Hello there. Has anyone here had any troubles with Telkom and relocating to another province?
This is my current situation:
I am relocating due to a new job, to Cape Town (from Centurion). I had to install ADSL due to the nature of my work (Unix SysAdmin - doing remote after hours support). Now, this is where the issue comes in:
I wanted to have my ADSL account/line suspended for a period of 3 months, because I will be living with my parents for the 1st 2-3 months, until my wife finds work in the Cape Town area, and only then, will I be able to get my own place to live again.
Telkom told me the following: If I do not transfer my telephone line and ADSL account, within 30 days, I will be held for breach of contract, and will be held liable (in one go) for the whole of the rest of my ADSL contract (about 12 months), which I will be directly liable to pay, all in one shot.
Now, my request was simple: please place my contract and telephone line/ADSL line "on hold" for a short period of time (I had absolutely NO problems with my Multichoice DSTV account), until such time as what I can have it installed in my own home again (my parents already have ADSL installed in their home).
The is what happened: I lodged this request with Telkom on the 5th of September 2005. I was told that this will not and cannot be done. I escalated this, until I was gived a contact in Durban, someone by the name of Marie, at the "Quality control" department. This lady then told me that a contract was signed in my name, in August 2005 (I had my ADSL account already since October 2004). So, someone most likely had signed my contract fraudulently. Then I was told to lodge a dispute about this contract at my local Telkom Customer Service branch. Which I did. I waited for about 2 weeks, and then when I still had no-one call me back, went back to my "customer service branch" where I was told to call someone else, which I then tried to do.... result...... no-one ever answered the telephone number. I then called 10219 (I did this about 15 times - having to explain my whole situation over, and over, and over again)..... When I was at last transferred to the 10219 department's supervisor, someone named Diane Wood (this department was in Cape Town). Who in turn contacted someone in Durban again, named Polela Nguzu. This Polela told me that there was no problem in suspending my ADSL line and account (as well as my telephone line). She would arrange that this happens - I will only be liable for an amount of R150 for the 3 month period (R50 per month) for the suspension fee. This was 2 days ago I was told this. Now, up till now, have NO-ONE at Telkom really helped me. Today I called back, to talk to this Polela, but she has the day off. I am now told that the "suspension" is ONLY for my voice telephone line, and that I am still liable for my ADSL account, which I must pay the full amount of, for the period which I do NOT have access to ADSL. During this whole time, even though I asked for this multiple times, I was NOT offered a copy of my so-called contract (even though I asked for this MANY MANY MANY times). I tried to get through to Telkom's contracts department, but NO-ONE will transfer me there either, or give me the telephone number - I have asked for this MANY MANY times!
Now, my current situation is, I am leaving for Cape Town within 2 hours time, with this issue still "hanging" over my head.
I need to know if someone has perhaps been in a similar situation, or if someon can perhaps supply me with details of a manager or supervisor at the Telkom Contracts department..... Or any other advice will be appreciated.
I was just rudely dismissed, after continously demanding that my contract be faxed to me, with the fact that it was "Telkom's corporate policy"......
I am still contemplating going to the Police and opening up a Fraud docket, for this so-called "contract" that does not seem to exist!
Please help.
Many thanks.
Jacques Botha
This is my current situation:
I am relocating due to a new job, to Cape Town (from Centurion). I had to install ADSL due to the nature of my work (Unix SysAdmin - doing remote after hours support). Now, this is where the issue comes in:
I wanted to have my ADSL account/line suspended for a period of 3 months, because I will be living with my parents for the 1st 2-3 months, until my wife finds work in the Cape Town area, and only then, will I be able to get my own place to live again.
Telkom told me the following: If I do not transfer my telephone line and ADSL account, within 30 days, I will be held for breach of contract, and will be held liable (in one go) for the whole of the rest of my ADSL contract (about 12 months), which I will be directly liable to pay, all in one shot.
Now, my request was simple: please place my contract and telephone line/ADSL line "on hold" for a short period of time (I had absolutely NO problems with my Multichoice DSTV account), until such time as what I can have it installed in my own home again (my parents already have ADSL installed in their home).
The is what happened: I lodged this request with Telkom on the 5th of September 2005. I was told that this will not and cannot be done. I escalated this, until I was gived a contact in Durban, someone by the name of Marie, at the "Quality control" department. This lady then told me that a contract was signed in my name, in August 2005 (I had my ADSL account already since October 2004). So, someone most likely had signed my contract fraudulently. Then I was told to lodge a dispute about this contract at my local Telkom Customer Service branch. Which I did. I waited for about 2 weeks, and then when I still had no-one call me back, went back to my "customer service branch" where I was told to call someone else, which I then tried to do.... result...... no-one ever answered the telephone number. I then called 10219 (I did this about 15 times - having to explain my whole situation over, and over, and over again)..... When I was at last transferred to the 10219 department's supervisor, someone named Diane Wood (this department was in Cape Town). Who in turn contacted someone in Durban again, named Polela Nguzu. This Polela told me that there was no problem in suspending my ADSL line and account (as well as my telephone line). She would arrange that this happens - I will only be liable for an amount of R150 for the 3 month period (R50 per month) for the suspension fee. This was 2 days ago I was told this. Now, up till now, have NO-ONE at Telkom really helped me. Today I called back, to talk to this Polela, but she has the day off. I am now told that the "suspension" is ONLY for my voice telephone line, and that I am still liable for my ADSL account, which I must pay the full amount of, for the period which I do NOT have access to ADSL. During this whole time, even though I asked for this multiple times, I was NOT offered a copy of my so-called contract (even though I asked for this MANY MANY MANY times). I tried to get through to Telkom's contracts department, but NO-ONE will transfer me there either, or give me the telephone number - I have asked for this MANY MANY times!
Now, my current situation is, I am leaving for Cape Town within 2 hours time, with this issue still "hanging" over my head.
I need to know if someone has perhaps been in a similar situation, or if someon can perhaps supply me with details of a manager or supervisor at the Telkom Contracts department..... Or any other advice will be appreciated.
I was just rudely dismissed, after continously demanding that my contract be faxed to me, with the fact that it was "Telkom's corporate policy"......
I am still contemplating going to the Police and opening up a Fraud docket, for this so-called "contract" that does not seem to exist!
Please help.
Many thanks.
Jacques Botha