Telkom copper cutoff date

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SyNtHeSiS

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Hello. I was recently contacted by Telkom regarding moving over to LTE from ADSL since there is currently no fibre in my area. Also recently, I heard from another service provider that they would be installing fibre in my area and that it would be operational by January 2020. I would prefer to wait until January 2020 for fibre in my area, but I am concerned that by then Telkom would shutdown ADSL in my area. Does Telkom publish the copper cutoff dates by neighborhood?
 
Spynx said:
See this page for the list of neighborhoods: https://media.telkom.co.za/today/media/downloads/Regional__Areas.pdf
Click to expand...

Thanks, but the document only contains the areas but not the date of cut off. If no dates are available by neighborhood, what is the likelihood that I could wait until January 2020 (when fibre would be installed in my area) without my current ADSL being shutdown? I wanted to do this to avoid being bound by a new contract with Telkom as a result of moving to their LTE.
 
SyNtHeSiS said:
Thanks, but the document only contains the areas but not the date of cut off. If no dates are available by neighborhood, what is the likelihood that I could wait until January 2020 (when fibre would be installed in my area) without my current ADSL being shutdown? I wanted to do this to avoid being bound by a new contract with Telkom as a result of moving to their LTE.
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Tell Telkom you are not interested in their LTE, sit back and wait for your fibre. If they do cut you off before fibre is installed get yourself a telkom LTE Sim and move yourself to their LTE, the data is very cheap and you won't be bound by any contract.
 
SyNtHeSiS said:
Hello. I was recently contacted by Telkom regarding moving over to LTE from ADSL since there is currently no fibre in my area. Also recently, I heard from another service provider that they would be installing fibre in my area and that it would be operational by January 2020. I would prefer to wait until January 2020 for fibre in my area, but I am concerned that by then Telkom would shutdown ADSL in my area. Does Telkom publish the copper cutoff dates by neighborhood?
Click to expand...
I have not seen Telkom publish cutoff dates by area. They promised to put up areas being tackled on their website at the start of October 2019, and only started doing so in the last few days. You can try phoning "the migration dept", 0800 253 263, or use the other methods for contacting the "migration dept" (https://secure.telkom.co.za/today/campaign/switch/). However, when I got the Telkom SMS on 27/8/2019, about ending copper services in my area, and I contacted the migration dept, 3 different people I spoke to at that dept said: we are cutting you off in 1 week; we are cutting you off in 1 month; it will not be one month, you can continue using the services.

Like you, I wanted to know the cutoff date. After no clear communication from Telkom, I first cancelled my ADSL line with them (ended 30/9/2019), then the phone line (ended 1/11/2019). That way, I knew the exact cancellation date for each. Before I cancelled, I decided what I would use in place of each, and found out how to set it up so that the changeover was very quick and seamless. In my case, where I did not need very fast internet speeds and I use about 34-40Gb per month, I went entirely onto the Cell C mobile network, using prepaid products. I bought a mifi modem from a Cell C shop, and loaded it with prepaid Cell C Giga data valid for a year. For phone calls, I am using a prepaid Cell C Allnet calling plan for R200, 15 hours of calls, valid for a month. I am very happy with what i am using, and don't miss Telkom products at all!
 
Telkom persuaded an old lady in Glencairn to get their VOIP phone. The courier dropped it off, no instructions. She has no internet at all. The following week her regular phone stopped working.

She has had her phone since she moved in, in 1955

Telkom have been contacted 8 or 9 times in the past two months but refuse to restore her normal service.

The phone bill still arrived as usual. I told her that she must not pay it since she has no service

Speaking to Telkom, their sales people are divorced from reality. They insist she “must have” internet. She is 91 years old and does not want to get involved with a mobile phone
 
chrisc said:
Telkom persuaded an old lady in Glencairn to get their VOIP phone. The courier dropped it off, no instructions. She has no internet at all. The following week her regular phone stopped working.

She has had her phone since she moved in, in 1955

Telkom have been contacted 8 or 9 times in the past two months but refuse to restore her normal service.

The phone bill still arrived as usual. I told her that she must not pay it since she has no service

Speaking to Telkom, their sales people are divorced from reality. They insist she “must have” internet. She is 91 years old and does not want to get involved with a mobile phone
Click to expand...
The elderly are the hardest hit by Telkom's copper cutoff, especially those who have hearing-aid compatible phones that plug into a Telkom wall jack.

For someone who just wants the closest and simplest replacement for a landline phone, maybe these are the best options:
1. Telkom FLLA (fixed line look-alike phone), not the one which is a VOIP phone, but the one which is a cellphone disguised as a landline phone. It has to be charged to work, can't plug into a Telkom wall jack or a router, camt' have extensions on it, and be aware of the rental charges and calling plan options on it (https://secure.telkom.co.za/today/shop/home/plan/smartvoice-basic-pv/).
2. A basic/feature cellphone, not a smartphone. Keeps charge for ages, just dial a number on the keypad, press green phone icon to make/take a call, press red phone icon to end call. These cost about R200, but I am not sure if you can port your Telkom number to such a phone (ask Telkom).
 
chrisc said:
Telkom persuaded an old lady in Glencairn to get their VOIP phone. The courier dropped it off, no instructions. She has no internet at all. The following week her regular phone stopped working.

She has had her phone since she moved in, in 1955

Telkom have been contacted 8 or 9 times in the past two months but refuse to restore her normal service.

The phone bill still arrived as usual. I told her that she must not pay it since she has no service

Speaking to Telkom, their sales people are divorced from reality. They insist she “must have” internet. She is 91 years old and does not want to get involved with a mobile phone
Click to expand...

I was also interested in the voip calling plan because it worked out much cheaper (<R60 per month) compared to the FLLA solution at +- R200 per month. I remember reading on the Telkom website that the voip traffic was zero rated on Telkom broadband. This information used to appear on the FLLA page when you clicked on Read more. It seems like they removed all references to the consumer ip voice service since then.

If you are willing to spend a few rand on a LTE modem, you can get her an internet connection for a minimal amount. Pick up a second hand Huawei B315 router for about R500 on gumtree and put a prepaid telkom sim it. Register the number on the Telkom website and buy an internet starter pack which costs R49.50. It is valid for 12 months and will give you 100mb data per month. Even if the data is not zero rated, the data should be sufficient for 3-4 hours of voip traffic.

Failing this, find out if you can convert the voip service to FLLA. I doubt that they would reactivate the copper landline service.
 
argh said:
The elderly are the hardest hit by Telkom's copper cutoff, especially those who have hearing-aid compatible phones that plug into a Telkom wall jack.

For someone who just wants the closest and simplest replacement for a landline phone, maybe these are the best options:
1. Telkom FLLA (fixed line look-alike phone), not the one which is a VOIP phone, but the one which is a cellphone disguised as a landline phone. It has to be charged to work, can't plug into a Telkom wall jack or a router, camt' have extensions on it, and be aware of the rental charges and calling plan options on it (https://secure.telkom.co.za/today/shop/home/plan/smartvoice-basic-pv/).
2. A basic/feature cellphone, not a smartphone. Keeps charge for ages, just dial a number on the keypad, press green phone icon to make/take a call, press red phone icon to end call. These cost about R200, but I am not sure if you can port your Telkom number to such a phone (ask Telkom).
Click to expand...

The Huawei B315 (or B525 model) router that I mentioned in my previous post has a telephone jack on the back of the router. Put the FLLA simcard into the router and connect the hearing aid compatible phone to the telephone jack.
 
bobcpt said:
The Huawei B315 (or B525 model) router that I mentioned in my previous post has a telephone jack on the back of the router. Put the FLLA simcard into the router and connect the hearing aid compatible phone to the telephone jack.
Click to expand...

Very useful information. Thank you! I will inform one elderly gent in his mid-90's that I know needs this, and any others I come across in the future.
 
zophas said:
Will I be able to keep my router and phone if I change over to fibre? I'm a bit out of touch with tech.
Click to expand...

It is not clear which router you are referring to, adsl or lte? Perhaps you can give more information about your intended setup.

You can use any router for a fibre installation provided that it has a wan port on the back. The fibre terminates at an ont device which converts fibre to ethernet and is supplied by the fibre network operator. A short network cable connects the ont device to your own router which then provides wifi access and further connectivity in your house. Even if your existing router does not have a wan port, you could repurpose it as a second wifi access point that is connected to the main router via ethernet.

If you are referring to the lte router above with the flla sim and telephone connected to it, it would probably make sense to run it as a separate solution from the rest of your internet connection. As far as I know, the flla devices have their own apn name which you have to select on the router.
 
I have a adsl router and telephone connected to the copper lines coming into my house at the moment. From your answer above, bobcpt, I assume that the ont device is the only change I need. Thanks.
 
chrisc said:
Telkom persuaded an old lady in Glencairn to get their VOIP phone. The courier dropped it off, no instructions. She has no internet at all. The following week her regular phone stopped working.

She has had her phone since she moved in, in 1955

Telkom have been contacted 8 or 9 times in the past two months but refuse to restore her normal service.

The phone bill still arrived as usual. I told her that she must not pay it since she has no service

Speaking to Telkom, their sales people are divorced from reality. They insist she “must have” internet. She is 91 years old and does not want to get involved with a mobile phone
Click to expand...
They did exactly the same with my elderly in-laws.
 
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zophas said:
I have a adsl router and telephone connected to the copper lines coming into my house at the moment. From your answer above, bobcpt, I assume that the ont device is the only change I need. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Yes, provided that your adsl router has a wan port. Your fibre isp will likely 'give' (/loan) you a wifi capable router at no extra cost, so you may as well use it unless you prefer using your own equipment.
 
bobcpt said:
Yes, provided that your adsl router has a wan port. Your fibre isp will likely 'give' (/loan) you a wifi capable router at no extra cost, so you may as well use it unless you prefer using your own equipment.
Click to expand...
Thanks for that, bobcpt. My router does not have a WAN port. Looks like I will have to take whatever router/modem Telkom gives me and use that. I am not looking forward to all the new setting up I'm gonna have to do.
 
What happens if your DSL line is managed by another ISP? Does it automatically get cancelled or do you have to apply to cancel it yourself?

When the time comes, I plan on porting my landline number to VOIP, but not through Telkom.

My concern is that the number will be tied up by the DSL line and I won't be able to port it before the entire service gets cancelled.
 
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