Fibre internet in Gauteng on Openserve (Telkom) network

[supersunbird]

Mmmmm

 

[Geoff.D]

View attachment 419802

Mmmmm

1000M/Half = 1000Mb/s half duplex?

 

[supersunbird]

1000M/Half = 1000Mb/s half duplex?

I have no idea what it means

 

[supersunbird]

Some nice things about my fibre:

It's just more responsive when browsing, pages load faster.
My CCTV cameras took ages to load (or not even load at all) onto my tablets app when it was on 3G. Now they open quickly, so seems the ADSL upload speed was the issue.

 

[Johnatan56]

I have no idea what it means

In networking, the term ‘duplex’ signifies the ability for two points or devices to communicate with each other, as opposed to ‘simplex’ which refers to unidirectional communication. In a duplex communication system, both points (devices) can transmit and receive information. Examples of duplex systems include telephones and walkie-talkies.

On the other hand, simplex systems only permit one device to transmit information, while other receives. The common infrared remote control a prime example of a simplex system, where the IR remote controller transmits signals but never receives any in return.

Full-duplex communication between two components means that both can transmit and receive information between each other simultaneously. Telephones are full-duplex systems so both parties on the phone can talk and listen at the same time.

In half-duplex systems, the transmission and reception of information must happen alternately. While one point is transmitting, the other must only receive

Doesn't really matter in your use-case though.

 

[supersunbird]

Doesn't really matter in your use-case though.

But does the 1000 mean gigabit internet is possible and the hardware one both sides could handle it?

 

[Johnatan56]

But does the 1000 mean gigabit internet is possible and the hardware one both sides could handle it?

Yes, it's 1Gbps capable. It will probably only require an upgrade on the port/exchange side (be it a setting or physically changing it). You're capable of handling 1Gbps, it's probably just limited by the ISP speed.

 

[supersunbird]

Yes, it's 1Gbps capable. It will probably only require an upgrade on the port/exchange side (be it a setting or physically changing it). You're capable of handling 1Gbps, it's probably just limited by the ISP speed.

And by my internal network speeds (aka 100mbps) :crylaugh:

 

[Geoff.D]

Oh to dream. My 1Gb/s fibre LAN in my home will come to life as soon as I get a fibre connection!

And so will the LAN port on my PC!

 

[Johnatan56]

Oh to dream. My 1Gb/s fibre LAN in my home will come to life as soon as I get a fibre connection!

My LAN is 1Gbps using copper.

 

[supersunbird]

My LAN is 1Gbps using copper.

I see I can the Gigabit switches have come down nicely in price, need a 8 port and 2 x 5 ports, can do it all for less than R1000

 

[Soprono]

Found this thread and its been an interesting read. Have had no issues with connectivity or speed on the server however I do have one "struggle" I have been having and that is with Telkom.

We also got the whole community gated package thing with installation and 2 months free promo account. I then wanted to move this over to Afrihost who advised me we have to cancel with Telkom first.....Here is the fun, Telkom want me to go through a 30-day process just to cancel a trail account with them, pretty damm frustrating as Afrihost are apparently not able to do any migrations of lines from Openserver unless it has been cancelled first...The best part was this was after 2 weeks of waiting for Afrihost in the first place.

So back and forth between Afrihost and Telkom now to try and get the line cancelled quick enough to start my Afrihost account. The 200GB data at 100mpbs isnt lasting very long

 

[jcheek]

Found this thread and its been an interesting read.

Welcome! Glad you found us
I see from your other posts that you had lots of installation-related queries, which would certainly be answered by some of the content and pics here. Hope the thread has helped you!

Have had no issues with connectivity or speed on the server however I do have one "struggle" I have been having and that is with Telkom.

Don't feel alone with that!
I've had a few dealings with the Telkom Lifestyle Community / Gated Community and they've been truly painful as well.

We also got the whole community gated package thing with installation and 2 months free promo account. I then wanted to move this over to Afrihost who advised me we have to cancel with Telkom first .... Here is the fun, Telkom want me to go through a 30-day process just to cancel a trial account with them, pretty damn frustrating as Afrihost are apparently not able to do any migrations of lines from Openserve unless it has been cancelled first.......

Uggh! How klunky ...
As you'll gather from my other posts, even continuing with the product after the trial is not that smooth.
After the trial, you have to re-apply for the permanent service using virtually the identical forms. Then, you'd expect them to arrange things so that the trial service (which already has a subscriber-specific login) just kicks over seamlessly to the permanent service. Not so, in the case I was involved in. A username/password reset was executed with no user notification (= broken service). Because of the 2-month delay and faulty memory, it ended up being easier to just re-configure the router from scratch as if for a new service.

My advice to folks in gated/lifestyle communities is that if you even remotely think that you're going to use the Openserve/Telkom service in the long term, rather just sign up permanently from day one using the service mode you want, ie line-only or line+data. The 2-month freebie is not really worth the added pain and red tape.

So back and forth between Afrihost and Telkom now to try and get the line cancelled quick enough to start my Afrihost account. The 200GB data at 100Mbps isnt lasting very long

Good luck with your battle ... hang in there!

 

[Blubiree]

Just wanted to provide a little update.

I'm currently in the second month of my 2-month trial with Telkom (after a few initial hiccups, the connection has been rock solid the past few weeks - very impressed. If anything, the unreliability of the modem has caused more issues than the line). After prompting them via email, they sent me the "continuation form" that jcheek spoke of. The form presents you with 3 types of packages:

SoftCap broadband bundles (Line + Data)
Uncapped broadband bundles (Line + Data)
Standalone broadband bundles (Line only) (This is the one I'm after)

Alongside all three of these categories, there is an option for "A 24-month contract option is available with a free modem. Do you require a free modem on a 24-month contract?".

I assumed that leaving this box unticked meant the 24-month contract would not apply (and that it perhaps reverts to month-to-month billing). Before signing anything, I sent an email to gcs@telkom.co.za to double-check whether that was the correct interpretation. Unfortunately, their feedback indicated that there are no month-to-month options available.

Maybe that "Free modem/24 month contract" line is just badly phrased. Because it seems like there's no real benefit in leaving it unticked - since it's still a 24 month contract.

 

[jcheek]

Just wanted to provide a little update.

Nice update - thanks for checking back with us !

Alongside all three of these categories, there is an option for "A 24-month contract option is available with a free modem. Do you require a free modem on a 24-month contract?".

I assumed that leaving this box unticked meant the 24-month contract would not apply (and that it perhaps reverts to month-to-month billing). Before signing anything, I sent an email to gcs@telkom.co.za to double-check whether that was the correct interpretation. Unfortunately, their feedback indicated that there are no month-to-month options available.

Sounds like the identical form. I pondered the significance of those very same tick-boxes! There's no question that it's badly phrased and legally vague.

The people I was assisting wanted to keep the "free" ZyXEL ADSL2 fibre-ready modem/router ("modem" on the form) and didn't really care about a 2-year payment plan. I thought about querying the month-to-month versus contract thing, but at that stage I was so g*tvol, I couldn't face the prospect of contacting GCS again. In any event, I wouldn't have much confidence in the answer!
In the end we decided to leave the tickbox unchecked and let them bill us for (or retrieve) the router. I did query what price the router would be billed at, but never got an answer. To my knowledge its not yet been billed and I doubt it ever will be.
Legally its an interesting situation : I could find nothing on that form - or the linked Ts & Cs - that commits the subscriber for 2 years if the "free modem" box is left unticked.

 

[Geoff.D]

Unfortunately with so many of these types of queries, the sales persons behind the online connections or the telephones or behind the counter do not know the correct answers. They do not have the technical expertise to try and work out who they should speak to in the system either. Hence why you get this sort of confusion.

I agree with the advice that says forget about these silly little freebies. They cause you more pain and are not worth it.

 

[jacosmit]

I sent Openserve my usual two week update check on Monday. No response yet

 

[psylocke777]

Hi everyone.

New here on mybroadband, but I have been reading this topic each week in anticipation for news of the Waverley (in the Moot in Pretoria) fibre rollout.

I stay in Dunwoodie avenue and they have been trenching since October 2016 and laying fibre down our street and that has now already been joined up with DFA in Trumper avenue and I see they doing the same in parts of Waverley but since then (about December or so) nothing further has happened in the last 2 months.

I spoke with the Openserve Project Managerin November who said end February or beginning March or so and I am aware that there is a lot that has to be completed before they are done - but does anyone know when Waverley will be lit up?

Cheers,
Craig.

 

[supersunbird]

Hi everyone.

New here on mybroadband, but I have been reading this topic each week in anticipation for news of the Waverley (in the Moot in Pretoria) fibre rollout.

I stay in Dunwoodie avenue and they have been trenching since October 2016 and laying fibre down our street and that has now already been joined up with DFA in Trumper avenue and I see they doing the same in parts of Waverley but since then (about December or so) nothing further has happened in the last 2 months.

I spoke with the Openserve Project Managerin November who said end February or beginning March or so and I am aware that there is a lot that has to be completed before they are done - but does anyone know when Waverley will be lit up?

Cheers,
Craig.

Hi Craig,

Well, what I did was that I kept checking the OpenServe fibre website about 2 times a week, saw sections of Garsfontein going dark purple and as soon as our area went dark purple I contacted Afrihost and after a 5 week wait OpenServe contacted us and a technician came and installed the fibre and I went online using at first our Afrihost ADSL credentials and then later the Afrihost fibre credentials.

http://www.openserve.co.za/open/fibre/

 

[psylocke777]

Hi Craig,

Well, what I did was that I kept checking the OpenServe fibre website about 2 times a week, saw sections of Garsfontein going dark purple and as soon as our area went dark purple I contacted Afrihost and after a 5 week wait OpenServe contacted us and a technician came and installed the fibre and I went online using at first our Afrihost ADSL credentials and then later the Afrihost fibre credentials.

Thanks, I have been doing exactly that.
I set a reminder in my Calendar to do that every friday - perhaps every week is a bit pedantic

Is there anyone that perhaps has insider info or an estimate on Waverley?


Cheers,
Craig.