If you just cannot get a Telkom line installed - Options

[Agrippa]

After struggling to get Telkom to install a telephone line for 8 months now - I have given up.

The problem is that the developers of my complex never pulled through telephone lines. Telkom (after lots of calls and convincing) have come twice to attempt to pull through the lines - but have not been successful. The pull cable broke at some section and they cannot push a new one through with their equipment - according to them, because of the angle of the pipe.

The developers decided to have the cables run through each unit in a block (3 units adjacent to me and with my luck I am the furthest from the exchange - so it must go through the other three units first).

I know of someone else in the complex that had similar problems but he got the "right telkom guys" out that had the "right equipment" - I mean how difficult can it be.

After speaking to the area manager and his manager (numerous times) they still claim there is nothing they can do and that I must get an electrician out to assist them. Telkom managed to get to the second house before they got "stuck" (imagine the trouble I have to go through each time to get everyone to be at home...and then get them to wait about 4hours each time only for telkom to not finish the job).

An electrician will ask me 3-4 thousands according to the complex manager...(I'am also on the body corporate and they don't want to be in a position to pay for everyone to get an electrician out - also the developers are useless and refuse to fix it from their side) So I am forced to consider 3G or IBurst? Unless someone knows of a way of fixing my Telkom problem. Wimax?

Anyone in the Faerie Glen/Olympus (Pretoria East) area that are using 3G/Iburst or some wireless technology? Or anyone that knows of someone that can help with telephone cables?

I don't think the Iburst coverage is very good in the area and from what I see in most forums not the best option. I get good 3G coverage with my cellphone (use it to connect to web currently).

So cellphone direct cable connect (OTA connection) or getting a 3G modem seems to be my only vialble options...unless I can get someone to help with the lines.

Any advice will be appreciated. I have posted on the xbox-360.co.za site but obviously the focus was more on 3G/wireless gaming options.

 

[Syndyre]

I'd recommend 3G over iBurst anyway, what network do you get 3G coverage from at the moment?

 

[Agrippa]

I currently use MTN as my service provider and I receive a good 3G signal in the area.

 

[!!DV!!]

IBurst has very little Coverage in the Olympus Area, as it is serviced from Menlo Park.
I use Vodacom 3G / HSDPA, during office hours it is good, but after hours it drops to a very slow GRPS connection.

If you are higher up on the Hill, IBurst could be an option.

 

[stoke]

Put the freaking telephone cable in some conduit in the flipping ceiling.
Ridiculous.

 

[Agrippa]

Put the freaking telephone cable in some conduit in the flipping ceiling.
Ridiculous.

I cannot since there is another unit above me. Secondly, I am also on the body corporate and it wouldn't be very responsible of me to bypass the developers design (although it has crossed my mind and I have asked the rest of the body corp who said that we cannot allow that...)

Anyway still trying to get developers to come and fix their mess...but they are pathetic and have to fix other building defects in the complex first.

 

[Syndyre]

I currently use MTN as my service provider and I receive a good 3G signal in the area.

If I was you I'd get a Vodacom sim as well, test the 2 and see which gives you a better, faster connection, then go with them. Pricing is the same.

 

[HavocXphere]

An electrician will ask me 3-4 thousands according to the complex manager...

"right telkom guys" out that had the "right equipment"

I know an electrician company in PTA east that has the "right equipment". And I suspect your price estimate is way off. Check your private messages.

 

[LazyLion]

Put the freaking telephone cable in some conduit in the flipping ceiling.
Ridiculous.

I also think this is the best solution. You can buy Telkom grade cable from an independent supplier and run your own cable very unobtrusively to a junction box at the end of the building. Run it through conduit or even just glue it into a corner and paint over it. We did that at our offices which are a converted house. We ran all our own wires to every room in the house. All Telkom had to do was come and connect their wire to our own junction box. The only problem though is if anything goes wrong in the future you have to fix it yourself or pay Telkom to work on your own wiring.

If walls are in the way... but a super long drill from the hardware and drill right through the walls. No problem.... I'll come and do it for you for a Thousand bucks (supplies not included)!

 

[Agrippa]

I managed to borrow an HSDPA (E220) from work and it looks like I have HSDPA coverage in my area.

So at least if I can't sort out the ADSL cable issue I will be able to get HSDPA.

Given a choice between HSDPA, ADSL 384 and WiMax what would be the best for Xbox live and online gaming?

I know the whole latency issue means ADSL 384 is probably still the best but assuming I cannot resolve it - the HSDPA signal here feels a lot quicker than my 3G cellphone connection did and I might be able to convince Telkom to give me WiMax...(from these forums and those at xbox-360.co.za it seems you can game on HSDPA and WiMax)

E620 tool signal - 86dBm (between 5pm-6pm when tested).

Also seem from these forums that the billing and capping for HSDPA can be a problem?

 

[Freakboy]

What about WiMAX, seeing that Helkom "can't" provide you with an ADSL line.

 

[Agrippa]

What about WiMAX, seeing that Helkom "can't" provide you with an ADSL line.

Yes, that is an option that has been given to me. Not so sure how good it would be for gaming though...but if I have no other choice.

 

[brevity]

How awful: you live in Pretoria, out in the suburbs, in a complex, on the ground floor, so probably no view, and your only real link to the outside world - the internet, is been heinously thwarted by Telkom.

I would suggest you move to Durban.

 

[Norm!]

Hey Agrippa, go for the WIMAX. I got WIMAX installed from telkom and play America's Army online, the ping are the same as ADSL!!! its a brilliant service!!!