New Orion division guarantees savings

Johannesburg, 15 Sept 2004

Orion Telecom has launched a new Managed Services division which it claims guarantees savings on cellular, national and international calls.

According to Orion director Jacques du Toit, the division aims to achieve this through the effective management of existing and potential clients` telephony infrastructure.

"There has been a surge in customer demand for a total outsourced telecoms service, which maximises savings on phone bill expenditure while reducing clients` administration issues," says Du Toit.

"The new division will guarantee up to 35% savings on issues such as international call-back, cellular least-cost routing (LCR) and national calls, and we are so confident in its ability to deliver lower cost telephony that Orion will pay the difference to the client if their bill falls short of the guaranteed target."

He says that in order to further reduce costs and provide additional savings on a company`s communications bill, the new division will not levy any PABX maintenance charges, and also carries the cost of SIM card activation, installation and subscription and covers the insurance on all routers.

"Orion will provide dedicated account managers to manage the technology - including call traffic - and monitor daily usage and non-usage to ensure the projected savings are achieved," explains Du Toit.

Du Toit also claims that in order to reduce administration, particularly when the network operators, namely Vodacom, MTN, Cell C and Telkom, introduce new tariffs or changes affecting savings, clients sign a single 24-month contract with Orion Telecom.

"The principle of managed services is to enhance the benefits of our service offering to clients, while reducing their administrative involvement, thus leaving them free to focus on their business while we optimise their telephony savings."

The company has also announced a 10% discount on international calls made to the 13 member countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Du Toit says this discount is the first of its kind offered to South African businesses, and is offered on Global Dial, Orion`s international LCR solution.

"The discount will enable South African companies to communicate more cost-effectively with subsidiaries and other businesses in the SADC region," he says.