40Mbps VDSL and FTTx pilot launched

[jackshiels]

They will take the main fibre to certain points and splice from these points to each house. Most likely most people will end up with a hybrid where fibre goes closer to each house but copper still provides the end point. This approach depends on the competition, who don't have the copper so have to go right to the house.

The point is to get an ethernet point into each house, with fibre on the operator side and (probably) a LAN-copper point or points on the household side (with additional wifi as well). In the house one can connect anything - voip phones, videophones, computers, modern TVs etc tc. The operator can work with a oem supplier to offer a range of branded home appliances which interwork seamlessly.

The benefit of previous copper systems is they remained up for a short while during a power failure because the voltage on the copper kept the home phone alive.

Apparently BT only go as far as your door to install the point. I wonder if that has to do with cost... ?

 

[LazyLion]

It's coming, but slowly.

There are glaciers that move faster than Telkom.

You personally or anybody?

Me personally, but I would also like to see the true number of people in SA that have had their 4 mbps upgraded as I think it must be a very miniscule number.

In fact, it is far more likely that they are experiencing problems with their ADSL.
It took us 11 months to get our ADSL fixed at the office... but we are still on 4 mbps.
My Dad has filed numerous fault reports, but his 4 mbps line remains connected at 992... and nothing will even download.
We report it and Telkom phones us the next day without fail to tell us it is working now.
We get home from work and it is the same. We have replaced the router and all cabling on our side, so we know it is not our equipment (as they keep telling us the problem is on our side).

Sorry, MickeyD, but it is extremely hard to be positive about this company.
There is not much evidence to me personally that they are moving in a positive direction.
It looks to me like a slow implosion.

 

[Creag]

I'm still waiting for my 4mbps to be upgraded to 10mbps, and they're working on something else already. I guess I can kiss any speed upgrades goodbye

 

[entrepr]

Apparently BT only go as far as your door to install the point. I wonder if that has to do with cost... ?

Yes, I presume that is an ethernet point and not a raw fibre, so from there you can connect any device yourself. Offering OEM branded stuff for consumers and SMEs is simply a way of getting more revenue from each customer.

 

[Hummercellc]

"Sallie said that pilot participants will be approached on a one-on-one basis through TelkomInternet ISP, particularly 10Mbps customers, to gauge interest in uptake."

That sentence contradicts itself...

They choose who gets the service, then they want to see the uptake? How can you see the uptake if you choose who gets it?
You should be able to apply for the service then you will see the uptake, come on Telkom catch a wake up please!

#ID10T error
#epic fail!

 

[MickeyD]

Me personally, but I would also like to see the true number of people in SA that have had their 4 mbps upgraded as I think it must be a very miniscule number.

In fact, it is far more likely that they are experiencing problems with their ADSL.
It took us 11 months to get our ADSL fixed at the office... but we are still on 4 mbps.
My Dad has filed numerous fault reports, but his 4 mbps line remains connected at 992... and nothing will even download.
We report it and Telkom phones us the next day without fail to tell us it is working now.
We get home from work and it is the same. We have replaced the router and all cabling on our side, so we know it is not our equipment (as they keep telling us the problem is on our side).

Sorry, MickeyD, but it is extremely hard to be positive about this company.
There is not much evidence to me personally that they are moving in a positive direction.
It looks to me like a slow implosion.

Hence my question.

Me, I can get 10Mbps but it is too expensive...

 

[FNfal]

I'm still waiting for my 4mbps to be upgraded to 10mbps, and they're working on something else already. I guess I can kiss any speed upgrades goodbye

The whole object of the MSANs is to shorten the copper .
This should help.

 

[entrepr]

Sorry, MickeyD, but it is extremely hard to be positive about this company.
There is not much evidence to me personally that they are moving in a positive direction.
It looks to me like a slow implosion.

High level - that about sums it up. Looking at the long term share price graph bears this out.

 

[FNfal]

"Sallie said that pilot participants will be approached on a one-on-one basis through TelkomInternet ISP, particularly 10Mbps customers, to gauge interest in uptake."

That sentence contradicts itself...

They choose who gets the service, then they want to see the uptake? How can you see the uptake if you choose who gets it?
You should be able to apply for the service then you will see the uptake, come on Telkom catch a wake up please!

#ID10T error
#epic fail!

The MSANs feed a geographical area so if you are in the area fed by the MSANs then they will offer you the service.

 

[LazyLion]

Hence my question.

Me, I can get 10Mbps but it is too expensive...

I can't get it at the office... 4mbps only - exchange not yet upgraded.
I can't get it at home... 4mbps only - exchange not yet upgraded.
My Dad can't get it at his place.... 4mbps only - exchange not yet upgraded.

Are they waiting for a gilt edged invitation to upgrade the exchange?

 

[LazyLion]

High level - that about sums it up. Looking at the long term share price graph bears this out.

High level what?

 

[justing]

I am not holding my breath on Hellkom improving their infrastructure until 2019, at least not while government keeps their grabbing little paws in Hellkom.

 

[entrepr]

High level, the company is imploding and moving in the wrong direction as you say.

I suspect there are business areas within Telkom where they are doing well - even if by default.

 

[MickeyD]

High level, the company is imploding and moving in the wrong direction as you say.

I suspect there are business areas within Telkom where they are doing well - even if by default.

I would rather agree with justing in saying that Government needs to get out of the telecoms arena and allow market forces to dictate investment. Government's strategy of "broadband for all, anywhere" is contrary to sound investment principles.

 

[entrepr]

I would rather agree with justing in saying that Government needs to get out of the telecoms arena and allow market forces to dictate investment. Government's strategy of "broadband for all, anywhere" is contrary to sound investment principles.

I guess the optimal mix is to let business do it's thing, with light regulatory intervention to ensure the market remains competitive, and a few state projects to enable the market (education, financing etc)

I did some policy work in the '90's and seems as though looking around at the outcome now, the governments which were proactive were able to substantially increase broadband penetration in their countries and this either led to or reinforced greater overall competitiveness in those economies

 

[McGuywer]

Property prices will increase ten folds in:

Waterkloof
North of Johannesburg
Heart of Sandton
Durban North
Durbanville in the Western Cape

 

[Messugga]

"Sallie said that pilot participants will be approached on a one-on-one basis through TelkomInternet ISP, particularly 10Mbps customers, to gauge interest in uptake."

That sentence contradicts itself...

They choose who gets the service, then they want to see the uptake? How can you see the uptake if you choose who gets it?
You should be able to apply for the service then you will see the uptake, come on Telkom catch a wake up please!

#ID10T error
#epic fail!

Their reasoning makes complete sense. You're not going to offer a 40Mbps service to someone on 384k because hell, they're not evening paying for 4/10Mbps currently, odds are they won't be switching to the higher speeds. You target the target market, not a bunch of random people. Secondly, the 10Mbps connection people are probably already on equipment capable or near-capable of handling the 40Mbps connection speeds, so it would require minimal effort from Telkom to switch them over.

 

[lordnokon]

And what about the rest of South Africa... Surely those areas cant be the only ones. What has Telkom then been doing the rest of the time...

 

[grok]

Their reasoning makes complete sense. You're not going to offer a 40Mbps service to someone on 384k because hell, they're not evening paying for 4/10Mbps currently, odds are they won't be switching to the higher speeds. You target the target market, not a bunch of random people. Secondly, the 10Mbps connection people are probably already on equipment capable or near-capable of handling the 40Mbps connection speeds, so it would require minimal effort from Telkom to switch them over.

Thing is, minimal effort to try & look good is exactly what we've come to expect from Telkom.

What about the exchanges that's not upgraded yet, and the 10meg service that's only available to a select few. Lots of us doesn't even have acces to proper 4mbps yet, why doesn't Telkom seem at all interested in helping those with underperforming lines?

 

[Messugga]

Thing is, minimal effort to try & look good is exactly what we've come to expect from Telkom.

What about the exchanges that's not upgraded yet, and the 10meg service that's only available to a select few. Lots of us doesn't even have acces to proper 4mbps yet, why doesn't Telkom seem at all interested in helping those with underperforming lines?

Projects obviously run parallel. My 4Mbps connection was bumped a couple of weeks ago and performance is stellar with regards to latency and general line quality, not to mention line speed of course.