Sales of cellular phone vouchers soar

SAMARINDA, East Kalimantan: Traders of cellular phone recharge vouchers have reaped windfall profits during the Idul Fitri holiday, as the vouchers were on high demand.

The high demand was attributed to people's habit of text messages or calling their friends or relatives during the Idul Fitri holiday, which fell on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Komaruddin, a trader on Jl. Belibis here, revealed that he had sold many more vouchers during the Idul Fitri holidays, compared to normal days.

"On normal days, I can sell only 20 vouchers. But, during the Idul Fitri holiday, I could sell up to 50 vouchers," he said on Friday.

Other traders on Jl. Soetomo, Jl. Sungai Pinang, Jl. Cendana, Jl. Pramuka and Jl. Slamet Riyadi here shared a similar experience, saying that sales had increased up to 300 percent. The traders said that people mostly looked for recharge vouchers worth Rp 100,000 (US$11.8). -- Antara