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.