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)