ADSL - Draw Line?

Hi all

I ordered a 4mb line form Telkom and the technician comes around yesterday and says that I need to install a drawline as there isnt a connection from my unit to the box? Does anyone know what this is (drawline) and who can install it for me.

Also I asked him what are the other options other then ADSL were and he recommended W-CDMA (which from investigation is = 3G). Any comments on this?

So the questions really are:

1. What is a Drawline?
2. Do you know of someone that can assist me?
3. Comments on W-CDMA - Pricing, Reliability etc?

FYI: I am in JNB / Lonehill.
Thanks.

wtf?

Unless you live on a plaas somewhere, I call BS. Techie is probably too lazy to do the work.

Nope. If you live in a complex then the body corporate has to handle the connection (drawline) from the Telkom DB to your unit. Most new clusters/complexes put them in during construction otherwise there is digging up of paving and all that cr@p. Speak to somebody on your body corporate. Know anybody else in your complex that has a landline? Ask them.

Really, so he was supposed to do it? That is just BS. Do you have any suggestions on what to do next?

You could potentially "draw" it yourself?
Measure the distance from the box to your unit for which you will need a fish tape long enough to insert a draw wire for the Telkom Technician. It can be done. Maybe you have an Electrician friend who could help you with the tape or even put in the wire himself.

A fish tape (also known as a draw wire or draw tape) is a tool used by electricians to route new wiring through walls and electrical conduit.

soldierboi said:

Really, so he was supposed to do it? That is just BS. Do you have any suggestions on what to do next?

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You still haven't told us where you are installing this line.
- What area are you in?
- Are you in a complex?
- Are you on a farm?
- Do any of your neighbours already have Phone Lines?

MadMailMan said:

Nope. If you live in a complex then the body corporate has to handle the connection (drawline) from the Telkom DB to your unit. Most new clusters/complexes put them in during construction otherwise there is digging up of paving and all that cr@p. Speak to somebody on your body corporate. Know anybody else in your complex that has a landline? Ask them.

Click to expand...

100% correct.

BTTB said:

You could potentially "draw" it yourself?
Measure the distance from the box to your unit for which you will need a fish tape long enough to insert a draw wire for the Telkom Technician. It can be done. Maybe you have an Electrician friend who could help you with the tape or even put in the wire himself.

A fish tape (also known as a draw wire or draw tape) is a tool used by electricians to route new wiring through walls and electrical conduit.

Click to expand...

Yes, the correct name is Draw wire. THANKS!!
Guess I will have to speak to an electrician.

ToxicWazte said:

You still haven't told us where you are installing this line.
- What area are you in?
- Are you in a complex?
- Are you on a farm?
- Do any of your neighbours already have Phone Lines?

Click to expand...

1. Lonehill - Jhb
2. Yes in a complex
3. No, but have two dogs and my wife
4. yes, my neighbours two doors down has a phone line.

moggie said:

100% correct.

Click to expand...

Yep, also right.
In my complex there were quite a few units that did not have this line from the main box. Fortunately, my line was there.
However, my line was to the entrance of my unit but not the the phone. So i had to ask the builders to install it (basically pull it).

Cool. I will call my electrician and Body Corporate and get it sorted.

Thanks for all the help, it much appreciated.

I've also experienced this problem. The techie came out to my complex, but said there is no draw line, and the distance from my unit to where the line is located (in a manhole) is around 35m, too great for him to help me. My neighbour has ADSL, they had to flush a piece of sponge attached to fishing line down their pipe to the manhole, and pull it up themselves. I tried this, but to no avail. Contacted my body corporate, but they just ignored me. For the moment I'm stuck with 3G, which is no good for my line of work.

Is 35m too much for the fish tape thingie to help? If not, any idea where I could buy one?

I had the exact same issue in my old complex close to Lonehill. It was newly built and I was one of the first to move into the complex. When I saw the place, I asked a friend if he knows anyone in the area has Telkom ADSL, and he stated that other people in the complex that he knows has an ADSL line. When in fact it was the complex next door to me that had Telkom lines.

When I arrived and applied for ADSL, Telkom said the same thing, that there is no draw line and it's too long to reach from where the Telkom box is just outside the complex gates. Telkom said that the body corporate has to get an Telkom box installed on the premises.

When speaking to the body corporate, they said that had applied for Telkom to be install a year before they started building the complex, and Telkom have never come to the table to install Telkom lines in the unit.

The body corporate even sent out letters to everyone asking who in the complex was willing to apply for a Telkom line and only 14 out of the 60 residents responded and said they would apply. Telkom needed at least 70% of the residents (over 40 people) to apply for Telkom lines before they would even consider installing a Telkom box in the complex. After living in the complex for a year without ADSL and using my 3G modem, I decided to move out. The complex still does not have Telkom lines. Telkom @$$h0les!