Johannesburg, 29 Jul 2005
Telkom has entered into an agreement with Mecer, Intel and Microsoft to offer bundled PC-Internet packages from 1 August.
This is the first time Telkom has offered its Internet access as part of a bundled PC package.
Similar in concept to offering handsets with cellphone contracts, subscribers to the new bundled service will receive a PC and software when they sign up for one of the 36-month contracts.
Twelve options are available at connection speeds ranging from 192kbps dial-up to HomeDSL 384. The subscription costs range from R376.16 to R790.96 per month over the 36-month period, thus catering for the needs of low-end PC users to advanced gamers.
Telkom Business executive Rikus Matthyser launched the 12 new "Tower Bundles", at the Telkom National Business Solution Centre this morning.
"A big driver for the offering is that PC penetration in South Africa is less than 8% and Webcheck shows that growth has only been 2,5% over the past five years," says Matthyser.
The bundle is an attempt to bridge the digital divide through an increased penetration of PCs per household and stimulate Internet usage, he adds.
The Tower Bundles are targeted at the Living Standard Measure (LSM) 7- 10. Users must already have a relevant telecoms infrastructure.
All the Tower Bundles include a PC, software, virus protection, home line, Internet access and surfing minutes, but users can use an alternative ISP if they want to. Users can buy out of the contracts and in principle, if there are further price cuts this will be taken into account, explains Matthyser.
"The package will also include complete installation, as we don`t see price as the only inhibitor against Internet uptake," says Matthyser. "A big factor is that people can`t actually set up the computers for Internet use, so this will include all that," he adds.
"We are not solving economic problems in SA, but providing services to those who can afford them," says Rikus Matthyser.
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