Telkom’s new mobile operator, 8ta, will introduce per-second billing for prepaid customers from 15 May. Until now, calls were billed per-minute.

“All new prepaid customers will be billed on a per-second structure,” Telkom says.

Calls will be charged at R2,75/minute in peak times and R1,12/minute off-peak, with per-second billing applying from the moment a call is initiated. The rates apply for calls to 8ta customers and users of other mobile networks.

In comparison, MTN charges R2,89/minute, billed per second, to all networks during peak times; MTN’s off-peak rate is R1,19/minute. Vodacom’s basic prepaid charge is R2,58/minute for on-network peak-time calls and R1,12 off-peak. Calls to other networks cost R2,75/minute peak and R1,30 off-peak.

Unlike rival networks, 8ta also provides “free” outgoing minutes to customers receiving incoming calls.

Calls from 8ta to Telkom landline numbers on the new per-second billing plan will cost 65c/minute, also billed per second. This is significantly cheaper than the rates charges by MTN and Vodacom.

8ta prepaid customers on per-minute billing options can switch to the per-second plan. They can also opt for a R1,50/minute all-day rate, billed per minute.

Telkom, which was criticised for charging per-minute instead of per-second rates when it launched 8ta in October last year, is expected to provide details of how well the new mobile network has performed when it publishes its annual financial results next month. — Staff reporter, TechCentral