"Cost Effective" ISP

dmostert

dmostert

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Joined
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Bellville - Cape Town
Hi,

This question was probably asked 100's of times ;), but:

I'm seriously considering HomeDSL 384 :o ... But, I'm not sure which ISP to use?

I've read a thread about IS coming into the picture as well?

What should one look for in an ISP?


Thanks,
D.
 
dmostert, please let me know when you find the holy grail (I'm considering getting HomeDSL384 - @home of course)
 
I just figured it would be best to go with the devil himself as an ISP - after all, they are the source of the bandwidth.

So far, after 9 days on the 384 package, I'd have to say I'm very happy with it.
Download speeds average 30kb/s, I can finally stream decently quality audio/video, websites load so snappily it's a pleasure.

Of course, the first bill hasn't reached me yet and I haven't had any disconnection problems. I'm hoping that because my line installation is brand new, I'll be immune to Telkoms stuff-ups for the forseeable future ! - touch wood.
In my last rented cottage, I had a land line as part of the deal - that would bork out pretty much every month for a few days.
 
Hmmm, this is one of the reasons I decided to go wireless - general unspecified problems with Telkom lines, also in an area where lightning frequently messes up the lines. Constant problems with congestion at the Olivedale exchange (ISDN2a) - often no dialtone...
 
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Hi,

Looking at the websites:
1) Best option: X-DSL looks like a very good option @ R215 p.m. and 3 Mailboxes.
2) Cybersmart @ R240 per month with 10 mailboxes
3) Telk*k at @ R249 with 2 mailboxes

ODS is R249 EX VAT :( I also couldn't find info about DSL on some of the other ISP's sites (eg DOTCO).

Any other good options?

D.
 
If Internet Solutions was def. going to go up soon, I would tell you to go with them! but telkak is my opinion the best, they can't tell its the isps fault, also one bill is pretty scweeet
 
Have you guys had any problems with the email accounts you get from TelkomInternet? I'm STILL waiting, after numerous emails, for the username/password for the second account. How do you go about getting it?

I've specified the Telkom, ADSL usage tracker, to mail me notifications to my TelkomSA address, yet I haven't been receiving them.

Aside from these "extras" that you're meant to get with the Telkom ADSL "Advanced" package, that have been giving me hassles, the DSL 384 line works like a bomb!
 
I ordered my line this morning... They told me it takes on average 21 business days for an installation - is this true? I then phone the installations and told them I need the line ny end of next week -when I go on leave. I'll check later today if this is making a difference...

On the ISP side, I can't get hold of X-DSL - telephone does not ring? So I'll probably end up going with Telk*k...

I'm going to hook up a D-Link DSL-300T to my D-Link DI-624 Router. What other software do I need as part of the setup? (I'm planning on using both my Laptop and my Desktop to connect to the line).

Cheers,
D.
 
There is no set time for installation - mine was 11 working week days and they installed on a Saturday, so I'm not sure if Saturday is considered a working day ?

Bank on three weeks total - but don't forget what time of year it is ! ;)
Keep bugging them politely for progress and get the names of everyone you speak to plus your reference number.

If you use Hellkom as an ISP, you'll probably get your Hellkom account details before your line is installed - watch how they send it to you !

They faxed it to my offices and an IT guy in another office where I work from ended up with my account details on his desk !
 
A friendly guy from the ADSL tech. department said that I should phone the complaints hotline (0800 600 126) and see if I can ask them to speed up the installation. He said that it is more effective to escalate from the top down that from the bottom up - makes sense. I'll check up later this afternoon to see if any progress was made.

Is a physical site inspection neccesary at my house to see if ADSL will work? (I'm about 2km, via road, from the exchange).

I've told them, that if I can't have the line ready when I go on leave, or very early there after, they can cancel the order... Will have to see if my money talks hard enough!

Cheers,
D.
 
As for ISP's? Well I would suggest Posix. My line was installed late on a Friday and I had my account details sorted out telephonically Saturday morning with them. No mess, no fuss just good customer service - the way its supposed to be. (Almost all the ISP's either wanted me to sign a 12 or 24 month contract or could only help me Monday) If youre running an ISP or internet business you really can't stick to the 7am-5pm 5 days a week service!

www.posix.co.za (I must admit the site looks like crap and is outdated - not looking good for an isp, but then again you have only a bunch of technical guys that works there) :p
 
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dmostert said:
Is a physical site inspection neccesary at my house to see if ADSL will work? (I'm about 2km, via road, from the exchange).
Click to expand...

I converted from an ISDN 2b line they did not bother with a physical inspection.

dmostert said:
I've told them, that if I can't have the line ready when I go on leave, or very early there after, they can cancel the order... Will have to see if my money talks hard enough!
Click to expand...

Why the attitude ... what else is there ... iBurst or MyNoWireless ???.

The techie called me during my holidays for an installation date in the same week but I simply rescheduled it the day when I came back.
 
Is a physical site inspection neccesary at my house to see if ADSL will work?
Click to expand...

They pretty much know whether your property can get ADSL without needing a site inspection. There's a telkom box on the corner by my house 100m from where I sit, but my line was fed from a box a half a k away because the poles string across the gardens right in the corners of the plots for obvious reasons - so birds can sit on them. :D - and also because I can get ADSL on it. They know exactly where properties are in relation to thier network, sometimes ... ;)
 
Going back to the isp topic, well kinda...

...Is it possible to dial up to any number with my adsl line? E.g, If my neighbour has a phat diginet connection that he wanted to share with me after my cap, could I dial him up and "use him as my ISP"?

Chow, Nick
 
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Nickste said:
If my neighbour has a phat diginet connection that he wanted to share with me after my cap, could I dial him up and "use him as my ISP"?
Click to expand...

I don't think this will work as in ADSL you don't dial telephone numbers as you are always connected to the Telkom network.

Your PPPoE login "[email protected]" is the magic bit that links up to your ISP.
 
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