Automatic phone charge

Automatic phone charge

From Kompas

I think I have been cheated twice by either telecommunications company PT Telkom or a Wartel (telecommunications kiosk).

The first incident took place on July 22 at a Wartel close to the main gate of Bandung Railway Station. At about 4 p.m. I made a phone call to Bekasi. No one picked up the phone, but then I heard an "automatic" sound saying something like: "The person you are calling is not available" and at the same time the meter started to operate. As a result, I had to pay Rp 500. When I checked with the person in charge, I was told the recording comes automatically from PT Telkom and as a result my call was regarded successful and I was charged.

The second incident, which was similar to the first, occurred on Aug. 3 at 2:45 p.m in the Mega-Dial Wartel on Jl. Margonda, Depok, when I was calling home to Bekasi. Normally when nobody picks up the phone, the ringing tone continues, and when I hang up I am not charged at all. But again I heard an automatic "answer" exactly like the first incident, resulting in my paying for a call. Of course, if I had not immediately hung up, I would have had to pay more. Can you imagine how much you would be charged if you made a trunk call?

With this experience, as a customer of PT Telkom, I feel cheated, but I'm not sure by whom. It must be one of the two, i.e., the Wartel or PT Telkom.

SUGENG B

Bekasi, West Java