I find it highly unacceptable that high data usage occurs with Telkom LTE, without reasonable explanation/proof!
This is not the first time I hear this! Similar feedback from other new LTE customers reported to me as well after making my issue known...
My Story:
I wanted to upgrade from a "Slow 2Mb ADSL" connection and was advised by a Telkom Mobile agent (Telkom Direct store) to go the new faster LTE route. As I previously had a 10+10Gb ADSL line and hardly ever exceeded my monthly cap, I opted for the 20Gb/month LTE contract (comparable cost). Within the 1st 10-days of my activation the 20Gb cap was reached!!! #$%^@*! Obviously I had to "Top-up" at the "More-expensive" Mobile data rates to ensure continued connectivity. Thinking this was probably a once-off due to setup, this was not the case. In month two the same happened to which I realized that there is a problem, This was NEVER the case with my ADSL line and I have never used 20Gb/month before!! How could this happen?
I requested a breakdown of my usage to try and determine what caused this massive increase in usage, but was told detailed usage indication is impossible. I asked if I could revert back to fixed ADSL instead of LTE and told: "No, the Telkom Mobile and Telkom-ADSL services are separate and that I'll need to cancel my LTE contract with full penalties due on the two year contract! %$#@*&!? It was then suggested that I upgrade my 20Gb/month capping to a 50Gb/month LTE contract at R699/month. Firstly I could not do this in month two and had to wait out a 3-month contract probation period before I could upgrade!!!! %$#@*&!? After having to Top-up in month three AGAIN, I finally upgraded to the 50Gb/month LTE from day-1 of month four. NEEDLESS TO SAY - I AGAIN REACHED THE 50Gb/Month cap on day 25 of the month and again almost every month after that between days 20 to 28!!! THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE - I CANNOT BE USING 50GB in 20-days EVERY MONTH!!@#$#%^&*#@$!?
I do NOT EVEN do any TV Streaming. Yes, we play some Sony-PS3 games and use internet, but surely not 50Gb every month!? Yes we have Apple I-tunes with six devices connected, but surely not 50Gb every month!? Yes we have two PC's connected, one laptop and one Desktop with Windows and Anti-Virus updates (now scheduled for a/h 00h00-07h00 updates) but surely still not 50Gb EVERY MONTH!? This is ridiculous!!!
I even went as far as increasing Wi-fi connectivity security with specific device IP/Mac address access only allowed, to ensure no hacking. But still the excessive usage continues month-after-month - COSTING ME DEARLY!! NOU IS EK GATVOL!
To make matters even worse now, from time to time a low/slow connection occurs and the intended High-speed for LTE is not achieved. Thus a "Reliable connection" is also not achieved anymore. Connectivity is even lost and resetting the LTE router is becoming "old-news" now. Simply not a viable/acceptable solution as suggested by Telkom support agents anymore!!!? $%^&&*!@#$*!?
When phoning Telkom Mobile support 10210 from home, I get the following responses:
1. Oh you will naturally be using "more data with LTE" because of the faster upload-/download speeds being achieved with LTE (Updates, etc.). This is "Normal". WTF!?
2. Sorry - our systems are down, please try phoning back later for support...
3. Service agents not available after hours, please phone during business hours.
4. As my area is on the "Edge" of the LTE-coverage area, I may lose connectivity from time to time. [This is ridiculous and unacceptable - My area is indicated as covered on the LTE map]
The irony is that I am inadvertently binded to a two-year agreement, with cancellation penalties. Telkom does not want to "Budge" in allowing me back to "fixed-line-ADSL" with Telkom, without penalties, and still cannot prove to me what is using up my 50Gb/month LTE data every month, nor what is causing a reduction in quality of service or connection.
I would love to know if anyone else is experiencing the same "High data usage" with Telkom Mobile LTE?? I am starting to think this is a "billing issue" and not a "usage issue". How does one stop/control this?
Please suggest ways for me to monitor data traffic usage and log connectivity? Surely Telkom should supply this service as proof of what specifically is being used by each LTE client and what quality of service is available on site!?
Depleting Data bundles with Telkom Mobile but cannot supply proof of usage
1. This bad experience with Telkom started about 3 weeks ago when all of a sudden we were running out of data 3 times in a row, this has never happened for the past year roughly.
2. After the 3rd time running out of data which was on Friday 28 July 2017 I started investigating with Telkom Mobile via the phone.
3. What a bad bad experience every time, they obviously do not have enough agents to answer the calls. You hang on listening to these most irritating options, when one eventually get through to ask to talk to an agent you wait for everything from 5 to 10 minutes which feels like hours. That is if your call does not get cut off.
4. I had 3 interactions with Telkom since Saturday morning. I received 2 reference numbers of my problems been logged.
4.1 Ref 21046229 was for me not being able to register on their online system as I was so frustrated with their phone-in system that stinks.
4.2 I received a 2nd reference, 21046315 telling me that the first reference was closed ... with no resolve and that I have to wait 72 hours to be sorted out on why I cannot activate my account on their website. Now this is bad bad service again. Obviously they don't need customers. I will have to wait from Saturday morning until Thursday this week to get an account opened on their website hahah it is a joke.
5. The agents were polite everytime, it is just Telkom's systems that is useless and 20 years behind all other companies, I have contracts with MTN and Vodacom, so I can compare.
6. I asked for proof by Telkom to show what happend to my last extra bundle of 5gb I bought on 26 Jule at 08h13 and that got depleted by 28 July by all indications.
7. I received a sumarised usage report from one of the aganets which aded up to only 1,4gb. that was Saturday morning. I got this usage report via email from Aphiwe Ghanya , she could not explain the disconnect between 5gb bought on 26 July and usage up to 28 july that only shows 1,4gb.
8. I did the same exercise with the same phone-in frustrations in the afternoon on Saturday, this time Gugulethu Mbatha assisted me and send me a more detailed extraction of my usage but I got the same result, it does not show where and when my 5gb extra bundle was depleted, can only show 1,4gb.
9. the above lady suggested I phone in again to allow the system to update, I did that and phoned in this morning. Monday 31 july, same frustrations to wait for someone to answer, and this time they are NOT allowed to provide me with the information that I have received twice allready over the weekend. Hahah what a joke, I have two emails and the extracts of my usage on my Outlook. Now I must wait up to 3rd of August to get the information for some or other weak reason.
10. My contract expires 28 Feb 2018 with Telkom Mobile, I will definitely not renew my contract, I am tired to struggle with Telkom Mobile and recommend strongly that potential new customers take note of my frustration.
11. I run a business form home as do my wife and both of us are dependent on internet connection as we send receive stacks of emails daily. My saving grace is a 500mb Vodacom usb backup modem I have used since Friday, and my wife is using her MTN data on her phone to send and receive her emails.
I trust this will receive the necessary attention and urgency
TELKOM mailbox full no wonder it is full, see response to my above email below
Delivery has failed to these recipients or groups:
[email protected]
The recipient's mailbox is full and can't accept new messages at this stage. Message therefore not delivered. Please try resending this message later. [Telkom SA SOC Limited. Registration nr : 1991/005476/30]
