Sentech National W-DSL Launch 1/12/03 !

[Cerberus]

possibly but hey I don't have ADSL and won't be able to get it till 2005 wouldn't you be excited about a service like this? I mean come on I have 3 ISDN connection at home and that only musters up a maximum of 256kbs I want a service where d/l a patch doesn't take 10 hours. This is the answer and I have done some research into wireless technolgies and this is perfect for Africa no telephone lines that disappear on you and no cables that get cut off just pure connection(the occasional electrical storm)

 

[PAYBACK]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Cerberus</i>
<br />I don't have ADSL and won't be able to get it till 2005
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Dam Cerb where do you live ? I wish I still had that ladies addy at TELKOM, When I knew I was moving I checked to see if my new exchange was ADSL compliant and to my horror found out March 2004 would be my roll out date. Suffice to say I lost it and proceeded to get hold of someone at TELKOM to give me a more clear cut answer because almost every number in Pretoria North and surrounds seemed to have a March 2004 rollout. I get a mail back from this lady saying that I could expect it in November and she was spot one. Do you have a set date on your roll out Cerb or are you relying on that TELKOM ADSL exchange checker ?

 

[Cerberus]

Payback lets just say that I am tired of TRYING to get ADSL Telkom has always said "Check the server" and "Thats what the system says" so I gave up around 5 months ago now I'm rooting for Sentech... WHY? BECUASE they can atleast deliver the product to me earlier than 2005!

 

[Sash]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Cerberus</i>
<br />Just to put things into perspective if you go to their site www.sentech.co.za you'll see the wireless connection(which they are launching) is 128k-2mb now they are starting with the small package so assuming that it's a 128k/128k as for the price well as i said earlier I can't comment on that. But I'm excited.
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As for pricing from what I can see it will be more expensive than Telkom like for like or perhaps on par, so I dont think its going to be a 'cheap' broadband solution - I have had some pricing on a VPN Satellite solution from Sentech and its more expensive than Telkoms - albeit without caps (although i'm not sure if Telkom would cap on a VPN).

The way I see it is its another option that Telkom doesnt provide rather than being a direct pricing war on each other. I dont see it in the Governments interest to knock the profitability of either enterprises as they have an interest in both.

For me however i'm not prepared to dish out around R1000 for a DSL connection which is capped and my internet service basically taken away from me when I reach it. I would however consider paying R600-R800 for a 64/128k service which would be comparable to my ISDN bill at present. Of course the service being of consistent quality and uncapped (something we can hope for in Sentechs product).

Its not about cheap broadband its about having a bigger choice of products, a bit like the cell phone industry, banks etc operate. In competition but at the same time in cohesion with each other. Lets face it - if a customer is prepared to pay for something because they need it and there isnt anything else they can do, why drop the price?

 

[doekvoet]

Well sash - I agree with most of your points - just have one thing to add:

Even if I have to scale down to a lower level service from Sentech (or any other provider) and it is uncapped and cheaper than Telkom, it will be a principle decision to use it and to drop Telkom - we have been ripped off for far too long

 

[Karnaugh]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by PAYBACK</i>
<br />That does indeed sound better, but at the end of the day we all pulling on straws here. In an ideal world I would like Sentech to offer us this.

1. ADSL 512 Kbps Down,256 Kbps Up
2. No cap
3. No port shapping

Cost including monthly subs R800 p/m
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1) I'd rather have symetrical bandwidth thanks... and you do get a 512/512 package afaik
2) there is no cap
3) there is no "port shapping"

<hr noshade size="1">iActive internet services
http://www.iactive.co.za

 

[ProAsm]

Ok, I will stick my neck out a bit here just to clear some confusion.
Remember this is not yet cast in stone.
The setup mentioned by guztro is very close, except replace the 512 with 1024 and put the 512 midway
In every case its 128 up.
The modem/transceiver is approx 3gs - no installation, you do it yourself.
There will possibly be an option to pay it off by signing a 1 or 2 year contract.
The system works on a 3G technology, so trees, buildings are not a problem.
You may find pointing the antenna at you car will be better than pointing it at the tower
No cap - no port prioritizing or shaping etc.
Nuff said.

 

[chopsky]

HOLY $%#!
I'll take 3 please.

 

[Whoop_Ass]

Any one wanna buy 2xAlcatel ADSL modems......[)]


It is about time some one gave telkom Carrots
Go Sentech[]

If Sex is a pain in the Arse you doing it WRONG!

 

[Cerberus]

*Evil knowing grin*

 

[Nickste]

Sweet sweet sweet!

What kind of installing do you need to do, if you aren't too close to the tower?

*Nickste hauls out the electric drill and climbing harness!
(I have quite a steep roof!)

Chow, Nick



Nick Smit
adsl@nicksmit.za.net

 

[Cerberus]

as far as I know just an antenna if your withing 10km and if you are around 40km a booster with that after that well... you;ll have to wait for the next few towers

 

[Webgaffer]

I listen to all this clapping of hands when a monthly DSL charge of say R800 is banded about...
That may be all well and good if you are running a business and can offset these charges.
What about the vast majority of home users with family who wish to have an affordable Internet connection and not to mention retired people who maybe want to run a little Internet based business in order to make ends meet or just for interest...
Can somebody explain to me how the UK (likely the most expensive area in the world) can offer DSL connection including modem & connection at less than R200 per month?
Something is very sadly wrong with the SA system me thinks!

As an aside; I would guess that the Sentech chosen site for Cape Town of Tygerberg is due to the fact that as the Sentech Cape Town control centre is situated at the top of the Millpark building in Millnerton they will have line-of-site communication with Tygerberg and therefore excellent monitoring facilities. Otherwise; I would think that they would use their main Cape Town site of Constantiaberg....

 

[Cerberus]

WebGaffer - Baby steps mmm? Nothing happens overnight yet south africa is expensive now but then there was a monopoly in play what we are talking about is good and even compotition. Look at the cellphone componies 5 years ago I didn't even own one now I know that most 14 year olds own one give it time nothing happens in a snap of a finger in 2005-2006 I forsee a great change in the amount you'll be paying for bandwidth but first you have to build up to that.

 

[PAYBACK]

Where do you think the PTA antenna will be setup ?, I'm in the North. I any case I should be within that 40km range (boosted) for sure...

 

[eagle]

This is the info I got from Sentech.
"Please note that Hennenman is not in the planned BroadBand IP Wireless coverage areas.

Attached please find further information on our VSTAR product offering. "

No ADSL till about 2006 no WIFI connection so The only option I have is to go with Telkom's satellite service and get capped at 1GB (system down) or pay R2999 p/m at sentech or stay with Telkoms analogue line and pay R2500 p/m! What a choice. I am sure that Telkom can give a flat rate through there analogue lines as well. They surely know the POP telephone number or use the 086007249 number as a start and put a flat rate of say R500 on that for 24/7 Internet. I do not need the speed that much but I would love a flat rate on my service!!!

 

[Karnaugh]

god dude, how about moving out of the sticks?!

Even .uk only has good ADSL coverage in majour areas just like .za

<hr noshade size="1">iActive internet services
http://www.iactive.co.za

 

[Sash]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by eagle</i>
<br />I am sure that Telkom can give a flat rate through there analogue lines as well. They surely know the POP telephone number or use the 086007249 number as a start and put a flat rate of say R500 on that for 24/7 Internet. I do not need the speed that much but I would love a flat rate on my service!!!
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I agree, and I dont understand why Telkom are so slow on the pickup of flat rates to ISP's its been around for years in the states, uk etc and I cant see it being that difficult to implement.

The way I see it is that a service like this could actually be more profitable than metered access. People would subscribe to the service because they are not in fear of having a huge phone bill at the end of each month. Telkom would be making money as lots of people would not using the service to its full capacity but still have to pay the fee.

People like me who would like 24hr access and not need 512kbps download speed would be happy with this service - at the moment ADSL is the only option. The other benefit then of course is that Telkom would have less ADSL subscribers and preserve the expensive bandwidth they have because people would be using using other ISP's to get their bandwidth, this would also promote a healthy ISP industry (that they are also part of - perhaps a conflict of interest there?).

I can remember some time ago an article published in the UK about the explosion in online purchasing after they had implemented unmetered dial access. Thats another side benefit to Telkom - more e:Retailers starting up or upgrading and buying diginet lines from Telkom? Promoting a healthy on-line market?

I do think Telkom are very vertical thinking in their provision of internet services and dont look at the whole picture. At the moment we seem to be clouded by new 'innovative' products like the R7 call plan or so many internet minutes for xxx a month when the real solution, much simpler is staring them in their face - unmetered access.

 

[armitage]

IMHO telkom like turtle just sticking it head out far enough to get a little bit of cabbage but has a damn good shell to protect it always.

i wonder if telkom's infrastructure can actually handle if all internet users converted to a 24/7 access type if they could keep the system running for long.


New service by Telkom broadband speeds up to 5kbps for only R1k a month. heheh

 

[Sash]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by armitage</i>
<br />i wonder if telkom's infrastructure can actually handle if all internet users converted to a 24/7 access type if they could keep the system running for long.
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If it doesnt then maybe they should consider giving their customers something back and devloping the economy that feeds it (upgrading) - rather than lining directors and share holders pockets.