All change for phone cards on Praslin and La Digue

Cable & Wireless Seychelles Ltd announced today that the company will be installing fourteen new payphones on Praslin and four on La Digue, as part of a second phase project which started last year on Mahe to further improve service to customers. The company will be investing over SR450,000.00 in the upgrading of its telephone service on these two islands.

The new type of payphones is referred to as 'combi' i.e. a combined card and coin operated system. These new phones will be installed over a period of one month starting from 5th August, 2002 to 30th August, 2002.

It is important to note that the new 'combi' system uses phone cards with embedded chips instead of the old magnetic strip ones. The new phone cards, which are already in use on Mahe, will be sold on Praslin as from 5th August 2002 and as from the 16th August on La Digue.

During this transitional period, Cable & Wireless Seychelles Ltd has set up a refund point at its Grand Anse, Praslin and its Anse Reunion, La Digue Customer Services Centres. Over a period of two months from 5th August, 2002 until 5th October, 2002, customers finding themselves in possession of an unused or partially used magnetic strip card, will be refunded for their unused units.

Mr Peter Durup, the project manager said: "As the primary provider for telecommunications within the local communities, the company is enhancing its payphones with the aim of ensuring good quality service to all customers. The payphones that are being installed make a positive difference to people lives where no other means of telecommunication is available. Cable & Wireless Seychelles Ltd would like to remind the public that vandalism of payphones cost lives and encourages the public to work in partnership with them to look after the payphones."