Telkom is upgrading two of its fixed line prepaid voice services, Waya-Waya and PrepaidFone, from copper to a wireless Fixed-Line-Look-Alike (FLLA) service.

According to a statement released by the South African telecommunications services provider its mobile prepaid customers will not be affected by the move.

"Fixed line prepaid is a voice-only service provided over copper lines, which are vulnerable to disruption due to lighting, rain and cable theft. Consequently, Telkom is revamping prepaid products to take advantage of new technology, and the current format will no longer be supported," the company said.

Customers affected by the change will retain their numbers and prepaid wallet balances, and will receive a fixed-line-look-alike device to use at no additional charge.

"We're giving customers a more reliable product with the same functionality they've enjoyed in the past and the freedom to control their spending upfront. At the same time, we're looking at additional entry-level prepaid products that work on wireless infrastructure," said Attila Vitai, MD of Telkom Retail.