Lawrence’s Guide to Ordering Home DSL

[ld13]

Whats to stop you from cancelling the adsl line once you got your free modem ?

Nothing

[WiseCrack]

Do2 @ R258 pm. (R152 ADSL Rental + R106 for 2GB TelkomHindernet)
R106 is not a bad price for 2GB, and afaik this account is softcapped at about 4GB.

Yes, with the Do packages you can still do the self install and get the free modem. That is If you order before the end of August or if the free modem offer gets extended (again).

Thanks for this information

Monday I'm off to my nearest Telkom shop.

When I swinged by the Telkom shop on Friday the person I spoke to said the Closer 1 option where you get installation for free ends August so just in time.

[dax]

It's now post 31 August.

How much of this article is still relevant? I know the free modem bit no longer applies, but should I still go for Closer option 1?

[Lizard]

I come to this forum hoping for some intelligent advice. Please bear with me while I tell my story. I live in "the sticks". I had a dial-up connection with a local ISP (plus Closer 2 with 80 hours free in call-more time). I applied to Telkom for an ADSL line but they said not available to this area. My ISP offered me a "special deal" on a Vodafone at R119 pm with cap of 250MB. I signed a two-year contract. I cancelled the 80 free hours with Telkom (that's a story on its own). The connection with the Vodafone is TERRIBLY slow (53.6kpbs). It now transpires that I am "off the 3G footprint" and am actually using GPRS which is why it is slow. I phoned Vodacom who said there is no hope of the 3G footprint being extended to my area within the next year. They said I should return the Vodafone to my ISP. All well and good, I feel I can cancel the contract as they are not providing what I am paying for, but where do I go from here? And at what price? I don't need anything fantastically fast as I don't play games or download videos but I don't want to sit for 10 minutes downloading a couple of photos from my grandchildren. The only benefit I have at the moment is that I can log on any time night or day. If I go back to a dial-up connection I will have to limit myself to call-more time. Advice please.

[SecretCode]

replied in your new thread

[Jase]

Thanks for the advice. If only I had read it earlier.

I discovered the expensive way that you cannot install a new line and do a self install on the DSL line. Why? Money making, the Telkom tecchie was there to install the line and did not install the DSL as I hadn't purchased the modem yet.

I eventually did a self install (duh, how hard is it to plug in a modem and a micro filter if you are going to make calls on the line).

Just got the account. A nice fat R800 odd for the installation of the line and the DSL, PLUS they charged me for Do broadband 1, when I clearly stated that I have my own ISP.

Not going to even bother phoning them, I'll just go down to the nearest telkom shop and blast spittle in some poor employees face ...

[Syndyre]

Didn't know you got free install on a closer plan, thanks, good to know. Useful advice, just hope it goes as smoothly as its supposed to.

As for self install advice, all you really need to do is plug the modem into your phone line and the wall, then you can configure it via its web-based interface, obviously connect your computer to it with either cable or wireless. And remember for every normal phone, fax etc. on the same line you'll need an ADSL microfilter, just don't put one on the modem itself!

[DarkDenim]

Where can I find a self install tutorial. I'm getting a Netgear DG834G ADSL Modem/Router in an hour. Does it come with filters or do I need to run to my closest Hellkom shop?

Hellkom took exactly 1 day to convert my phone line to ADSL

[DarkDenim]

The Netgear filter works so I'm sorted! Good bye iBurst

[TMouse]

Hello

Just one thing to add, when doing the self install you need
to verify the ADSL line via Telkom's website.

So from the top :
1. Configure your router with the User/Pass from your ISP
2. Plug into your ADSL line
3. goto www.telkom.co.za/verifyadsl
4. Put in your ADSL line number and the order number for your install
5. wait 30 min, et viola !!

If you don't verify the ADSL it won't let you use the line, regardless
of what ISP's Acc you use. It's rather confusing when you come across
this for the first time as the line syncs, you can ping, but you can only
browse Telkom's site.

note, you can do this verify from any internet connection not
just your own ADSL line. So save yourself 30 min and verify the
line before hand.

[jacqvt]

Hi, can anyone tell me if it's still correct that you pay no installation fee for the line, when going the closer 1 option? I already ordered the normal line for R124/m, and they told me I will pay a installation fee for the line. Thats why I ask. Thks

[Quad]

This guide is great! BUT how relevant is this info now over a year later (and I'm a complete ADSL noob who wants to gets sorted)?

[Shake&Bake]

Hello

Just one thing to add, when doing the self install you need
to verify the ADSL line via Telkom's website.

So from the top :
1. Configure your router with the User/Pass from your ISP
2. Plug into your ADSL line
3. goto www.telkom.co.za/verifyadsl
4. Put in your ADSL line number and the order number for your install
5. wait 30 min, et viola !!

If you don't verify the ADSL it won't let you use the line, regardless
of what ISP's Acc you use. It's rather confusing when you come across
this for the first time as the line syncs, you can ping, but you can only
browse Telkom's site.

note, you can do this verify from any internet connection not
just your own ADSL line. So save yourself 30 min and verify the
line before hand.

That last tip is very handy indeed

Hi, can anyone tell me if it's still correct that you pay no installation fee for the line, when going the closer 1 option? I already ordered the normal line for R124/m, and they told me I will pay a installation fee for the line. Thats why I ask. Thks

Closer2 I know for sure is free installation.

This guide is great! BUT how relevant is this info now over a year later (and I'm a complete ADSL noob who wants to gets sorted)?

I reckon its still very much on par, pricing on line rentals,etc may be a bit out.

What are you DSL requirements?
Cap size?
Gamer/browser/email? What's more important?
What line speed are you looking at?
Need local access as well? If so, how much?

[Quad]

What are you DSL requirements?
Cap size?
Gamer/browser/email? What's more important?
What line speed are you looking at?
Need local access as well? If so, how much?

I would start with 1GB
Looking at the 384kbs line
Would use it for gaming (PS3 & Wii), browsing.
Will WiFi up my possie

I don't understand the local access question

Was also looking at going the semi shaped AXXESS route (even though I don't quite understand the diffs between shaped and semi shaped)?

[Shake&Bake]

I would start with 1GB
Looking at the 384kbs line
Would use it for gaming (PS3 & Wii), browsing.
Will WiFi up my possie

I don't understand the local access question

Was also looking at going the semi shaped AXXESS route (even though I don't quite understand the diffs between shaped and semi shaped)?

First off - sorry that I only got to this now - perhaps you've already sorted yourself out. Only saw the post now
But here goes anyway

do Broadband 1 from Telkom:

do level 1, is tailor made for the entry level broadband customer, providing you
with Fast DSL (384kbps based on broadband technology) accompanied by
1 000 Megabytes (1GB) worth of data. Included is 10,000 Megabytes (10GB) of
local only usage during our promotion.


You also qualify for a free Wifi modem if you sign a 24-month contract.
Save the standard installation fee of R543.91 (VAT Incl.) with the self installation option.

Excludes line rental (R124.20), voice and fax call charges.
The local bandwidth applies after the initial 1GB data has reached its limit.

Local only FAQ from Do.co.za

1.What is local bandwidth?
Local only applies to servers that are hosted in South Africa. Please remember that this is not to say that .co.za is a local hosted server because any international person/business can purchase such a domain. .

2.How do I find out if a website is locally hosted?
TelkomInternet will suggest contacting the specific web master of that website to find out if their server is locally hosted. The webmaster’s e-mail address is normally at the bottom of the web page or under the “Contact Us” link.

3.When does local bandwidth kick in?
Local bandwidth kicks in once your blended and collective threshold has been exceeded. In other words once you are capped.

4.How much free local bandwidth do I get?
During the promotional period TelkomInternet AllAccess Shaped 1 GB subscribers will receive 10 Gig free local only bandwidth while 2 GB AllAccess users will receive 20 GB free local bandwidth and 3 GB AllAccess subscribers will get 30 GB of free local usage. TelkomInternet AllAccess Unshaped service will offer 4 GB unshaped bandwidth and 40 GB of local bandwidth.

5.When will the free local bandwidth promotion end?
Free local bandwidth promotion will run until customer behaviour patterns have been determined and information collected in order to design usable and improved internet packages.

6.How much will local bandwidth cost me when I exceed my free local bandwidth?
R25.55 per gig

7.Can I activate a cap on local?
Unfortunately we are not allowed to cap you on local (ICASA regulatory compliance)

8.Where can I have a look on how much local bandwidth I used?
https://secure.telkomsa.net/titracker/

9.Do I get extra free local with every TopUp?
Unfortunately you don’t receive any additional free local bandwidth with TopUp.

10.If I don’t use up my free local bandwidth, will it carry over to the next month?
Unfortunately it doesn’t because this is only a promotion for now.

11.When does the allocation of my free local bandwidth come in affect?
On the 1st of each month

There's quite a bit you can do with local only bandwidth, but I won't get into it right now.

Let firstly look at getting you hooked up.
And as for the Axxess and shaped/unshaped/semi-shaped bandwidth.
Its only going to make a difference on your gaming ie: pings to servers, latency.
When I used my standard Cybersmart account for XboxLive I never had issues - SAIX based bandwidth should be ok for your needs.

If there was any advice concerning getting into ADSL that you should take note of, its the following : Do not sign any contracts!!!

Therefore I would recommend staying away from Telkom.

I have to say that everyone says they're gonna start off with 1GB and find out at later stage that they need more.

(This is when you start itching to download stuff off the web - though it has to be said its hard to get into any local downloading nowadays - newsservers are stuffed, UUnet is down - international options would be an international newsserver or Rapidshare.)

When 1GB is no longer enough:

If you have gone (at later stage) with Telkom's "do options" you're gonna lose out on pricing (on international bandwidth) - you'll gain more local bandwidth, but only till they decide when the promotion period comes to an end.
If you feel that local is prevelant to you, then you can always weigh the options of going the TelkomInternet(ISP) or doBroadband route.

As you are aware - there's always the option to go with Axxess prepaid if you feel that 1GB is enough.
Comes in very handy if you need some bandwidth to make it to the end of the month.

Have a look at the following post to weigh up some options that are currently available.

You're not going to be concerning yourself with the ISGS side of things in that post - the 1st two options are something for you to consider.