PT Telkom defends long-distance policy

PT Telkom defends long-distance policy

JAKARTA (JP): The state-owned domestic telecommunications
provider PT Telkom will not alter its new discount long distance
phone call period, which begins two hours later and is two hours
shorter than before.

Telkom president Asman A. Nasution told a hearing with House
Commission V for transportation, post and telecommunications
affairs yesterday that the new 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. period was
launched to help improve services and not to generate more
profit.

Publicly-listed Telkom introduced the new period in early
September. Long-distance phone calls made between 11 p.m. and 6
a.m. cost 75 less than during normal tariff hours. The previous
discount period was from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.

The new period differs from the one announced in August by
Telkom and Minister of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications Joop
Ave, who said that the period would be from 11 p.m. to 8 a.m.

Nasution admitted yesterday that Telkom had not completed its
research when it made the announcement to the House.

The public aired objections to the new period and for having
to wait until 11 p.m. to get cheaper rates. Calling from Jakarta
at 11 p.m. to Irian Jaya, for instance, means the recipient will
have to wait up until 1 a.m. due to the time difference.

It will also be difficult to make calls before 6 a.m. since
most telecommunication centers are not open before daybreak, they
said.

According to Telkom, the change was necessary to avoid
switching and network congestion.

Sources say that the five private firms that were awarded 15-
year contracts by Telkom to install telephone lines in the
country also support the new calling period.

Telkom, which is listed on the Jakarta, Surabaya, London and
New York stock exchanges, now has a regular (100 percent) billing
rate for long distance calls made between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. and
between 3 p.m and 6 p.m.; 125 percent between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.;
50 percent between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. and between 6 a.m. and 8
a.m.; and 25 percent between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. (icn)