Telkom Cable Issues

[Creative-Designs]

I know you guys are the only ones who'd be able to give me realistic, level-headed advice. I'm honestly at such a brick wall, that I can't think straight!

I've had ADSL at home for about 6 months now.. Line is with Telkom, ADSL is with MWEB. All of a sudden the thing is struck by lightning very suddenly (well, we think this was the case, but the modem was never tested).. I go out, buy a new modem/router thing.. and it's like really really REALLY slow!!! Eventually Mweb escalates this to Telkom.. Wait another week and a half for Telkom to eventually come out to check out the problem. The guy eventually tells us that he can't find where the cable is going thru the wall, but he thinks that the cable (most likely in the garden) is coroded, and therefore the water and other crap is touching the wires, and thus preventing good (any) signal..

telkom says that because we live in an estate, it's up to them to fix anything OUTSIDE of our garden wall.. Anything within our garden is our problem to repair. He says it will cost us between 3k-5k to get a new cable laid. Nevermind the fact that they would need to drill a massive hole thru our kitchen wall from the outside to be able to connect with the cable/outlet already there.

Ok, sooooooooo, i'm not paying this price for the new cable.. I'm looking at other solutions. Apparently Neotel doesn't have data coverage in my area. I've just called iBurst and they tell me that I will probably get max speeds of 100kbs.. Not acceptable for obvious reasons. Also, there is no guarantee that even buying a flat panel antenna will do the trick. the rude woman tells me i'm taking a risk - there are no refunds etc.. NICE!

Ok, clearly 3G is not an option. It's costing me an absolute fortune for only 600MB per month with Vodacom.. So what other options do I have???? this is driving me INSANE!!!!!!

Any suggestions? Pretty please?

[Yotch]

Have you looked at Telkom WiMax or one of the Cell C packages?

[Creative-Designs]

Didn't know Wimax existed. Been trying to find info about it, but unfortunately all the Telkom pages referring to it are broken.. Does it even still exist?

[durbandave]

I know you guys are the only ones who'd be able to give me realistic, level-headed advice. I'm honestly at such a brick wall, that I can't think straight!

I've had ADSL at home for about 6 months now.. Line is with Telkom, ADSL is with MWEB. All of a sudden the thing is struck by lightning very suddenly (well, we think this was the case, but the modem was never tested).. I go out, buy a new modem/router thing.. and it's like really really REALLY slow!!! Eventually Mweb escalates this to Telkom.. Wait another week and a half for Telkom to eventually come out to check out the problem. The guy eventually tells us that he can't find where the cable is going thru the wall, but he thinks that the cable (most likely in the garden) is coroded, and therefore the water and other crap is touching the wires, and thus preventing good (any) signal..

telkom says that because we live in an estate, it's up to them to fix anything OUTSIDE of our garden wall.. Anything within our garden is our problem to repair. He says it will cost us between 3k-5k to get a new cable laid. Nevermind the fact that they would need to drill a massive hole thru our kitchen wall from the outside to be able to connect with the cable/outlet already there.

Ok, sooooooooo, i'm not paying this price for the new cable.. I'm looking at other solutions. Apparently Neotel doesn't have data coverage in my area. I've just called iBurst and they tell me that I will probably get max speeds of 100kbs.. Not acceptable for obvious reasons. Also, there is no guarantee that even buying a flat panel antenna will do the trick. the rude woman tells me i'm taking a risk - there are no refunds etc.. NICE!

Ok, clearly 3G is not an option. It's costing me an absolute fortune for only 600MB per month with Vodacom.. So what other options do I have???? this is driving me INSANE!!!!!!

Any suggestions? Pretty please?

See if there are any non large Wireless ISP's in the area........ They could probably give you a wireless connection to your place at decent speeds. In Cape Town I have that type of setup and getting speeds of up to 6Mb/s both upload and download with very low latency.

[Creative-Designs]

im in joburg. I havent a cooking clue what to even search for :(
Have been holding for Telkom for ages to try get info about Wimax :(

[durbandave]

Just try get a 5Ghz radio and antenna then scan for signals. There SSID will probably tell you what wireless ISP's are available in the area. Most of the smaller WISPS will use this range of frequencies.

[MickeyD]

im in joburg. I havent a cooking clue what to even search for :(
Have been holding for Telkom for ages to try get info about Wimax :(
Suburb? Some kind person will then be able assist you in your quest!

[stricken]

move to hong kong?

[Creative-Designs]

People see my area differently.. Either Bloubosrand ext 2 or Johannesburg North. Road name: Oosterland Avenue. We're in the Estate right at the end of the road

[Creative-Designs]

Good news is that I managed to get hold of someone at telkom in the Fault reporting side of things. Have explained this situation.. The guy says it cannot possibly be for the client to pull thru a new cable from the manhole to the house. He is currently on the line with me, and another woman who is looking into this situation.. here's crossing fingers that these wonderful people are going to help me get this situation resolved.. Will keep ya'll updated :)

[Creative-Designs]

Now apparently a certain distance from the "pole" (manhole???), laying a new cable needs to be covered by the client. Anyways, this chick has escalated the issue to her supervisor.. They've taken my mobile number and will contact me once they have got all the information from the technical dept.
I reckon that if this is in fact the case, i'm going to have a rant on hellopeter, and see if anything gets done about it.
How on Gods given earth can I be held responsible for THEIR effing cable?!?!

[MickeyD]

Now apparently a certain distance from the "pole" (manhole???), laying a new cable needs to be covered by the client. Anyways, this chick has escalated the issue to her supervisor.. They've taken my mobile number and will contact me once they have got all the information from the technical dept.
I reckon that if this is in fact the case, i'm going to have a rant on hellopeter, and see if anything gets done about it.
How on Gods given earth can I be held responsible for THEIR effing cable?!?!
Going to HP won't help as Telkom do not respond to them (at all). Rather go here: http://www.telkom.co.za/minisites/utilities
Find your region and then save/open the spreadsheet and speak to the person linked to your suburb / exchange area.

BTW: when it comes to complexes things get sticky as in many cases the complex owns the infrastructure inside the boundary walls and not Telkom.

[Creative-Designs]

Thanks! That's a massive help..
Will wait and see what these people come back with me first before calling the person you suggested.. :) I appreciate the help! Thanks so much!