Johannesburg, 14 Dec 2005
Users of Telkom`s 0866 should be aware that the fax-to-email service is not the money saver it appears to be, says AmVia MD Kevin Hurwitz.
Not only is the service charged at premium rates of R2.02 per minute, but consumers are not informed of the real cost, claims Hurwitz.
Fax-to-email services for inbound faxes on the 0866 number range cost R2.02 per minute, 400% higher than the Telkom rate for local calls during standard time.
"To rub salt into the wound, the sender is also unaware that a significant portion of the revenue generated is paid to the company receiving the fax," Hurwitz says.
The advantage for users is that no fax equipment is required to receive faxes. However, Hurwitz argues that while the cost may seem favourable, any company that uses the service is indirectly making customers pay "exorbitant" fees to send them a fax, thereby taking the risk of jeopardising customer relationships.
A press release issued by AmVia quotes Telkom spokesperson Lulu Letlape saying that a premium rate is charged because of the value adds that service providers include by converting faxes to e-mails.
"It is the responsibility of the service providers to inform their customers that they are using a premium-rate fax service to convert faxes to emails," Letlape says.
Communications Users Association of South Africa (CUASA) spokesperson Ray Weber says CUASA agrees in principle with most of the sentiments of AmVia, including the fact that most callers are unaware of the costs and that advertisers should be forced to clearly advise or warn callers of the costs.
"This is yet another case where we believe that South African consumers are being charged excessive charges for telephone calls and associated services," he says.
Webber however points out that Telkom`s 0866 call charges are listed in the tariff list (R1.775 excluding and R2.024 including VAT, per minute, irrespective of the time of day).
Like with all other call charges, users need to make themselves aware of what it costs to call particular numbers, but it is likely that those advertising "Fax 2 Email 0866" don`t always highlight the costs, says Webber.
Hurwitz says at the very least all advertisement or stationery using a 0866 fax number should carry a message along the lines of "Faxes to this number are charged at R2.02/minute or part thereof".
"ICASA (the regulator) should take this consumer rights issue seriously and investigate the charging practices associated with these services," he says.
ICASA had not responded by the time of going to press.
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