Telkom Rant - Drop ADSL Speed/Move ADSL Line/Drop ADSL Cap

Hi, All

Sorry, I just had to get this rant off my chest...

I bought a flat (Transfer went through at the beginning of last month), and will be bringing my long distance girlfriend of 3 years up to Johannesburg from Cape Town to live with me. Obviously, money is a huge problem for us at the outset, but I still want my broadband. So we decided we needed the following things done:

1. Move my ADSL line from my current premises to the flat
2. Drop the ADSL line speed from 512k to 192k
3. Drop my cap at TelkomInternet from 3gb/month to 2gb/month (I personally never use more than 500MB anyway, so the other 2.5GB is just for the benefit of the rest of my family)

I phoned Telkom just after the transfer on my flat had gone through, requesting that my residential line (Including ADSL) be moved from my current premises to the flat. I mentioned that I needed it to be in effect on Monday the 6th of March. I was told that it was too early to request a move for that date, and that I should phone back on the 3rd of March. wtf??! Nonetheless, I accepted it begrudgingly, and forgot about it.
On the 20th of February, I phoned to request a reduction in line speed. This order was logged, and I noticed a dramatic reduction in speed as of Monday night. I thought cool! At the same time, I asked again about moving my line, and AGAIN I was told that it's too early, and I should phone back later to the time! again.
Yesterday, I phoned to request my line to be moved, and was told that it would not be possible to have it done by Monday, as it would take 4 to 6 weeks!! I freaked out and yelled and screamed and swore at the poor lady on the other end (It's obviously not her fault, as I'd never spoken to her before), demanding to know why I had been told around 6 weeks ago that it was too early to phone! What's more, I can't place the order now, because the previous order (For my line speed to be reduced) is not "open" on their system (In fact, it's only due to be done today - but I can SWEAR it was done on Monday already!). They are apparantly not able to log a call while there is one still open, due to "limitations" in the software. I've never heard of such a thing in my life, but anyway...

Oh well, the reduction in cap should go smoothly, right? Well, yes and no. TelkomInternet can do that with immediate effect, by simply cancelling my existing account and opening a new one with a lower cap. Unfortunately, this can only be done through their Cape Town servers, which have been offline since yesterday because of power outages. OK, that's not the poor front-line techie's fault, but it does add insult to injury.

*sigh*

Thanks for letting me get all that off my chest. I feel marginally better now, even with the knowledge that I will not have a phone line (Much less an Internet connection) at home for the next month or so.

Cheers
Nocturne

Update for anyone who's interested:

On Monday the 6th of March 2006, I phoned again to request that my line be moved (I phoned 0800 375 375). I was told to simply send a fax with the telephone number, and the old and new addresses. I did so.

Today, I phoned to find out what's happening with my application (0800 375 375, option 2). The lady there (Didn't catch her name) could find no record of my application, and so put me through to customer sales. At customer sales, I spoke to Kagiso. She found my fax, and was confirming my details when we got cut off.
I phoned back, same procedure. Got put through to customer sales, and spoke to a Graham. Graham found my fax, confirmed my details, and wanted to put me through to another department so that they could give me an order number. He put me through to a fax number.

Holding for ~ 15 minutes each time. *sigh* I'll try again later. I'm at work, and really don't have time to hang on the phone for Telkom all day. And, obviously, I don't have a phone line at home (That's what I'm trying to organise, ffs!), so I can only phone from work.

Cheers
Nocturne

Sounds like you are in the 1% of lucky people - at least they found your fax....

Your GF must really love you to agree to move up to Joeys from Cape Town!!

When we moved it was *to* a house that already had ADSL, so no installation worries there. But I had to pay plensch for the (a) change of subscriber on the line in the new house and (b) change of number on the new line to the number from our old house (lucky both lines are on the same exchange).

She does, TheCynick, and I love her. Thanks!

Well, I've already confirmed with Telkom that the house and the flat are on the same exchange, so it will HOPEFULLY not be a problem to get ADSL at the flat. But then the lines from the exchange TO the flat may not be compliant...

Phoned 0800 375 375 again (This time selecting option 1 as I seem to get through quicker).
Again, they have no record of my fax. However, they were unable to transfer me to anyone. I was told to phone 0800 204 993, as that is the department where all the faxes go through. I called that number, and spoke to a gentleman by the name of Danie. Danie also has no record of my fax. He says that all new faxes go to the Durban branch! He gave me the number for the Durban branch on (031) 363 3493, and said I should speak to a lady by the name of Pamela. This is Pamela's direct line, so I got straight through to her. She flatly denies that she is the person who receives faxes for line relocations.
However, she asked me to fax the request again, to her personal fax line (Which I shall not publish here out of respect for the lady), and she would deal with it personally.
Pamela sounds like a manager of some sort, so hopefully she'll be able to help me.

We'll see what happens...

Nocturne said:

Phoned 0800 375 375 again (This time selecting option 1 as I seem to get through quicker).
Again, they have no record of my fax. However, they were unable to transfer me to anyone. I was told to phone 0800 204 993, as that is the department where all the faxes go through. I called that number, and spoke to a gentleman by the name of Danie. Danie also has no record of my fax. He says that all new faxes go to the Durban branch! He gave me the number for the Durban branch on (031) 363 3493, and said I should speak to a lady by the name of Pamela. This is Pamela's direct line, so I got straight through to her. She flatly denies that she is the person who receives faxes for line relocations.
However, she asked me to fax the request again, to her personal fax line (Which I shall not publish here out of respect for the lady), and she would deal with it personally.
Pamela sounds like a manager of some sort, so hopefully she'll be able to help me.

We'll see what happens...

Click to expand...

Seems I spoke to soon ... welcome to the other 99%

Just phoned Pamela again... She has no memory of me or my fax. She wanted to "put me through to one of the consultants", and while I was holding, I got cut off.

welcome to the world of telkom. it sucks - but you can't do anything about it. we are a law of our own - we reign supreme. we will ensure every customer is abused, confused and ripped off

we suck and we love it

The problem I have with ur rant is that it all seems normal to me and not at all surprised...sigh

Note to self if I ever relocate: Rather cancel ADSL completely, reorder and pay R400 for installation than try to move the ADSL line.

Note to AdLo: Be sure to order the line at least 6 weeks in advance otherwise u left to stare at ur wall every night when u first move in.

note to derekc - read the post:

I freaked out and yelled and screamed and swore at the poor lady on the other end (It's obviously not her fault, as I'd never spoken to her before), demanding to know why I had been told around 6 weeks ago that it was too early to phone!

Click to expand...

Thanks Kilo39

note to self: Telkom is a prime specimen of proof of Murphy's Law.

Phoned again. Again they have no record of my fax. Bridget at 0800 375 375 said I should phone 0800 237 500. On the phone right now with an Amira. No record of my fax, but she can't understand why they would have told me to fax my request, as I could have just phoned them. Unfortunately, she can't place my order. Guess what? That old order (On the 20th of Feb) to have my line speed reduced is STILL pending on their system!!

Right now, she has me holding while she tries to speak to someone with the authority to clear that order, and then she can take my order to have the lines moved. She's confirmed that the new address is on the same exchange, so keeping my number won't be a problem. They still need to do conformance testing though, which could STILL take the 4 to 6 weeks originally quoted.

Will post an update later.

Off the phone with Amira.

She got hold of someone with the authority to SEE that that job has in fact been done, but not cleared. However, he does not have the authority to CLEAR it. He gave her another number to phone. She tried, but the number he gave her was a fax number (I know that one quite well)!! So she phoned the first guy back to ask for a surname, so she can look him up in their Exchange database. She has sent him an e-mail, and has promised to get back to me tomorrow.

Who wants to open the betting on whether she's going to get back to me or not?

Solution: Pray to the good lord that you are covered with one of the wireless' networks, sign up, wait until the SNO opens up at year end (yeah right), and screw telkom where it hurts.

I had thought of just cancelling the line and going wireless. But I have two concerns with that:

1. Telkom will take 4 months (AT LEAST) to process my cancellation because of their incompetence, and they'll bill me all the way anyway, and
2. Don't want to sign any contracts for internet access, and not sure if I can afford to invest in a wireless modem right now (Especially if Telkom still bills me for my line anyway, as above). What do they cost these days?

Cheers
Nocturne

Well, firstly, if telkom bills you after you have cancelled, who says you have to pay? let them cut your line off, you don't even use it.

As for wireless, i think all the wireless providers (cept voda and mtn ofcourse) offer month-to-month contracts, so as not to keep you tied down

Hi, Guys

You're not going to believe this one!!

The ADSL connection at the house (Which is STILL at the house because I am unable to place an order to get it transferred to the flat, blah blah blah) is still being used by my dad and brothers, until I can get it moved.

Well, last week the line was giving problems, so I went home to sort it out. The modem sync light is flashing, and no amount of unplugging or rebooting would sort it out. So I phoned ADSL support (0800 375 375). After confirming that my TelkomInternet wasn't capped, and that they couldn't offer me any other suggestions, they proceeded to try and log the fault...

They can't even log a fault because the request to reduce my line speed is still on their system!!!!!! What's more, the "Orders" department was closed on Friday afternoon, so they couldn't put me through to anyone who might be able to clear that order from the system.

*sigh* This has got to be the most inefficient company I have ever has the mispleasure of dealing with. And I'm almost tempted to INCLUDE goverment departments in that estimation.

So now, if they don't get that order cleared this month, nobody will get ANY use from my ADSL this month, in which case you can bet your bottom dollar I won't be paying them for April.

Cheers
Nocturne