LOUIS TRICHARDT - Telkom has reassured its customers that no extra costs are levied for either using or not using the 10-digit dialing system for calls within local exchange areas.

This announcement follows an influx of queries in this regard, mainly stemming from damaging and false-mail messages that are being sent and forwarded between local companies and individuals.

The latest rumour is that Telkom is charging an additional 77 or 75 cents per call if a person phones a landline call without using the area code first.

"This is totally incorrect," said Telkom's Managing Executive for Consumer Sales and Marketing Thami Magazi.

"A local call is any call within a 50 kilometer radius and the call charge is the same regardless of whether the user has dialed the area prefix or not."

The planned introduction of 10-digit dialing for fixed-line telecommunications users by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has fuelled a number of urban myths regarding its cost and the timing of its introduction.

Magazi explained that Telkom was running the 10-digit dialing system in parallel to the seven-digit dialing system, following an announcement by ICASA in April this year that the implementation of the 10-digit dialing system would be postponed for six months after regulations had been promulgated.

"Only once the regulations have been promulgated will we have a firm date for the implementation of the 10-digit dialing. Until then, Telkom will continue to run both systems in parallel so that our customers can become accustomed to dialing the three-digit prefix ahead of the seven-digit number for all local calls to fixed-line numbers," said Magazi. He reiterated that no additional charges are levied for using or not using the three-digit prefix.

The national 10-digit dialing system is part of ICASA's numbering plan and once implemented, it will increase number capacity especially in the metropolitan areas and bring fixed-line dialing in line with the 10-digit standard used by mobile operators.