Free Telkom calls

NOTE: This deal is not so great if you are using dialup or ISDN.

When I read about the Telkom CLOSER packages, way back when they were first introduced, I was pretty skeptical. You actually payed more for standard time calls, you couldn’t use Infinitcall with it, and you still payed normal rates to your dial in to your dialup ISP. You can read more about CLOSER in the past in this article written June 2006: http://www.grandtrunk.za.org/telkom-closer/

Today, you still pay standard dialup rates, and cannot use InfinitCall, but that doesn’t really matter anymore if you have ADSL (Which is now becoming affordable at around R200p/m).

Advantages of CLOSER 2:

Monthly Charge of R145 includes:

• Home Line Rental - R111.90
• Call Answer - R9.85
• 30 local standard time minutes - R11.412
• Unlimited “free” local and long-distance callmore calls (up to an hour)

How does it compare with standard line rental?

Notes:
* CLOSER 2 local calls are 5c per/minute more expensive than a standard line. But since you have 30 “free” local minutes, you will only start paying more after talking more than 260 minutes (4.3 hours).
** Free up to an hour. Just put down the phone and dial again!
Internet dial-up calls, international calls, Premium rated calls (0862 & 0867) and calls to mobile numbers are always charged at normal rates.

Summary:
If you limit the amount of time you spend on the phone during peak time to less than 10 hours per month, and call people at their home instead of on their cell, you can enjoy “free” local and long-distance calls after 7pm. With a bit of planning, you can cut your phone bill to under R200 per month.

Further Reading:
You can read more about the other CLOSER plans here and here.
Call charge rates were obtained here