Give telkom notice to remove cabling from complex?

[SNot0ssie]

Hi Everyone

I am lookign for some help as I am not sure where to go...

So my complex has started with all the procedures to get fibre, but the current conduits that the body corporate owns has old telkom wires running to each unit and we want to reuse these for the fibre, do we just pull out all the telkom wires, or is there steps to follow and give telkom notice and time to come and remove all their equipment?

 

[greg_SA]

You'll have to contact Telkom and get them to remove their infrastructure from your cable ducts / manholes. Good luck with that I don't think they are going to be very motivated to assist.

Are you going to leave the basic Telkom infrastructural in place, and only remove the copper to each house that wants fibre? Or are you going to force all home owners to use fibre/VOIP?

 

[Anthro]

Rip it out, call their theft line to come investigate and then hand it to those guys.
Profit.

 

[SNot0ssie]

Its not decent copper, its the usual black lines you see on the poles, nor really worth the effort....

 

[savage]

Just a point of note... Unless "we" have a ECNS license, "we", can't legally do anything - most certainly not just "pull out wires" - that would be completely illegal...

You aren't legally allowed to do anything. This would be between whom ever you choose to install the Fiber infrastructure, and Telkom. As each unit in the flat/complex/estate is a separate legal entity (sectional title more than likely), each one would individually need to cancel their existing service from Telkom. Once *everyone* has cancelled, then maybe, maybe one can start a conversation with Telkom to remove infrastructure, although I highly doubt that will happen.

Unless there is a agreement between the HOA and Telkom that states that the HOA owns the ducts and Telkom may use it, it is unfortunately assumed that Telkom owns the ducts. It sucks, but that's how it works. It is assumed they own it, unless you can prove otherwise. Bigger estates normally have agreements with Telkom where they may use the ducts for X years (exclusively), and thereafter, one can discuss options with them to either share, or remove their cables. These things are set in agreements when the estate is developed. If you don't have such agreements, you aren't going to get anywhere. Whom to contact in terms of this, is normally also documented in those agreements.

 

[Venomous]

@SNot0ssie

As mentioned rather let the sleeping dragon lie.

Unless every last Tkom is cancelled (think granny who likes her landline) the cables are there to stay

Then another consideration is that there are often obstructions in these old conduits, making the process of pulling new cable a really cumbersome and time consuming process. Ultimate more expensive that just adding new conduit/truning.

Rather let the cable guys draw up a plan(with pics) of what they intend. Then as trustees the group can assess, stipulate changes should it be deemed required....

Else the complex could face the bill for extra work done. Or the cables might never happen.

In our complex the cable was buried where it left the light pole and entered the complex. The cables were then pulled through the manholes/pipes to each unit. From where the electric wires join the unit meter, to the point of where cable enters each home it the only visible trunking. That has now been painted the same as the buildings...

 

[SNot0ssie]

I am the only person in the complex with a telkom line at the moment....

I just want to try and keep the costs down and the complex is about 16 years old and the developer did cut corners in building the complex, not sure there is any agreements in place...

Having to dig up paving will get all the old anties in a tiff as we all know as well but just thought id ask so long as the agreement was just signed.

I was hoping there was a way to just send telkom a letter or something.

@Telkomza would you be able to advise?

 

[SNot0ssie]

You'll have to contact Telkom and get them to remove their infrastructure from your cable ducts / manholes. Good luck with that I don't think they are going to be very motivated to assist.

Are you going to leave the basic Telkom infrastructural in place, and only remove the copper to each house that wants fibre? Or are you going to force all home owners to use fibre/VOIP?

yeah we want the whole complex on fibre and voip and also doing a new intercom system on the fibre was well.

I also doubt telkom will assist us if we sent them a letter to come take their stuff out.

 

[savage]

I was hoping there was a way to just send telkom a letter or something.

If only it was...

 

[MickeyD]

If only it was...

I see an invoice in his future... a HUGE invoice!

 

[SNot0ssie]

somehow i think it would be easier to pass the buck lol

I will not be a trustee next year and then chase the new trustees to sort it out

 

[ponder]

So my complex has started with all the procedures to get fibre, but the current conduits that the body corporate owns...

Are you VERY VERY sure about that? Also those cables are not the body corps property and you could be in for a whole LOT of financial hurt if you mess with them.

https://mybroadband.co.za/news/broa...acom-could-leave-residents-without-fibre.html this is you in a nutshell.

 

[Venomous]

somehow i think it would be easier to pass the buck lol

I will not be a trustee next year and then chase the new trustees to sort it out

Not going to work the way you want.

I am quite sure that somewhere in our laws that not only the cables but also the trunking belong to telkom.

Another route or solution needs to be found. Being a dick head just contributes to the problem it does not solve the problem nor does it contribute positively...

 

[savage]

I am quite sure that somewhere in our laws that not only the cables but also the trunking belong to telkom.

Generally the developer installs the ducts when the estate/complex is built, and then sells the ducts to Telkom in order to allow Telkom to provide services to the estate/complex (this is a requirement from Telkom's side in order to install cabling). That's how it used to work in the old days.

Any old estate, the chances are very, very good that the bare minimum is available in terms of ducts (i.e. provisioning only for Telkom), and that those ducts belongs to Telkom. Newer estates/complexes... I can only hope that the developers got a bit more intelligent since then.

 

[SNot0ssie]

OK so new ditches it is, doesn't seem worth the risk to rip everything out or the effort to try and communicate with telkom and yeah I read the article about the telkom and vodacom when it was published and more hassle than its worth.

@Venomous I agree dude, legally I would still be held accountable even if I am no longer a trustee as I sighed all the documentation when I was a trustee so being a dick about it will mean I only screw myself over at the end of the day.

I was hoping for a easy solution to my problem but the easy answer is seldom the right answers in life.

Now another question, would just the trunking be the property of telkom or the manholes as well?
Would the new company just be able to trench to the manholes and follow the same route as telkom?

 

[savage]

Manholes, Trunking, Cabling, anything related to the existing reticulation belongs to Telkom. You need to, for a lack of a better word, start from scratch.

 

[SNot0ssie]

Manholes, Trunking, Cabling, anything related to the existing reticulation belongs to Telkom. You need to, for a lack of a better word, start from scratch.

This feels like a one sided relationship as the body corp has been maintaining everything, like the manhole covers that has been replaced due to it braking and so on....

Well thanks for all the info guys, I will worry about this when everything start moving in 8 to 12 months....