Screwed over by Telkom

[DeeperBlue]

My 9Gb Telkom Internet account was capped on the 7th of April. Now, I don’t download torrents or anything else heavy so needless to say I was very surprised that it was capped so early in the month. After checking my PCs and all my logs (I work in the Internet industry - probably as many of you do - so I understand virus checkers / spyware checkers / firewalls / data usage logs and have them all enabled), there was no way I could have downloaded 7.5Gb over two days, which is what the usage tracker suggested. There must have been an error in the system somewhere. After raising this with Telkom they fobbed me off and eventually told me that they weren’t interested in the matter. All they told me was:

‘We have reviewed your ADSL connection logs and we do not pick up any
irregularities’

I asked for data logs or anything else they could provide me and they told me that they didn’t have these, and that they were not prepared to replace any of the missing bandwidth. Basically, they just ’stole’ almost 8Gb of bandwidth and when questioned, told me where to get off.

I don't understand how they can do this. They just log whatever they please on my account and then force me to buy top-ups? What's to stop them booking 8.5Gb on the first day of every month and then just telling me that they have 'reviewed my adsl connection logs' and not found any irregularities? Surely they could just abuse this fraudelenty if there is no comeback and no accountability?

Anyone else had issues like this?

 

[Sonic2k]

I am really sorry to hear that.
Whilst I haven't had your experience I must add that it seems the whole of Telkom is rotting from the inside. Service is something that simply doesn't exist and they have a really blatant don't-give-a-f**K attitude of late. I am relating to a fault on an ADSL line, which, to date they have not even bothered to fix or dispatch a technician for. So we canceled the line outright!

 

[sblsbl2004]

one year ago, same thing happened to me, download like 2G in an hour, and telkom refuse to admit it was their problem, i doubt if someone else steal my account, but telkom said only i can give them a police case number, otherwise they can't help me to check which telephone number download all those data. forgive up then, now i have afrihost account as backup, since they're much cheaper after my telkom finished.

 

[sblsbl2004]

and even now in our area telkom server got problem, we offline every 10 or 15 minutes, and i phone their ADSL department, they said i have to wait, it happened yesterday, i have no other choice but telkom, but i tired of dial fault reporting several times a month.

 

[DeeperBlue]

one year ago, same thing happened to me, download like 2G in an hour, and telkom refuse to admit it was their problem, i doubt if someone else steal my account, but telkom said only i can give them a police case number, otherwise they can't help me to check which telephone number download all those data. forgive up then, now i have afrihost account as backup, since they're much cheaper after my telkom finished.

Yep, I've been using Afrihost as a backup and trying to be very very careful with my bandwidth, but it's still going to be probably R150 of bandwidth I've been robbed of. I'm looking around and I'll select an alternative ISP. Seems like the few bucks I saved with doBroadband's "all in one" solution isn't worth the hassle.

 

[MickZA]

Did you do any heavy downloading on 31st March to use up your cap?

In a case like this it often happens that you are not capped on your expiring month usage and the excess is debited on the 1st of the next month. Check your download stats for April 1st.

 

[DeeperBlue]

Did you do any heavy downloading on 31st March to use up your cap?

In a case like this it often happens that you are not capped on your expiring month usage and the excess is debited on the 1st of the next month. Check your download stats for April 1st.

No I didn't, but I can see the problem on the usage monitor. It reckons I downloaded 4.0Gb on April 6th and 3.5Gb on April 7th. Nice round numbers. It's POSSIBLE they are multiplied by 10. It would be rather higher than my average usage (maybe 200Mb/day) but I could just about believe it. I don't believe 7.5Gb in two days though. Not when my logs show nothing like that whatsoever.

 

[Vexo]

Yes Telkom is dying by the day. Been paying for internet that doesnt work half the time and has completely gone for more than a week. Their response "We dont know when it will be fixed"
Me "Well a day ? a week ? a month ? a year ? i have a business to run from home and i am losing moeny every day that you do nothing"
Telkom "eish i dont know"
Me "**** you" and hang up

I have prob called over 100 times in the last 3 weeks and as of yet nobody has phones or visited the house even once.
If there was a decent competitor telkom would die in a record time.

 

[DeeperBlue]

Yes Telkom is dying by the day. Been paying for internet that doesnt work half the time and has completely gone for more than a week. Their response "We dont know when it will be fixed"
Me "Well a day ? a week ? a month ? a year ? i have a business to run from home and i am losing moeny every day that you do nothing"
Telkom "eish i dont know"
Me "**** you" and hang up

I have prob called over 100 times in the last 3 weeks and as of yet nobody has phones or visited the house even once.
If there was a decent competitor telkom would die in a record time.

Yeah the Melkbos exchange has been dropping ADSL about once every 2-3 weeks and down for 24 hours at a time. Someone at Telkom ADSL customer support said there was old equipment at the exchange but Telkom didn't want to replace it because it was in line for a 10Mb upgrade in about 6 months time when all the kit will be replaced anyway. Well, that's cool but until then we have to make do with a connection that we know is going to be like a yo-yo.

 

[MickZA]

It reckons I downloaded 4.0Gb on April 6th and 3.5Gb on April 7th.

What chowed the most, upload or download traffic?

 

[DeeperBlue]

What chowed the most, upload or download traffic?

Download. Upload was barely more than normal. I think that figure could have been fine.

It's POSSIBLE that I did get hacked/some random download bypassed the logs/someone was 'wardriving' in Melkbos, but I don't find any of that likely. But even if I did somehow use the bandwidth, the thing that got me was the way Telkom ignored me for days until I'd chased them several times, then sent me a 'canned' reply and when I tried to engage with them they just brushed me aside. As far as they were concerned, they didn't seem to give a damn about me as a customer.

So 5 mins ago I just cancelled my Telkom Internet and, using my R250 of bunny money as a little helper, signed up for Afrihost

 

[Reelix]

I've been charged for things I don't own, and been blown off for months... Same old Telkom - Nothing new there...

So 5 mins ago I just cancelled my Telkom Internet and, using my R250 of bunny money as a little helper, signed up for Afrihost

Keep us informed as to how they treat you And why'd you choose Afrihost over MWeb / Web Africa?

 

[DeeperBlue]

I've been charged for things I don't own, and been blown off for months... Same old Telkom - Nothing new there...



Keep us informed as to how they treat you And why'd you choose Afrihost over MWeb / Web Africa?

MWeb, heard occasional mixed reviews. WebAfrica excellent, but very expensive. Over twice the price for a 10Gb account.

I've used the Afrihost 1Gb free for a few months and had no complaints.

Why, am I missing something?

 

[Reelix]

Why, am I missing something?

Not at all - Was just curious

I've yet to get DSL at all due to Telkom (Even though I've paid - Another thread about that.... -_-), and am originally going for MWeb.

Will switch to Afrihost if things go south. Keep me informed

 

[The_Unbeliever]

Disclaimer : Afrihost fanboy

Been using AfriHost for a long time now, and no problems or issues so far, except when SEACOM goes down.

 

[sblsbl2004]

our company have a 4M telkom ADSL　line and 4M uncapped from Mweb, but now we pathtically only have 0.5M download speed and 0.2M upload speed, and those stupid telkom guys keep telling me through fault reporting line that their line is ok. how it could be ok for such a low speed and been disconnected for like every 10 minutes. and one of those stupid guy even rudely hang up my call. http://www.speedtest.net/result/1257721412.png

 

[DeeperBlue]

Disclaimer : Afrihost fanboy

Been using AfriHost for a long time now, and no problems or issues so far, except when SEACOM goes down.

I'm just miffed that I missed out on the R99 deal at the start of the month. I have to pay R190 for a 10Gb account (plus the 1Gb freebie I suppose).

Still, the bunny breaks the fall and there is not contract so I could always run it for a couple of months and then grab another deal I suppose.

 

[MickZA]

our company have a 4M telkom ADSL　line and 4M uncapped from Mweb, but now we pathtically only have 0.5M download speed and 0.2M upload speed, and those stupid telkom guys keep telling me through fault reporting line that their line is ok. how it could be ok for such a low speed and been disconnected for like every 10 minutes. and one of those stupid guy even rudely hang up my call. http://www.speedtest.net/result/1257721412.png

Possibly because it's MWeb Uncapped? Test with a free Afrihost account here:

http://www.afrihost.com/site/page/free_1gb_adsl_account_signup

 

[sblsbl2004]

Possibly because it's MWeb Uncapped? Test with a free Afrihost account here:

http://www.afrihost.com/site/page/free_1gb_adsl_account_signup

i use afrihost account to test, but still the same result, definitely telkom line problem.http://www.speedtest.net/result/1257972925.png

 

[inferno]

Sounds like you had your account stolen and abused.