Just a response to Telkom's response!

[gandalfzaf]

Well here we go again!

Yet another round of hoo-ha from Telkom. At this stage of the game I belive that we are all aware that living in south Africa means that bandwidth is more expensive that Europe/USA. Does this give Telkom the right to use this as an excuse? I think not!! As the SOLE provider of anything, Telkom expects us to simply roll over and accept what they dictate. It is time for Telkom to realise that this is bad corporate behaviour and it will not be tolerated. I firmly believe that even us incredibly lazy and indifferent South African consumers will eventually create enough of a stir to bring this behemoth that is holding the country back in the stone age down.

Telkom is very fast to respond by showing all the good it has done, but the truth is that on the whole, in the bigger picture, Telkom is seriously hampering South Africa's ability to compete effectively in the international market place. The best way for us to progress is to invest in technology and education and to stop giving our power away to Telkom and it's main supporter the Govornment.

What I would like to know is where our money goes? If the Govornment believes that a single Telco is the right answer for the country then why does it not use our tax money more effectively by providing the neccessary resources for bandwidth? Would this not make the services offered more acceptable? Why can't we turn South Africa into a "New York" or "London" and become the bandwidth provider for the whole African continent. Surely South Africa has the knowledge and resources to work towards this reality? Look and the Koreans (South) they went from nothing to having the majority of their population wired and active with all benefits in a short period of time. Is there no lesson in this for us? Personally I cannot stand the thought of the Govornment having so much power and controll but since we (the consumers) have allowed this to happen, I think that it is time for us to demand that the Govornment starts working for us and not for it's own agenda. To say that this country needs the basic services to alleviate poverty is true, but this should not be at the expense of the technology and infrastructure that drives the economy and provides the tax revenue that keeps everything else going!

Telkom claims that a survey reveals that the majority of ADSL users are satisfied with the service. Now I amy only be one of +/- 16000 people using ADSL, a figure which does not seem to count ADSL users who connect via an ISP, but I have not been asked to complete any survey with regards to the service that ultimately Telkom provides.

I would be very pleased to see an impartial survey of ALL ADSL subscribers, not just some, or are we to believe that in the whole of South Africa there are only 16000 ADSL lines???

these are just my thoughts, please feel free to respond in any constructive manner but keep in mind that this is just the opinion of one individual. To make a difference, we all need to stand together and make a difference. thank you to the organisers of this forum for making a start.

regards

Gandalfzaf

 

[BTTB]

Hello Gandalfzaf,

Firstly welcome to MyADSL. Your sentiments expressed are common feelings around this forum. So don’t feel alone. At least when you post here, you might get a sympathetic ear. Also a response. Yes a response, as if you posted the exact same text on Telkom's Website, you will not get one reply. You can vent your feelings here and at least you will feel like you have accomplished something.
Just by what you have written, reminds me of my first couple of postings on this forum. Keep them coming.
Also you should go look at the thread. 2004 ICASA complaint This is the current topic discussing the ICASA Complaint of which MyADSL has now received its first reply from Telkom via ICASA. The battle has started. This is the first stage of the complaint and a long road lays ahead still.


<b><hr noshade size="1"></b><font size="2"><font color="red"><b>You can take Telkom out of the Post Office but you can't take the Post Office out of Telkom.</b></font id="red"></font id="size2">

 

[Hawkeye]

In their reply Telkom is addressimg the issue of the Telkom connection costing between +- R600 to individuals and R800 to businesses. The ADSL infrastructure. They legitimately mention the cost of deployument etc.
What I cannot understand is why they bring in the cost of Internetional Internet bandwidth. This is an issue to be discussed by SAIX / Telkom Internet who are providing the Internet bandwidth over the ADSL medium.
In yet another attempt to use contorted business practices to protect their monopoly, they haev reversed the pricing on the two parts of the system.
It is impossible for any ISP (any application of simple logic will prove this), including Telkom Internet, to provide any sort of continous or nearly continuous International access for +- R250 odd even for a 64k link, let alone the bandwidth that ADSL provides.
If the link had rather cost R250, and then there was a range of packages for irregular / occasional users at R300 to power, always on users to R1500 they would have a more sensible pricing model and more revenue from the big users (yes I know it would cost me more, but perhaps I would get what I need rather than this watered down service).

 

[BTTB]

Hi Hawkeye,

Telkoms response is incomplete. As far as I was aware, their answer was supposed to be in point form. I think they answered ICASA merely to satisfy the legal requirement placed on them. Their answer was vague and generalised ADSL in SA, just like their motto for ADSL, "best effort service". It actually is a slap in the face for the people trying very hard to change things. MyADSL spent several months compiling their complaint and it seems to me Telkom took an afternoon for their answer. The next step is a hearing.

They didn’t answer your points mentioned, which is basically Cross Subsidisation. How can Telkom charge for Bandwidth in their Line Rental? This is an ISP cost. Saix or MWeb are ISP's and not Telkom.

But I think for simplicity, we should keep all postings re the complaint on this thread.
2004 ICASA complaint"][/url]


<b><hr noshade size="1"></b><font size="2"><font color="red"><b>You can take Telkom out of the Post Office but you can't take the Post Office out of Telkom.</b></font id="red"></font id="size2">

 

[alex]

BTTB that seems to make a lot of sence the thing is telkom is being sneeky as ushel any data travled threw ADSL goes threw them were they have servers that ristrikd our usage thats why ull always see that when u check ur host deatails itll be not something mweb.co.za or worldonline.co.za is always telkom telkomadsl.co.za ISP's play a very small part of that telkom placed a monoply control over ADSL as a big money basket . so thoes few that can afford it will be paying telkom and not realy the ISP's. the ISP's get very little out of it .

 

[MaD]

Fact is <u>the cost of international bandwidth is irrelevant</u> in this argument from them - Hellkom is diverting the issue. Bandwidth is <u>provided by the ISP</u>, Telkom charges R680+ for us being connected to their exchange, ala 'line charges'. After that it's the ISP which takes over - Hellkom has nothing to do with the international bandwidth unless you use HellkomInternet so they are purposely twisting the issue (very cleverly in any case).

Modifying an exchange is not that expensive - DSLAM's and trunk modules are inexpensive, and probly less for Hellkom because they buy the cheapest crap they can (the ADSL modems one prime example). DSLAM prices have dropped dramatically in the past year, and even BT said they didn't think they could offer DSL for as little as they do now but as DSLAM prices dropped they were able to slash their wholesale DSL prices.

Fact of the matter is Hellkom cannot use international bandwidth as an excuse - it is the ISP which provides it.

I suggest the HK people who carefully thought out the response go back to the drawing board - your half-truths and whole lies are easily seen through and your excuses regarding bandwidth are bollocks. Funny tho that Sentech can offer 10x your cap for less.

<u>_________________________________________________</u>
Just imagine where SA would be now if it weren't for Telkom