Signal in Greenstone area

[MarcW]

Hey there,

I have been living in Greenstone region for a year & 1/2. My complex is within a couple 100 metres of Greenstone and Stoneridge malls and hence a bunch of Vodacom, MTN, Neotel resellers and a Telkom shop. Incredibly it seems that none of them provide any form of voice solution that works in the area.
There is very little in the way of data that works either (only Telkom Wimax achieves anything).

My current (non) Service Providers are Vodacom from whom I literally get no voice signal in house or garden 95% of the time, and if I want to use 3G attempt to do so with a 5m USB extension, which sometimes works. I hence took a Neoconnect Lite (only one that allegedly worked where I live) package about 5 months ago. This for the most part solved my voice issues for a while, but stopped finding signal mid-September. Neotel service is even worse than Vodacoms (near zero service vs zero service) and I am looking to cancel my contract at this point.

I wanted to hear if there are others with the same experience or suggestions?

Thanks
Marc

 

[Twinkler]

MarcW, you're probably my neighbour

I went the Neotel Prime route but with upload and download speeds of 0.01kbs I quickly downgraded the contract to Neotel Lite, voice only. This too is a joke because if you move your head by like 1mm while talking, the call gets dropped. It would appear that Neotel phones get the signal through the ear piece and not the phone itself. You need to make about 3 calls just to complete a conversation. The same situation happens with Vodacom and signal is not consistant or good.

For internet, I put in iBurst and so far so good. It's not wonderful but a huge improvement on Neotel.

Don't even bother going to the Telkom shop at Greenstone. When you walk in there, it's like you've disturbed them from their sleep and if you ask when the Telkom lines will be put in, you get 'I don't know'. When you ask who there does know you once again get 'I don't know'. Absolutely pathetic bunch.

Telkom arrived at my complex about a month ago and started laying cables, then they disappeared again, so it would appear that lines are becoming available. As much as I would have loved to support any other crowd other than Telkom, it seems that Telkom is the only way unfortunately.

 

[wesleyfraser]

Which complex are you guys in?

 

[MarcW]

Hey there

Twinkler - I am most probably your neighbour!

I am just waiting for confirmation on the cancellation on my Neoconnect Lite service. To be fair from what I hear Neotel's products don't really work anywhere. I figure that waiting for Telkom to get sorted is going to be the best option, but it seems there is a possibility of getting a mini-cell from Vodacom in the region sometime soon.

I am in Acacia complex, but have heard from guys in Thornvalley that they have exactly the same problems.

 

[Twinkler]

MarcW - Bushwillowpark

I believe I'm getting a Telkom line in January 2010 ... well that's what the incompetents at Telkom Greenstone say, so we'll have to wait and see. The iBurst contract still has some time to run so I won't be going the ADSL route until it has expired, but can't wait to have a landline where you can at least have a telephone conversation and without it breaking up and disconnecting every few seconds. At the moment, if I have a telephone conversation while standing in the middle of the road, the signal does seem to work!

 

[Cleric]

I am moving into Acacia this weekend - do you know if it is possible to get a Telkom line installed? Because I asked the estate agent when I was buying and was pretty much met with a blank stare.

 

[DukeofHouse]

I am moving into Acacia this weekend - do you know if it is possible to get a Telkom line installed? Because I asked the estate agent when I was buying and was pretty much met with a blank stare.

Moved into Acacia recently and they mentioned that Telkom will be installing the lines this month. Haven't seen much activity though...

 

[Cleric]

Well, spoke to the Telkom rep and she seemed certain that there were lines available, and when I finally moved in on Friday the welcome guy pointed out the Telkom point in the wall for when I want to get a line, so it seems like it is all on track. Now the long wait begins....

 

[Tempest]

I've been in Acacia for a year now and have hit my head against the brick wall that is the Greenstone Telkom branch since moving here, with no luck so far >.<

After seeing this thread though, I put in a adsl weborder and got a call today to confirm it, so I am holding thumbs.

Of course I am betting that when the techy phones to set up a date I am going to get denied, but we will have to wait and see...

Will keep you guys informed

 

[Winston Wolf]

I've been living in Acacia as well, and are struggling with the exact same issues!

I phoned Vodacom to complain about data signal quality in September 2009. Currently I get only weak 2g signal in the complex. They phoned me this week, 4 months later, to follow up on my complaint for the first time :wtf: The guy i spoke to then advised me that they are putting a new tower in the area to carry data transmission only, but he couldn't give me a time line at all, only that it will be running "soon".

As to Telkom, I too am waiting for a Telkom line. The complex manager told me however that will only happen earliest April 2010 as they do not have the money in the current budget (that ends March 2010) to install the exchanges into the empty boxes that one can see in the street outside the complex

Keep us updated on any progress that you guys make with the adsl lines. Hoping to get this sooner, as Vodacom 3G means nothing when they cap you at 500Gb at a ridiculous price...

 

[Tempest]

Of course I am betting that when the techy phones to set up a date I am going to get denied, but we will have to wait and see...

Still waiting...

The complex manager told me however that will only happen earliest April 2010 as they do not have the money in the current budget (that ends March 2010) to install the exchanges into the empty boxes that one can see in the street outside the complex

I wonder if thats all it will take, since none of the phase 1 or 2 units have phone lines built-in as far as I know (dont know about phase 3). So it will be an exchange plus digging up the whole place to run cables, joy.

 

[Cleric]

Update on Telkom (called a few times but these are the first real details), the Greenstone area is currently part of a project which is not scheduled for this financial year. Best case scenario, this means it may be on the books for April, worst case, many months before we can even bother looking at a line.

I am considering WiMax (with Screamer) but I am worried a) about whether I can install an arial in the complex (Acacia) and b) about the signal quality. Does anyone know anybody who has had any success with WiMax?

 

[Fayainz]

I'm moving into Acacia next week. I'm soooo screwed for internet it seems. Comming from 4Mb ADSL to what will probably be my cellphone.. i'm not to pleased. Guess i'll have to try screamer wimax and see how it goes...

 

[Tempest]

I am considering WiMax (with Screamer) but I am worried a) about whether I can install an arial in the complex (Acacia) and b) about the signal quality. Does anyone know anybody who has had any success with WiMax?

I'll let you know Cleric. Moving into our new unit next weekend and will get someone from Screamer to test signal, etc once we are in.

 

[DukeofHouse]

I am considering WiMax (with Screamer) but I am worried a) about whether I can install an arial in the complex (Acacia) and b) about the signal quality. Does anyone know anybody who has had any success with WiMax?

To answer your first question -
a) No. Body corp does not allow any antennae on the roof of the buildings.

I have sent a PM to Howzit regarding this issue and they apparently do have indoor antennas, but to date I haven't got a response to my request to come out and test the signal quality using the indoor equipment.

 

[Tempest]

Wow. So I get a phone call yesterday. No greeting, no professionalism, just:

Telkom: Do you want your phone line cancelled...
Me: Excuse me?
Telkom: We got a cancellation request for your phone line, do you want it cancelled?
Me: Uhhh, no, I'm still waiting for it to be installed thanks
Telkom: What? You're waiting for it to be installed?
Me: Yes.
Telkom: Oh ok.
<Telkom hangs up>

Gotta love it...

 

[Cleric]

Oh wow. Then again, this is Telkom, what else do you expect. At least they called you and didn't just cancel your imaginary line.

Also - any word from Screamer?

 

[Tempest]

Gave my info to Howzit. Waiting for a call...

 

[DukeofHouse]

I applied to Screamer but subsequently cancelled based on the negative reviews on this forum.
They gave me a call saying that I'd be the second person on the Greenstone tower so the connection will be much better than other users.
Didn't want to chance it, so I'm going for a B970 HSDPA router with Telkom 3G for now.

<sigh> all roads lead to Telkom I suppose...

 

[Cleric]

I know someone who lives in Striletzia who is using Screamer and he says it is fine (for downloads at least - don't know about gaming). Unfortunately when I went to order, I saw I needed my ID, so I put it off for a day while I got a copy. Then the next day the pricing has all nearly doubled, AND you can no longer rent equipment on a month-to-month basic (it is R3000 once off or nothing, even if you use the service for a week).

So Screamer is out of the question then