ADSL SLAs with ICASA

[rpm]

http://mybroadband.co.za/news/ADSL/1038.html

 

[Sneeky]

Stalling swines.

 

[LifelongGamer]

ICASA’s Complaints and Compliant Commission has recently indicated that they are investigating the allegations against Telkom regarding their non-compliance with the ADSL Regulations and that they will announce a hearing date soon.

By the time the hearings commence, we'll simply be told that Telkom is effecting the last requirements and there's no need to proceed any further with the ICASA Investigation.

What about the side-stepping Telkom continues to do wrt to shaped vs unshaped? What about finally addressing the double-charge for ADSL or even the basic cost for providing bandwidth in the first place? Are these important issues EVER going to be addressed adequately?

 

[bekdik]

Telkom pointed out that they should be able to split local and international usage by November 2007, and therefore, until such date, all usage whether local or international, will count towards the customer's cap.

Surely until such time as Telkom can comply with the local/international capping regulations it needs to remove all capping?

 

[LifelongGamer]

Surely until such time as Telkom can comply with the local/international capping regulations it needs to remove all capping?

Excellent point. If memory serves, the ECA does stipulate that service providers are now legally obligated to abide by the law (e.g. ADSL Regulations) first and foremost. Should they wish to lodge any objection they can take the matter for arbitration afterwards - but compliance must still be done until given court-approved permission to reverse any action already implemented.

Anyone with a better understanding of the ECA care to comment?

 

[Sneeky]

Surely until such time as Telkom can comply with the local/international capping regulations it needs to remove all capping?

This would indeed be an inspired decision should ICASA opt for it. *looks up to spot any flying pigs*

It would most certainly provide the necessary incentive for TELKOM to actually do something for a change at pace. TELKOM have had more than enough time already to comply and have failed to do so.

 

[Anaesthesia]

Wasn't there a freaking deadline for them to comply. We all know they can differentiate between local and international. What is this sh*t?!

 

[Tommygun]

Stalling is exactly what it is. No decisions or action can be taken against Telkom untill the (an) ICASA hearing so if it can be delayed till after November (Telkoms proposed solutions) work is spared for all involved (And millions made for Telkom). My concerns are what if Telkom dont address all the issues by November. I complained to ICASA Feb 14th and Im still waiting for a hearing despite admissions of guilt. Im with y'all, remove caps till its fixed.

 

[Wyzak]

What about the compliance to the shaping of traffic in the ADSL regulations?

 

[ic]

ICASA confirmed receipt of the documents and says that it will go to council for approval soon.

And that is exactly why !CASA is useless from a consumer POV, what should happen is that Telkodemonopolies' ADSL SLA should first be published as a draft for all to see and comment on, and only after extensive agreement has been reached with consumers, should the final draft of that SLA be evaluated and possibly approved by !CASA's council, instead it is just going to be rubber-stamped 'Approved' without inspection or scrutiny...

 

[StrontiumDog]

2 services

“Once the changes have been effected, Telkom envisages offering a top-up solution and a 'local-only' service as one of its products by November 2007. Telkom will furthermore be exploring alternative ways to monitor usage,” said the incumbent.

What, so once November rolls around we will have to pay for 2 different services to have proper connectivity (i.e. international and local bandwidth)?

How is this different from the current situation?

Assuming the international account will allow local traffic, then to the average consumer, Telkom's compliance will mean diddly squat. They won't be informed enough or have the inclination to purchase the 'local-only' service, so they will carry on using the international account.

 

[Glordit]

like we going to get a larger cap...

South African ADSL broadband usage is currently being hampered by the 3GB monthly traffic limit (equivalent to less than a day of moderately sustained usage, after which access is cut off for the rest of the month), the exorbitant cost of the service, and by the heavy port prioritization and bandwidth throttling/traffic shaping of international traffic at exchanges.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellkom

W O W 3GB is clasified as "moderately sustained usage" then telkom has got it wrong!

Telkom will just have, national & international account I suppose but they will FAIL to tell you that the int one is ONLY for int and the nat one is ONLY for nat, I am guessing that is probably going to happen... The other thing is that some people DO NOT PLAY ON SOUTH AFRICAN SERVERS!! Telkom fails to understand the concept MMO! I don't mind being capped internationaly atleast make it enought for me to get some Guild Wars & Dungeon Runners in as for Local I can do with a extra ammount of cap 10BG + possibly? otherwise I will stick with my crap 64k uncapped line...
so After all that...
All I can say is...
Welcom to South Africa....

 

[Lydon]

Was I mistaken in thinking that Telkom were supposed to stop shaping us or not?

 

[Tns]

Remember who owns most of telkom, they can still and will do what they want.

 

[ic]

Was I mistaken in thinking that Telkom were supposed to stop shaping us or not?

No, you are certainly not mistaken, but it appears as though Telkodemonopolies has conveniently forgotten about that.

What I don't understand is why !CASA's council has to approve this so called SLA before anyone else gets to see the contents thereof - I want to see the crap that Telkodemonopolies' legal department has spewed forth before !CASA gets to rubber stamp that crap with its seal of approval - this whole thing stinks of bipedal effluent.

 

[DragonLogos]

I heard there was a back door agreement that users get allowed to go about 70% over their limit without problems - If so it was so nice to be consulted on the issue

 

[bwana]

Was I mistaken in thinking that Telkom were supposed to stop shaping us or not?

They were supposed to stop port prioritisation - I cant recall which massive loophole telkom chose to exploit in this instance.

 

[Highflyer_GP]

They were supposed to stop port prioritisation - I cant recall which massive loophole telkom chose to exploit in this instance.

ICASA, being the useless twits that they are, only specified port prioritisation. They mentioned nothing about packet shaping.

 

[bwana]

ICASA, being the useless twits that they are, only specified port prioritisation. They mentioned nothing about packet shaping.

I wonder if history will ever reveal that Telkom actually penned those regulations.

 

[Sneeky]

or had great influence in the drafting thereof.

As for shaping they said they were not forcing anyone to use shaped bandwidth at the time. Users had options of unshaped as well. They forgot to tell ICASA the cost of unshaped bandwidth though.