IM2 News

e-billing service has the potential to reduce paper consumption by 400 reams per month



Jakarta, 22 April 2008 – In conjunction with Earth Day on the 22 April together with revitalizing Indonesia’s forest and the world’s climate Issue, PT Indosat Mega Media (IndosatM2), the leader in providing internet services and multimedia services in Indonesia, has launched the ’Let’s Go Green’ program with its first initiative of the e-billing service which is much more affordable and environmentally friendly. With e-billing, customer accounts will be sent via electronic mail/e-mail to the customer’s designated e-mail address, without any paper usage.

As reported, the rapid deforestization and degradation of Indonesia’s forests is among the highest in the world. Based on Satellite imaging assumptions, in 2000-2005 the level of forest devastation reached 1.188 million hectares/year, with a total of forest degradation as large as 59.6 million hectares/year (source: Forest Registry and Mapping Center, Dephut, 2003). One motive why trees are taken away from the forests is for the base material of making paper.

The transition of going towards delivering billing statements from conventional to e-billing via email will result in paper efficiency which in turn use less trees. Usually within one month the printing of billing statements requires at least 400 reams per month. Therefore, through e-billing, IndosatM2 customers have the potential to reduce paper consumption of 400 reams per month or indirectly saving 3 trees per month. If this initiative can produce a positive impact and can be implemented by other companies or individuals, this could reduce the rapid deforestization.

“Through e-billing, we we try and invite the community, especially for IndosatM2 customers, to be more thoughtful in protecting their own environment. We hope that E-billing can help reduce the consumption of paper and indirectly reduce the logging of our forests.” said Indar Atmanto, President Director IndosatM2.

“Together with the use of the internet which is estimated to reach 27 million users in 2008, we also hope that many would take advantage of this e-billing service.” Added Indar Atmanto.

e-billing service will be a standard service for 3.5G Broadband internet and Internet Dial-up which will commence in April 2008 for new customers and in July 2008 for existing customers.

Other than saving Indonesia’s forest by reducing paper usage , e-billing also offers other benefits such as quick delivery process without the issue of overdue payments due to late delivery. IndosatM2 technological system will ensure that the billing statement will be delivered directly to the customer and maintaining confidentiality. With e-billing, customers can also feel more at ease because they can view their bill whenever and where ever they please and with the ease of storing it in their PC for future reference.

To have the e-billing service, customers will not be charged with extra fees for instance if the bill was sent via courier. Customers have the freedom of choice of which billing method they prefer. IndosatM2 provides online customer self-service by logging in to http://www.indosatm2.com to choose which billing service they prefer and make any changes to their delivery address. Customers can also view their billing statement on the website using a user name and password which can be accessed in the IM2 Account menu for 3.5G customers.



‘Let’s Go Green’ donation program

IndosatM2 initiative doesn’t end with the e-billing service. The cost allocated for sending billing statements via mail, will be collected by IndosatM2 and later be donated for the purpose of revitalizing the environment and the forest.

By choosing the e-billing service, customers have in fact contributed as much as Rp. 500/statement. The period of collecting the funds will coincide with the e-billing service period, that is new Dial-up & 3G will be introduced as of the May 2008 billing statement, where as for existing customers, it will start as of the luy 2008 through to the December 2008 billing statement.

In disbursing the donation, IndosatM2 together with Community Organizations who have special interests in protecting the environment such as Forest Conservation, Revitalization of mangrove forests and alike.

To go even further into e-billing, Indar Atmanto expresses “With e-billing, this will not stop forest logging. However, we have provided an alternative way to anticipate the rapid forest devastation. We invite the whole ICT community and Indonesia, let’s save trees by doing the little things.”

IndosatM2 is committed in supporting the efforts to save Indonesia’s forests through innovative products and services packaged with the ‘Let’s Go Green’ program.