New ADSL Installation

GILL79

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Hi There

I never had a landline installed to my house, because Im currently only usung mobile networks. Now I want to get adsl installed, nut haveel na few questions.
1- How do I obtain an ADSL line?
2-What is the costs for installation?
3-Monthly fee for Line?
4-Who has the best data packages, Telkom or Mweb?

Please Assist
 
1. You phone 10210 and ask telkom for an analogue phone line to be installed to your premises. They'll take down your address and see if this is possible for your area (sometimes they decline due to excessive copper theft). After they confirm you can have a line installed you need to make sure you ask them if they can service you with ADSL over this same line and what the maximum speeds are that your exchange would support.

2. I think the costs are +- R700 for installation.

3. R189 for the analogue (phone line, mandatory at this stage) and an additional cost of anything between R165 for a 2Mbps line up to R599 for 40Mbps VDSL. See pricing here: https://secure.telkom.co.za/today/shop/home/plan/fast-adsl/#!k=plan-slider-263

This would make your cost R189 + 165 = R354 for the 2Mbps ADSL without any data.

4. I'd say neither Telkom or Mweb, but rather Afrihost or Vox. It is important to go for quality here rather than price.
 
agreed with netstrider, vox or afrihost. have an analogue line installed and then do a self-installation on adsl line.
 
I just went through the exercise a month ago.

netstrider has it right. Just have lots of patience.

You will also require an adsl router. Your ISP can assist but buy a router from takealot and ask your ISP to assist with setup. The TP-Link and ASUS routers are pretty good value for money.

Installation cost is R600 odd for the land line plus R700 odd for the adsl (setting up the adsl router) but tell then you will self-install in which case there is no charge for the latter. Your isp will also be able to assist with the router setup.
 
Follow Netstriders advice its good but here's a few extra tips

if you have a neighbors number put it in here http://www2.telkom.co.za/checkadsl/check.htm to see if you can get internet and what speed.

Telkom takes 14-21 working days to do a new line install, on the 14th day call and escalate or they may never come.

Don't go uncapped at cheap prices those accounts are the pits, where you only get half the speed of your line if you lucky.

Get a capped account where you get 90% of what your line is capable of at anytime. We don't know your usage is so gonna quote on the 100 gig packages with unlimited data from 12pm - 6am from the only 4 ISP's I would go to.

Vox 100 gig = R249 (I think they are battling a bit with support because they expanded so fast but their network is good)
Crystal Web 100 gig = R279 (havent used but heard amazing things and network is good)
Afrihost 100 gig = R199 (had a funny year last year but everything is back on track network is good)
Axxess 100gig = R189 (I'm a bit bias here cos I use em but I think this particular package is the best value for money product out there and their network is good, also they won ISP of the year last year and ISP of the first quarter this year)
 
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Follow Netstriders advice its good but here's a few extra tips

if you have a neighbors number put it in here http://www2.telkom.co.za/checkadsl/check.htm to see if you can get internet and what speed.

Telkom takes 14-21 working days to do a new line install, on the 14th day call and escalate or they may never come.

Don't go uncapped at cheap prices those accounts are the pits, where you only get half the speed of your line if you lucky.

Get a capped account where you get 90% of what your line is capable of at anytime. We don't know your usage is so gonna quote on the 100 gig packages with unlimited data from 12pm - 6am from the only 4 ISP's I would go to.

Vox 100 gig = R249 (I think they are battling a bit with support because they expanded so fast but their network is good)
Crystal Web 100 gig = R279 (havent used but heard amazing things and network is good)
Afrihost 100 gig = R199 (had a funny year last year but everything is back on track network is good)
Axxess 100gig = R189 (I'm a bit bias here cos I use em but I think this particular package is the best value for money product out there and their network is good, also they won ISP of the year last year and ISP of the first quarter this year)
Just to add here, if you add AfriPlus at R99 to that 100GB package, they will double it to 200GB'S. So for R298 you get 200GB's data plus midnight data and 500MB mobile data
 
All good advice.

One thing to consider is capped accounts are unshaped, meaning peer-to-peer (torrents), Youtube and other video streaming services are not shaped (throttled) regardless of the time of day since you pay for an exact amount of data each month. Therefore the prices remain constant.

Uncapped on the other hand become more expensive the faster your line speed is - since you are capable of consuming more - and many if not most of them will either throttle these services indefinitely rendering them either unusable or causing many frustrations where you might believe there is something wrong with your line when there is not.

Furthermore, even those that don't throttle usually have a fair usage policy (FUP) stating you may use 200GB per month as an example as unshaped and thereafter throttling starts, but the implementation hereof is often ambiguous. That is why you should ensure if you go uncapped you go for a package that has a reputation to stick to their FUP and that their speeds are good.

For example:

I initially signed up with Cybersmart uncapped on a 4Mbps line and reached 400 odd Kbps on normal downloads, but torrents were going between 80Kbps and 130Kbps. The moment I switched to a VOX capped 150GB account my torrents also reached full line speed of 400 odd Kbps.

Cybersmart's uncapped accounts are inexpensive so they have to enforce this form of shaping to protect their revenues.

So once again, quality over price.
 
You will also require an adsl router. Your ISP can assist but buy a router from takealot and ask your ISP to assist with setup. The TP-Link and ASUS routers are pretty good value for money.

You can get TP-Link from Uniterm Direct. I got my router through them a few years ago. Service is excellent, and they can also help you with setup (they did for me regarding half-bridge settings). Also, as a MyBroadband member, once you register on their site, you should still be able to fill in your username for a 10% discount. Prices are excl. VAT & delivery (but if in JHB or CPT you can fetch the item & obviously no delivery fee then). Saw afterwards you're in CPT.

http://www.dbg.co.za/index.php?cPath=55_57
Choose from Wireless ADSL or VDSL, or you can get Wired ADSL & link a router to it - if the ADSL modem is hit by lightening, then it shouldn't affect the router as well. That's my setup.

TP-Link 8817 ADSL2+ Modem Router R279 + VAT + courier if applicable
http://www.dbg.co.za/product_info.php?cPath=55_57_158&products_id=736

with ...

TP-LINK WR840N 300MBPS WIRELESS N ROUTER R349.00 + VAT + courier etc.
http://www.dbg.co.za/product_info.php?cPath=55_56_168&products_id=1219

I have the 841ND (the 841N shows currently out of stock) ; above only an example - can go for more expensive if you wish, but this wireless covers quite a bit of an average-sized house). Ask their sales for suggestions, based on the setup you're after.

My modem is in fact a D-Link DSL-2500U - cheaper end of the market, but not sure if you can get them anymore ; were about R200 to R250 incl. VAT. Try at independent computer shops in your area. They're extremely versatile - bridge & half-bridge modes, which means setting up one ISP username/pwrd in the modem, and the option to dial-up multiple ones from the PC interface, over-riding the one in the modem whenever you want to.
 
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Not wanting to hi-jack thread, I have finally gotten a installation appointment but the difference in my installation is that I need to have poles installed to lead copper to my house. Has there been instances where Telkom cancelled a planned installation?
 
Not wanting to hi-jack thread, I have finally gotten a installation appointment but the difference in my installation is that I need to have poles installed to lead copper to my house. Has there been instances where Telkom cancelled a planned installation?
They cancelled on me about 2 weeks after they had confirmed installation. Their reason was high levels of copper theft (was when I lived in Midrand)
 
They cancelled on me about 2 weeks after they had confirmed installation. Their reason was high levels of copper theft (was when I lived in Midrand)
It's really pathetic for us to be so dependant on a company like Telkom
 
Hey guys,

I am also going through this procedure and got Axxess to organize my DSL line via Telkom.

Telkom set up my telephone line on 22/2 and I put in the request with Axxess on 23/2.

They are now waiting for Telkom to go ahead and activate the line.

After this, my understanding is that I need to pretty much set up my router and connect.

Am I right in my understanding?

Does anyone know how long it takes for Telkom to come right?

Axxess have already billed me for the calendar month for March, is this normal?

Excuse any silly questions as this is the first time I am going through this (long) procedure in RSA.

Thanks.
 
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Hmmm. With Afrihiost I wasn't billed until they took over the line. It was a new line.

Once Telkom have notified you that ADSL is activated you should be able to set up the router and connect. The line will then be transferred to the ISP - it can take a few days. I was able to use the adsl during this period.
 
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Hmmm. With Afrihiost I wasn't billed until they took over the line. It was a new line.

Once Telkom have notified you that ADSL is activated you should be able to set up the router and connect. The line will then be transferred to the ISP - it can take a few days. I was able to use the adsl during this period.

Thanks senyetse.

According to Telkom:

As per your request. Your line is active, synching and the service should be working. However, your account needs to be activated by your ISP and the modem setup with your ISP Internet Username and Password in-order for you to connect.

I will need to take it up with Axxess.
 
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