VoIP providers cut rates to lure new customers

VoIP providers cut rates to lure new customers

Agustina Wayansari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Long-distance callers can now save more money thanks to the
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology offered by five
operators in Indonesia.

The VoIP technology offers a cheaper alternative because, with
this technology, people can save at least 40 percent on local
calls and more than 60 percent on international calls. Some
operators even offer discounts of up to 83 percent at certain
times.

For example, the regular rate for international calls to
Australia is Rp 8,300 per minute, excluding 10 percent VAT, while
sing VoIP facilities from Telkom, the rate is only Rp 3,500.

On special days such as Independence Day, Telkom offers
additional discounts to callers to certain specified
destinations.

The company provides services to eight destinations including
the U.S., Australia, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong
Kong.

The government has so far issued licenses to five companies to
provide VoIP services, including PT Telkom, PT Indosat, PT
Satelindo, PT Gaharu Sejahtera and PT Atlasat Solusindo.

Telecommunications by VoIP are cheaper thanks to the use of an
Internet network that can expand the utilization of a dedicated
channel to a maximum of eight conversation lines. In comparison,
a dedicated channel without an Internet network can be utilized
for only one conversation line.

However, the voice quality when communicating by VoIP is lower
than that by conventional telephone because the utilization of
one dedicated channel for many conversation lines may cause some
disturbance.

Anwar Yake, Retail Services Manager of Telkom told The Jakarta
Post early this week that the company was trying to reduce
communication disturbance by limiting the utilization of one
dedicated channel to a maximum of four conversation lines.

To use VoIP services, callers do not need any additional
equipment: They may use either fixed telephone lines at their
home or office, or their cellular phone. They can also use public
telephone terminals provided by five operators.

Anwar said that Telkom focused its VoIP services on
international calls and the services fell into two categories:
TelkomGlobal and TelkomSave.

TelkomGlobal offers a single-stage dialing system that
requires callers to dial access code 017 followed by a country
code, a city code and the destination phone number, he said.

TelkomSave offers a two-stage dialing system that requires
callers to dial access code 17017 for prepaid services or 17071
for postpaid services followed by numbers in accordance with
directives from the operator, he said.

Yanny Wiryawan of Atlasat Solusindo said that her company also
offered single-stage services on access code 018, which could be
accessed through GSM ProXL and two-stage services 17018 for
postpaid services.

Another two-stage access code, 17000, provides postpaid and
prepaid services. Prepaid services can be accessed by buying a
calling card such as OneCard, Telephone, 1 World, Jumbo, Access
One, Express or Aloha, available on the market.

Gaharu Solusindo also offers similar services. It provides
single-stage services on access code 019 and double-stage access
with access code 17019 for either postpaid or prepaid services,
known as Hallophone card.

According to VoIP general manager Syamsriono, Indosat now
offers Globalsave in either postpaid or prepaid services. Its
postpaid services can be dialed through access code 17011 and
consumers can also buy a Globalsave prepaid card with access code
17001.