Telkom - Free ADSL line promotion results in no line but an invoice for R298

I have been attempting to have an ADSL line installed at my home for more than a year.

I have given up before because telkom did not honor an appointment to install a telephone line. I wanted the line installed so I could order an ADSL line. If you do not have a line you cannot order an ADSL line and if you do not order an ADSL line there is no demand on their system to upgrade the infrastructure in your area.

When telkom announced the free ADSL promotion I thought that maybe now they are interested in providing service. Unfortunately after badgering a poor telkom employee I was finally informed that the upgrade of the infrastructure in my area is not on the budget for the current financial year and I have no hope in hell of getting service before April 2012.

I am happy to give up once again and is glad that I could get my expectations appropriately readjusted. Unfortunately tonight I discovered an invoice for this non existing service waiting for me at home. Apparently it costs R298 for telkom not to provide any service and for them to tell you that you have no hope in hell to receive any kind of service for a year. Just for the record - I do not stay in the Kalahari I stay 20km from the Johannesburg CBD close to a busy off ramp on the N12.

Incompetent morons, seriously. Don't be surprised if you have to spend painstaking hours of your time to clear that up (even though you have nothing to really lose - just so that you don't get blacklisted). THAT is typical SA service (or should I say: lack of service) for you

Anyone know: Is there no way the Consumer Protection Act could be relevant to this case ?

Yup telkom does seen confused, I'm also on that promo and have received a bill for full dsl, line and ISP, when I eventually get hold of someone I get told not to worry they currently have a problem with this promo and a credit will be passed, however I should pay the full amount just to be safe. The moron I was dealing with also could not tell me how much would be credited and when

I have managed to sort this issue out this morning in a record time of one and a half hours. The trick is not to call the normal 10210 call center but the 10217 business call center then pretend not to know what you have been billed for and refuse to be transferred. The nice lady then actually made a conference call to the billing department and sorted out the mess. My internet access was activated before the line - that was then never installed. Working in perfect cooperation the billing department cancelled the invoice while the lady form telkom business cancelled the internet access.

Lets see what happens next.