Frequently Asked Questions

The following are typical questions that you might ask pertaining to the Internet based eBDN system. Please refer to: www.postoffice.co.za/ebdn and select the FAQ link. What is the eBDN and how can I benefit from this service? Should you wish to make use of the eBDN, whether you are an existing or a new customer please follow the following quick and easy steps and you will soon be able to make use of this service. The eBDN system The electronic bulk mail delivery note system or the eBDN system was developed to support posting and payment of bulk mail by customers by electronifying the current paper-based (manual) bulk mail delivery note book. Customers are required to post their bulk mail by accessing the eBDN website where digital certification exchange takes place and where they are required to complete the electronic bulk mail delivery note. The eBDN is captured in the form of a sales order and the customer must then post their mail at the time and on the date as indicated on the sales order. Customers can also view their eBDNs, invoices and statements, and a payment facility (of consignment invoices) is also offered. This function will be available towards the end of 2003. Benefits of using the eBDN system to you, our most valued customer The eBDN allows all bulk mail customers to post their mail in the comfort of their own premises in advance. This function also assists customers to plan their consignments in advance and to dispatch them electronically. The eBDN is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The eBDN caters for account postings as well as the posting of prepaid bulk mail items (such as franked mail and prepaid envelopes). The eBDN cannot be completed incorrectly as it is systems-driven and all rates, product codes, et cetera are kept in the customer master file. Customers are offered the added convenience of being able to quote (calculate their postal charges) before creating an order. Customers can be billed and invoiced electronically. Customers can view their eBDNs, invoices and statements, and pay for their bulk mail postings electronically. Customers can print as many copies of the eBDN as they prefer for their own administrative purposes (mail room, finance, et cetera) at their site. All transactions will be legal and valid and the system also offers restricted access to eBDNs. The system verifies the availability of credit. Where customers use mailing houses to administer their mail and consignments, the customer (originator of the mail) will still be able to view and pay for their electronic postings. Although credit card payment of bulk mail will be introduced first, an electronic fund transfer function will be introduced in the foreseeable future. Access is restricted (confidentiality) to eBDNs due to a secure connection between the customer and the Post Office. Whom may I contact to tell me more about the service? Please contact your regional sales manager at Western Cape (021) 590 5553 Eastern Cape (041) 508 4223 KwaZulu-Natal (031) 336 3582 Central Provinces (051) 402 4011 Witwatersrand (011) 495 0691 Northern Region (012) 339 7144 How do I apply for the service? Contact your regional sales manager (as in 2 above) or follow the Getting Started link. What operating systems and browsers do the eBDN support? Operating systems supported: Win95, Win98, WinNT and Win2000. Browsers supported: IE 4.0 and higher, Netscape 4.0 and higher and AOL 4.0 and higher. An Internet e-mail facility What is the South African Post Office's position on privacy? Does the South African Post Office guarantee security? Based on the South African Post Office's Service Disclosure Agreement, our position is as follows: "Any customer information and data entrusted to the South African Post Office and its affiliates are confidential. The South African Post Office will take the necessary and reasonable security measures to protect member security and confidentiality." What help is available on line? On-line help is available in the form of: Frequently Asked Questions - answers to your common questions about the eBDN A Getting Started Guide.   » Click here. Follow the getting started link. The Product Guide.   » Click here. Follow the user's guide link. Whom do I call if I cannot find an answer to my question on line? If on-line help is unable to answer your question, feel free to contact our Customer Information Centre on 0860 262 262 or 0860 BMC BMC > Bulk Mail Customer. Are there additional costs to using the service? No, the eBDN is offered to you free of charge by the South African Post Office. However, you will be charged additional costs should you register for the bill presentment and payment service. Please also refer to www.postoffice.co.za for the latest postal rates. What do I do when the Internet is off line? Contact your Internet Service Provider. Complete a bulk mail delivery note in the BDN book obtainable from the Post Office. Contact your regional sales manager (as in 2 above). I can log on to the Internet, but cannot access the eBDN website. Contact your Internet Service Provider, or Should the eBDN website not be available, you can be assured that our Information Technology Division is attending to the problem, or Complete a bulk mail delivery note in the BDN book obtainable from the Post Office. Contact your regional sales manager (as in 2 above). What are the minimum and maximum amounts or number of items I can complete per eBDN? Refer to the Bulk Mail Guide   » Click here. What products does the Post Office offer? Refer to the Product Guide » Click here.. What happens if I have incorrectly completed an eBDN and want to change it? For example: The eBDN was completed and sent to the mail centre, but the consignment has changed. I have sent the incorrect consignment with an eBDN. I want to cancel an eBDN. Go to www.postoffice.co.za/ebdn/ Select the sign in button. After digital certificate exchange, select the non-conformance form link. Can I track eBDN history? Your eBDN can be viewed through bill presentment. Please contact your account manager who will register you for this service. Will I receive confirmation of the delivery of an eBDN? Our bill presentment module allows for status tracking of your order. You should also print your captured eBDN (in duplicate) before cancelling out of the transaction. The first copy should be kept for your records and the second copy should accompany your consignment. You are, however, not limited to the number of copies you want to print. What forms of payment can I use? All current payment arrangements will be honoured. However, you will soon be offered the option to pay for your bulk mail consignments with a credit card through bill presentment and payment. Can I open an account on line? No, to open an account, click here for forms. What criteria should be met to qualify for opening a bulk mail account? Customers who want to open a bulk mail account must post items of a minimum monetary value of R250 000 a year. Whom do I contact to open a bulk mail account? To open a bulk mail account, you must contact a Post Office regional sales office at one of the following telephone numbers: Western Cape (021) 590 5553 Eastern Cape (041) 508 4223 KwaZulu-Natal (031) 336 3582 Central Provinces (051) 402 4011 Witwatersrand (011) 495 0500 Northern Region (012) 339 7144 How do I update my account information? Please contact your regional Accounts Receivable Division Western Cape (021) 590 5628 Eastern Cape (041) 508 4196 KwaZulu-Natal (031) 336 3862 Central Provinces (051) 402 4018 Witwatersrand (011) 495 0645 Northern Region (012) 338 4023 Why is a deposit or bank guarantee equivalent to six weeks' mailings required? The statement for the current month's mailings is posted during the first week of the following month. On average, customers require one week to reconcile their accounts and as a result, payment is made during the second week of the following month. Therefore, on the date immediately before the payment, an average of six weeks' mailings is outstanding. Whom do I contact when I need to query my bulk mail account? Contact you regional Accounts Receivable Division at: Western Cape (021) 590 5628 Eastern Cape (041) 508 4196 KwaZulu-Natal (031) 336 3862 Central Provinces (051) 402 4018 Witwatersrand (011) 495 0645 Northern Region (012) 338 4023 What is a DC (Digital Certificate)? Digital Certificates are electronic files that act like a kind of online passport. They are issued by the Trust Center, a certificate authority (CA) of the South African Post Office, which verifies the identity of the certificate's holder. They are tamper-proof and cannot be forged. They use a private/public key technology; each key has a unique encryption code. No two keys are ever identical, which is why a key can be used to identify its owner. What is the purpose of digital certificates? Digital certificates has two functions They authenticate that their holders - people, web sites, and even network resources such as routers - are truly who or what they claim to be. They protect data exchanged online from theft or tampering How do I obtain a digital certificate? You can obtain a digital certificate by applying for one within our Technology division. Call our Customer Support Desk on 0800-123-711 to log a call. How do I install a DC? There is a manual attached for the installation of the certificate which is sent to each person receiving the digital certificates. Call our Customer Support Desk on 0800-123-711 for more information. What operating system should I be running to be able to install a digital certificate? Windows 98 and higher.

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