My ADSL woes... advice required!

[Mal1ce]

Hi all

First post on these forum’s, bit of a rant & essay (my apologies for this), but I need some advice…

I recently returned to SA from living in the UK for the last 5 years (and enjoying blissful uncapped unshaped 2MB ZEN ADSL), and have been suffering the return to 56K dialup ever since I got back.

Two weeks ago I decided enough was enough and on Monday the 3rd of April I applied for Home DSL 384 with no contract, no bundle, no modem and no router at Telkom, Pavilion in Durban. I also made it clear to the consultant that I wanted to do a self install. She (the consultant) agreed to make a note of this in my application. Since I was not signing a contract, she said no paperwork was required, and provided me with just my reference number.

A week passed and I heard nothing from Telkom, so I went back to the Telkom office on Monday the 10th of April. A new consultant informed me that conformance testing had been done, my line was good for ADSL, and gave me the number 0800 456 786 to dial to arrange my activation.

I spent the whole of the morning of Tuesday the 11th trying to get through, with no avail. So back to the Telkom office I went. Dealt with the same consultant from the previous day, explained my wish to do self install again and that I couldn’t get through on the provided number, I was then asked all sorts of questions regarding do I know how to do self install and that he would have to check if it was available in my area, he called the toll free number and after holding for a long time got through. After the conversation he had on the phone, I was advised to call the same toll free number on Thursday morning to find out if self install is available in my area.

So Thursday morning (the 13th) arrived, I called the number and managed to get through after an hour. After explaining my situation to the consultant on the other end of the line, he checked and found out that no port had been allocated to me from the exchange yet. He advised that he would enquire, and to call back Tuesday the following week (which is today) to find out more details.

Bright and early this morning, I call the number, get through, I find out to my dismay no new information is available for me. Get fed up with this, and head off to the Telkom office again (now the 4th time I’m visiting Telkom). Deal with another new consultant, explain the whole scenario again. I get some excuse that “staff are striking hence a technician is unavailable to do my install”. I repeat my intent to do a self install thus eliminating the requirement for a technician for visit my house, and from then on am stone-walled. Nobody can give me an activation date, nobody is answering at the national helpdesk number, and nobody can help me.

So I casually asked for the contact details for the Regional Area Manager for ADSL with intent to file a complaint. All of a sudden I’m being asked for my contact details again, I’m asked if I’m using a Telkom/non-Telkom ADSL modem, as a result I’m provided with an “ADSL non-Telkom router/modem installation guide” and treated like royalty. Finally the store manager cannot locate the details of the manager I requested “due to aforementioned strike action”, but I am promised a return phone call the following day.

So now do I:

a.) Wait for the promised return phone call (which probably won’t occur).
b.) Try and locate the details for the Regional Area Manager myself from www.hellkom.co.za and complain.
c.) Continue to call the national helpdesk number and chase my activation date.
d.) Extend my dialup contract for another 6 months
e.) Agree to pay the R404 installation and watch as my port is “magically” allocated.
f.) …

After reading a lot of posts (horror stories) here, from what I see ADSL installation does take a long time, and a lot of people have problems with self-install being available. Perhaps I’m being impatient? However the R404 seems a total cash bonus for Telkom, and I refuse to pay for someone to come to my house, connect with the Telkom guest account and tell me my ADSL works. Nowhere have I found on Telkom’s website categorically stating self-install only available to those in the following areas. Surely anyone should be eligible for self-install?

All comments, advice and criticism welcome.

Thanks
Mal1ce.

 

[Reptile2025]

I dont know about anyone else, but you can try the wireless isp's (sentech or iburst)

Just a thought.

 

[Franna]

Welcome to MyADSL.

With your wallet full of pounds expect Telkom to milk you like a cow.

Also worth trying is the Telkom retail shops in malls etc. They are usually the most efficient to get your request processed.

 

[APG]

I feel your pain... went through the same exact same process myself recently and hit a brick wall when it came to me demanding to do a self-install. Their logic as to why I'm not allowed to do one astounds me... this Einstein at the Telkom call centre told me that too many people were attempting self-installs and stuffing them up. She said the techicians then had to go out and clean up after us, so therefore they decided not to allow it. Now I ask you: if you stuff it up, then you pay the R404 "penalty" for the techie to come out and do it for you. If you don't, you save a techies' time and shorten the waiting list for so many other ADSL applicants. Who's winning here? My conclusion is that they're fleecing you for some extra money.

I also threathened them with the Advertising Standards Authority... this page http://www.telkom.co.za/verifyadsl explicity says that self-install will be an option for me as customer, not for them to decide at their discretion... they therefore basically advertise a product (self-install ADSL) that does not exist... does that sound like one for the ASA?

The outcome of my application? It's stuck in limbo between a friendly call center guy called Danie in JHB and an elusive techie in CPT While they're playing ADSL-tennis, I'm getting myself HSDPA with the router, less hassle at the same price.

 

[zefram]

I feel your pain too...

I didn't do the "self install option", and waited for about a month before they phoned and arranged a time for the instalation.

The time came and went, nobody came and nobody phoned me. After waiting for hours on their call centre, they told me they will phone me again, and arrange for the instalation.

The second time, (a week afterwards), they didn't arrive again. Same process again, after another week, the guys where luckily just 20 mintues late, and installed it. There where of course problems with the activation, and I had to wait another weekend before I could finaly dial.

 

[bwana]

So now do I:

a.) Wait for the promised return phone call (which probably won’t occur). Yes
b.) Try and locate the details for the Regional Area Manager myself from www.hellkom.co.za and complain. Yes
c.) Continue to call the national helpdesk number and chase my activation date. Yes
d.) Extend my dialup contract for another 6 months - Hell no - a dial up contract???
e.) Agree to pay the R404 installation and watch as my port is “magically” allocated. Yes - worth a shot if you're desperate.
f.) …

Welcome to SA where two weeks is regretfully a drop in the bucket when it comes to waiting for telkom. Without any viable alternative you are at their mercy. HSDPA is r499 per gb - IMO hardly a viable alternative especially if you get stuck into a 24 month contract!

I'm not sure what area you're in but you could always look into iBurst.co.za or sentech.co.za . Both are wireless connections and less expensive that MTN or Vodacom.

 

[Mal1ce]

Right, just a quick update and plea for help

I've been calling Telkom on the 0800 456 786 number every 2 to 3 days since my original post, still faced with the same story that no port has been allocated at my exchange yet and as a result I cannot be provided with an activation date.

Telkom are also refusing to pass on the details of the person responsible for new installations and of the person responsible for port planning in the Durban (Kloof exchange) area. I know it's a long shot but would anyone have these details available so I can chase them up?

Thanks
Mal1ce

 

[doc_msk]

Dude, feel your pain. I am a brit on a contract here, and I must say TelCon makes BT look like stars, and I thought NTL customer service was bad in the UK, but compared to SA even NTL look like the most customer centric company around. When I return to the UK I will not complain being on hold for 5 mins to NTL ever again....

I am having similar problems to you, however, in theory my request should be simpler, upgrading my 192 line to A 1024 line... Made the request on 12 April... still waiting.

Hope you get your ADSL sorted dude... The sinking feeling in your stomach for paying over a 100 pounds a month for a crappy 1024 line soon passes, and turns into hope that one day you can leave this place for greener and faster adsl pastures...

Regards
Doc

 

[Mask]

mal1ce....try getting hold of a technician at his number - 7643329. Often just rings endlessly, but best to try ealy morning or late afternoon when they are there. It is the number that came up on my cell when a technicial called me recently.

Hope they can help you and give you a better answer. Be friendly to them!

 

[ALit]

OK, here's my few cents worth on this:

I am assuming you have your own modem/router and want to set up your own LAN and equipment? All you need is an ADSL line at your spot? If so, then see below.

1. You will not get out of the R404 installation cost. Telkom's cable guy still needs to get the cable into your house and terminate and test it. Even if you're converting an existing line to ADSL, the test is important to ensure that the cable all the way, from your home to the exchange, is OK.
2. The box installed in your house is technically called the "demarcation point" (DP), and if you do a self install it means you are then responsible for connecting your equipment (technically called CPE or Customer Premises Equipment) to Telkom's line.
3. Telkom's R404 includes the cable & DP & CPE installation, as well as basic setup of their router on your PC. If you do the basic setup yourself, so be it, you still pay the full amount! My gut feel is, with you saying you will do a self install and do not want to pay the R404, they're now totally confused so back-off out of this.
4. Expect to wait 6 weeks at least from date of application. In my case the Telkom techie got to my house WITHOUT prior arrangement. Because I wasn't there and couldn't be there in time, they delayed by another 4 weeks - i.e. you go back into the Q. Make sure they know to call you first even if you are always available at home!
5. Try 0800 375 375 and follow the voice prompts - for some reason, I've always had better luck with this number. Apparently too, all national instals are dealt with centrally from Durban, as after one screamer I had with Telkom, someone called from Dbn and then things quickly progressed.
6. Some advice lastly, if you're planning any Voice over IP calls, avoid the Telkom router - it blocks out VoIP traffic. Secondly, the DP that Telkom instals will have 2 outlets, one for the ADSL link, the other for your phone. Spend R40.00 at Telkom and get their POTS filter for the phone line, it keeps annoying data noise off the phone line.

Apologies for my essay, but you learn from experience. As for a service provider for your ADSL line, try www.x-dsl.co.za, their prices seem about the best.

 

[ALit]

Message to doc_msk (and advice to others)

When you eventually get your 1024 link, do an immediate Telkom speed test. I upgraded from 192 to 512 and only 2 months later found that they had "upgraded" me only to a 384 technically, but 512 financially. Took another 2 months to get the credit back!

PS: Upgrades "also" take 6 weeks!

 

[doc_msk]

ALit, thanks for the advice.

Regards
Doc

 

[Mal1ce]

Light at the end of the tunnel...

My sync light came on last night, called Telkom on 0800 375 375 today as I was unable to "verify" my service at www.telkom.co.za/verifyadsl (system couldn't find my DN or order number). Was informed that a.) my installation hadn't been scheduled yet and b.) I don't need to verify my connection.

Put the phone down, called WebAfrica, signed up and am now posting from my 384k connection which is averaging 46kb/s downloading the latest Nvidia drivers for my new 7900GT.

So, no technician came out, nobody called to advise self-install was possible/not possible, my installation isn't scheduled yet (according to Telkom) but yet everything seems to be finally working.

Hurrah!