Govt asked to review new telephone rates

Govt asked to review new telephone rates

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Consumers Institute (YLKI) has called on the telecommunications authorities to review their recent decision to raise the rate for telephone calls made within the city.

Minister of Tourism, Post and Telecommunication Joop Ave announced last month a 10 percent rise in the rate for city calls and reductions of up to 56 percent on long distance calls and the installation of new telephone lines.

The government also significantly increased in the rate for calls made between Jakarta and its surrounding areas up to 350 percent.

The minister said that the new rate structure for long- distance calls will be based on three zones that have been regulated by the state-owned PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia (PT Telkom) since the early 1980s.

Under the new arrangements, rates for long distance calls made outside a range of 1,000 kilometers were lowered by up to 25 percent, effective this month.

YLKI chairwoman Zumrotin KS said here yesterday that the announcement has caused restlessness among the majority of smaller users of telecommunications services.

According to Zumrotin the government should have consulted the House of Representatives before their untimely rates increase, especially in light their services, which have much room for improvement.

He added that although a regulation obliging authorities to acknowledge consumer complaints has yet to be drafted, the authorities must still review the recent decision. (tis)