94 other
\ndestinations by up to 46 percent from January.<\/p>\n
Collect-call charges from 32 countries will also be lowered by
\nup to 42 percent, said the company, the biggest corporation in
\nAsia outside of Japan.<\/p>\n
Rates for subscriber trunk dialing (STD) calls to Malaysia
\nwere also reduced by up to 43 percent, or 76 cents per minute.<\/p>\n
It is the fourth round of tariff cuts announced this year.<\/p>\n
IDD rates were reduced in January, April and September. In
\nSeptember, Singapore Telecom reduced IDD rates by up to 42
\npercent and collect-call charges by up to 74 percent.<\/p>\n
"This round of rate reductions will make our IDD rates even
\nmore competitive compared to incoming calls from these
\ncountries," said Ng Seng Sum, vice-president of Singapore
\nTelecom's international telecommunication service.<\/p>\n
From January 1, an IDD call from Singapore to Japan will cost
\nS$1.50 per minute, 56 percent lower than the S$3.41 at current
\nexchange rate it costs for a similar call from Japan to
\nSingapore.<\/p>\n
"It will be a big boost for companies who are operating in
\nSingapore and especially for those who have businesses in the
\nregion as our IDD rates to major destinations in Asia such as
\nJapan and the Philippines, which are already very competitive,
\nhave been reduced once again," Ng said.<\/p>\n
"In total, we will be passing back to customers savings of
\nmore than S$108 million over the next 12 months as a result of
\nIDD and STD rate revisions," he added.<\/p>\n
Singapore Telecom is preparing to face competition in basic
\nphone services from 2000, when one or two more licensed operators
\nwill enter the market under government plans to free up the
\ntelecoms sector.<\/p>\n
Its monopoly over the lucrative mobile-phone and paging
\nservices runs out in next April.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/spore-telecom-unveils-sweeping-tariff-cuts-1447893297",
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