Have you ever run out of airtime when you need it the most? Whether you want to make an urgent call, send a text message, or browse the internet, running out of airtime can be frustrating and inconvenient. Fortunately, if you are a Telkom customer in South Africa, you can borrow airtime from Telkom and pay it back later. This service is called Telkom Emergency Airtime or Telkom Advance Airtime, and it allows you to get up to R50 of extra airtime when you have less than R2 in your account. In this blog post, we will show you how to borrow airtime from Telkom, how to repay it, and how to check your balance. We will also answer some frequently asked questions about this service.
How to Borrow Airtime from Telkom
Borrowing airtime from Telkom is easy and convenient. You can do it using any of the following methods:
- Dialing a USSD code
- Using the Telkom app
- Using the Telkom website
- Sending an SMS
Dialing a USSD code
The simplest and fastest way to borrow airtime from Telkom is to dial a USSD code on your phone. A USSD code is a short code that starts with a star (*) and ends with a hash (#). To borrow airtime from Telkom using a USSD code, follow these steps:
- Dial *180# on your phone and press the call button.
- Select option 2 (Emergency Top Up) from the menu that appears on your screen.
- Select option 1 (Get Emergency Airtime) from the next menu.
- Choose the amount of airtime you want to borrow from the list of options. You can borrow R5, R10, R20, or R50 of airtime, depending on your eligibility.
- Confirm your request by selecting option 1 (Yes).
- You will receive a confirmation message on your screen and via SMS, telling you that your request has been successful and how much airtime you have borrowed.
Using the Telkom app
Another way to borrow airtime from Telkom is to use the Telkom app on your smartphone. The Telkom app is a free and convenient way to manage your Telkom account, buy airtime and data, check your balances, and access other services. To borrow airtime from Telkom using the Telkom app, follow these steps:
- Download and install the Telkom app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store, if you haven’t already.
- Open the Telkom app and log in with your Telkom mobile number and PIN, or register if you are a new user.
- Tap on the “More” icon at the bottom right corner of the app.
- Tap on “Emergency Top Up” from the list of options.
- Tap on “Get Emergency Airtime” and choose the amount of airtime you want to borrow from the list of options. You can borrow R5, R10, R20, or R50 of airtime, depending on your eligibility.
- Confirm your request by tapping on “Yes”.
- You will receive a confirmation message on your screen and via SMS, telling you that your request has been successful and how much airtime you have borrowed.
Using the Telkom website
You can also borrow airtime from Telkom using the Telkom website on your computer or mobile browser. The Telkom website is a secure and convenient way to access your Telkom account, buy airtime and data, check your balances, and access other services. To borrow airtime from Telkom using the Telkom website, follow these steps:
- Visit the Telkom website at https://www.telkom.co.za/ and log in with your Telkom mobile number and password, or register if you are a new user.
- Click on the “My Account” tab at the top of the website.
- Click on the “Emergency Top Up” link on the left side of the page.
- Click on the “Get Emergency Airtime” button and choose the amount of airtime you want to borrow from the list of options. You can borrow R5, R10, R20, or R50 of airtime, depending on your eligibility.
- Confirm your request by clicking on “Yes”.
- You will receive a confirmation message on your screen and via SMS, telling you that your request has been successful and how much airtime you have borrowed.
Sending an SMS
The last method to borrow airtime from Telkom is to send an SMS to a short code. This method is useful if you don’t have internet access or if you prefer to use text messages. To borrow airtime from Telkom using an SMS, follow these steps:
- Send an SMS with the word “YES” to 147 from your Telkom mobile number.
- You will receive an SMS with a list of options for the amount of airtime you can borrow. You can borrow R5, R10, R20, or R50 of airtime, depending on your eligibility.
- Reply to the SMS with the number of the option you want to choose. For example, if you want to borrow R10 of airtime, reply with “2”.
- You will receive a confirmation SMS, telling you that your request has been successful and how much airtime you have borrowed.
How to Repay Telkom Emergency Airtime
When you borrow airtime from Telkom, you have to repay it within 30 days. The repayment amount includes the borrowed airtime plus a service fee of 10%. For example, if you borrow R10 of airtime, you have to repay R11. The service fee is charged to cover the cost of providing the emergency airtime service.
You can repay Telkom emergency airtime using any of the following methods:
- Buying airtime or data bundles from Telkom or any other retailer.
- Receiving airtime or data transfers from another Telkom customer.
- Receiving airtime or data rewards from Telkom promotions or competitions.
When you repay Telkom emergency airtime, the repayment amount is deducted from your airtime or data balance automatically. You will receive an SMS notification, telling you that your repayment has been successful and how much balance you have left.
How to Check Your Telkom Emergency Airtime Balance
You can check your Telkom emergency airtime balance using any of the following methods:
- Dialing *188# on your phone and pressing the call button. You will see your emergency airtime balance on your screen.
- Using the Telkom app or website and clicking on the “Emergency Top Up” option. You will see your emergency airtime balance on your screen.
- Sending an SMS with the word “BALANCE” to 147 from your Telkom mobile number. You will receive an SMS with your emergency airtime balance.
Frequently Asked Questions about Telkom Emergency Airtime
Here are some of the most common questions and answers about Telkom emergency airtime:
Who is eligible for Telkom emergency airtime?
Telkom emergency airtime is available to all Telkom prepaid and top-up customers who have been active on the Telkom network for at least 6 months. You also need to have less than R2 in your airtime balance to qualify for emergency airtime.
How much airtime can I borrow from Telkom?
You can borrow up to R50 of airtime from Telkom, depending on your eligibility. The amount of airtime you can borrow is based on your usage history and repayment behavior. The more you use and repay Telkom emergency airtime, the more you can borrow.
How often can I borrow airtime from Telkom?
You can borrow airtime from Telkom as often as you need, as long as you repay your previous emergency airtime within 30 days. You can only have one emergency airtime request at a time. You cannot borrow more airtime until you repay your existing emergency airtime.
Can I use Telkom emergency airtime for any service?
Yes, you can use Telkom emergency airtime for any service, such as voice calls, SMS, data, or international calls. However, you cannot use Telkom emergency airtime to buy airtime or data bundles, transfer airtime or data to another Telkom customer, or enter Telkom promotions or competitions.
Can I borrow airtime from Telkom if I have an existing debt?
No, you cannot borrow airtime from Telkom if you have an existing debt with Telkom or any other service provider. You need to clear your debt before you can access Telkom emergency airtime.
How can I block Telkom emergency airtime?
If you don’t want to use Telkom emergency airtime, you can block it using any of the following methods:
- Dialing *180# on your phone and pressing the call button. Select option 2 (Emergency Top Up) from the menu that appears on your screen. Select option 3 (Block Emergency Airtime) from the next menu. Confirm your request by selecting option 1 (Yes).
- Using the Telkom app or website and clicking on the “Emergency Top Up” option. Click on the “Block Emergency Airtime” button and confirm your request by clicking on “Yes”.
- Sending an SMS with the word “BLOCK” to 147 from your Telkom mobile number. You will receive a confirmation SMS, telling you that your request has been successful and that you have blocked Telkom emergency airtime.
You can unblock Telkom emergency airtime at any time using the same methods, but replacing the word “BLOCK” with “UNBLOCK”.
Conclusion
Telkom emergency airtime is a useful and convenient service that allows you to borrow airtime from Telkom when you run out of it. You can use it for any service, such as voice calls, SMS, data, or international calls. You can borrow up to R50 of airtime, depending on your eligibility, and repay it within 30 days with a 10% service fee. You can borrow airtime from Telkom using any of the following methods:
- Dialing *180# on your phone and pressing the call button.
- Using the Telkom app on your smartphone.
- Using the Telkom website on your computer or mobile browser.
- Sending an SMS with the word “YES” to 147 from your Telkom mobile number.
You can also check your Telkom emergency airtime balance, block or unblock the service, and find answers to frequently asked questions using the same methods. Telkom emergency airtime is available to all Telkom prepaid and top-up customers who have been active on the Telkom network for at least 6 months and have less than R2 in their airtime balance.
We hope this blog post has helped you understand how to borrow airtime from Telkom in South Africa. If you have any questions or feedback, please leave a comment below or contact us. Thank you for reading and happy borrowing! 😊
