Telkom Internet Uncapped User Feedback.

[digitalp]

Yup, switched out with my backup Afrihost account just to be sure, both accounts international sucks ass presently. Netflix is stuttering, imgur loads slow, we're probably looking at a cable break or something equally atrocious.

no problems here.

 

[Subways81]

No problems here either, youtube streaming at 720p without issue

 

[diane7]

I managed to get 115 gigs average the last few months on my 1 meg line Before being throttled, But last month June did 130 gigs .

Whats the best time to upgrade to a 2 meg line ? I was at Vincent Park Telkom Branch but Nobody could tell me .

 

[sparticus]

Hello ,

I came here to rant and then I read something about throttling. I dont wanna go back hundreds of pages but could this be the reason why I am getting such utter k@k speeds ? I have been unable to play online now for a week due to just bad k@k network ! Its really frustrating and I just wish Telkom would die completely ! Honestly.

PS - I have a uncap 2MB account and currently I play or try to play Fifa a little but mostly BF3 on xboxlive and it sucks ! So Telkom up yours.

There I feel a little better already

 

[ranger]

Hello ,

I came here to rant and then I read something about throttling. I dont wanna go back hundreds of pages but could this be the reason why I am getting such utter k@k speeds ?

You can check for yourself at https://secure.telkomsa.net/titracker.

We had planned to redirect users http traffic there when they reached the point of fair usage service restrictions (and had developed and tested this) so that users would know, but the regulatory team believe that the current ADSL regulations so not permit this.

 

[MKFrost]

I think you don't understand how uncapped works. ISPs are forced to increased contention ratios to make the account cheaper. So you have to choose. Cheap account, or good account.

I do understand how it works and I understand the cost factors. What I'm on about is that there is no transparency about this. Imagine you filled up your car at station XYZ. You drive and achieve 100km on that tank of fuel. You go back, fill her up again but this time you only got 80km on the same amount of fuel for which you paid the same price. That's how the ADSL service from Telkom is at present.

Surely its not to much to ask to know what you are paying for? The fact of whether its cheap or not plays no role here. Whether the contention ration is 1:1 or 1:100 does not matter. Its all about transparency and just plain honesty.

If they cannot provide a certain level of service at a certain price they must either push the price up or be upfront and honest to the users of the service and inform them that they will only get x% of the service.

At present this is not the case. At present Telkom decides on a month to month basis where they will draw the line. They refuse to inform the users of their service of exactly what it is they will be getting for their money and try and hide this fact in the small print of the service.

All the users are asking for is a clear indication of what we can expect for our money. If they can only provide 80GB then be big enough and come to the party and state that categorically. Is that asking to much?

So its not all about price as you may think but rather just about basic honesty and transparency.

 

[MickZA]

... All the users are asking for is a clear indication of what we can expect for our money.

Isn't that precisely what capped accounts are for?

The T&Cs for uncapped accounts in SA have been a grey area across all ISPs since they were introduced, fortunately if you're unhappy with one there are many others you can try to achieve your personal "best fit".

 

[MKFrost]

Fair use policies were present since we first launched uncapped in September 2011.

I agree, yet what is consider fair use has never been communicated to those using the product. Its pretty useless saying that their is a fair use policy yet they are unable to state clearly what it is and this is what this whole squeal is about. Not about fair use but the fact that this is not being communicated to those making use of the service.

ISPA defines uncapped as 'No cap. Acceptable use policy can place limitations on user behaviour and define “abuse” criteria which can result in service restrictions. May be linked to a specific access speed.'

Just because the ISPA state this does not mean that its the beginning and end all for anything in regards to limits. I have no problem with this but the 'abuse' they speak of has to be defined. Its like saying we will send you to jail for stealing but we will determine first whether you stole enough.

You cannot state that 'you' have the right to do something in the case of 'abuse' if you cannot even define that abuse. I'm sorry but no matter how justified you may think that is it will never fly. Clearly state the terms of abuse.

I don't like the way the market is at present, but *no* provider will tolerate you running your line at line speed 24x7 anywhere near this price range. MWEB will ban you for life if you do this for 3 months.

Does that mean that I should just sit in the corner and keep my mouth shut and say thank you as I'm not banned for life? If you go back to my first post you would see that I only download after hours and not 24/7. I have no problem with being throttled and or banned. My problem is with the fact that the industry cannot or are not willing to define abuse. Tell me then straight out I have 100Gb a month or what ever. Do not hide behind the fine print and then do as you please as and when you want to.

So buy our business uncapped product, or a faster uncapped product (with higher thresholds for 'service restrictions').

This is not the solution but while you mention it - Higher thresholds - what are they. You are recommending this to me so tell me what is the thresholds on this better product? We are back to the same problem.

If you want 1:1, get a quote for diginet or dedicated fibre, it will cost you 5-9 times more.

This is not what the argument is about. Its about the fact that Telkom is not disclosing what its thresholds are. We all know that the ADSL services are congested. This whole argument however started from the fact that Telkom throttles services as and when it pleases them without categorically stating what they define as fair use and or where they draw the line.

If they are open, transparent and honest about this then maybe I as the consumer can make a better informed decision about what product suits me best.

 

[MKFrost]

Isn't that precisely what capped accounts are for?

The T&Cs for uncapped accounts in SA have been a grey area across all ISPs since they were introduced, fortunately if you're unhappy with one there are many others you can try to achieve your personal "best fit".

Well the question can be asked the other way round as well. If the uncapped services are capped then why do we have capped accounts?

Is the uncapped not essentially just capped accounts without and explicit limit?

 

[MickZA]

Is the uncapped not essentially just capped accounts without and explicit limit?

... yet you're asking for a limit

 

[MKFrost]

... yet you're asking for a limit

Yes BUT ONLY because there is one. If there was none, as the advertised UNLIMITED, then I would not need to ask.

I know it sounds stupid to many but how can a consumer make an informed decision if you do not have all the information? Is one not allowed to know where the limits of this service is, seeing as there is limits that are imposed?

Or should I just, as many suggest, keep on paying more until all limits disappear?

I have no problem paying for a capped service and then adding on what I need as and when I need it. My problem is the fact that I took this service as I then no longer had to worry about where the limits were i.e. UNLIMITED, only to find that its still there but I now just do not have any idea of exactly where they [the limits] are.

Also, once hit there is nothing I can do about it. I cannot pay something and have it lifted i.e. buy additional bandwidth. I essentially have to purchase a complete service i.e.another package from another provider in order to continue my monthly usage.

If Telkom was upfront and said right from the word go that you can only get (AS AN EXAMPLE) 100Gb a month then I would have known what I'm in for and could plan accordingly and or get another service. But as it stands now it seems like the capped service is the way to go if you want any kind of certainty of what you are allowed or not.

 

[MickZA]

... as it stands now it seems like the capped service is the way to go if you want any kind of certainty of what you are allowed or not.

Precisely

OpenWeb have niche uncapped accounts where you might find what you're looking for as opposed to TIs "one size fits all" approach.

 

[beesknieg]

Well now looks like I can’t always complain, my Telkom uncapped has been working like a dream on all my devices I can watch HD YouTube and play any game with no lag spikes etc.

Thanks Telkom for the great experience the past 2 -3 weeks keep it up !


P.S Why cant i check my usage at saix user stats ? and when i log in at TelkomTi my usage bar is blank

 

[Joka69]

But, you aren't comparing apples (1Mbps) to apples, but pears (2Mbps).

+1 LOL

 

[xrapidx]

+1 LOL

Obviously missed the point

 

[MickeyD]

So its not all about price as you may think but rather just about basic honesty and transparency.

What do the T&Cs of the ISPs say regarding fair usage? Do they SPECIFY limits?

 

[Joka69]

Obviously missed the point

No man, im just laughing for the whole Fruitful debate.... Not even really paying much attention to the actual topic....

 

[MKFrost]

What do the T&Cs of the ISPs say regarding fair usage? Do they SPECIFY limits?

No, be,low is quoted from Telkom's AUP and that is as specific as it gets.

"Telkom reserves sole discretion to determine whether any customer’s use of the Telkom Internet service interferes with other customers’ use and enjoyment of any services provided by Telkom to customers over the same network"

Telkom Internet uncapped products are not capped in the ordinary course. However, Telkom reserves the right to apply restrictions on an uncapped account if a customer’s behaviour is determined to be affecting the user experience of other customers on Telkom’s network. Such restrictions may include but are not limited to throttling a customer’s throughput speeds to an appropriate proportion of the actual port speed and / or shaping a customer’s bandwidth to limit the use of bandwidth intensive protocols and applications.

Examples of customer behaviour which may compromise Telkom’s network performance include, for example, causing network congestion, include running excessive concurrent internet sessions or accessing excessive bandwidth intensive protocols such as peer-to-peer.

In the event of such behaviours, Telkom reserves the right to terminate the account of a customer whose usage is continuously affecting Telkom’s network performance, as a customer of Telkom Internet uncapped products. In order to assist a customer to be made aware of when his or her behaviour is compromising Telkom’s network performmance, Telkom will provide to the customer such information as is practically available regarding the customer’s usage status by way of a usage tracker tool. A customer
will be able to track when his or her usage is dangerously high.

Once usage is indicated as being dangerously high, Telkom reserves the right to suspend the relevant customer’s usage within 24 (twenty four) hours of usage having reached such levels. Customers who are restricted by Telkom in the aforementioned manner in a calendar month will be returned to full service profile at the beginning of the next month."

 

[MickeyD]

Afrihost - no mention of limit

Am I being shaped or throttled because I downloaded to much, and how much should I download in order to avoid shaping?

We do not use pre-defined download thresholds, so there is no "target" amount. Our QoS policy is implemented on the basis of available capacity, and not on set values.

Web Africa - no mention of limit

Home Uncapped Usage Guidelines and Acceptable Use

To ensure that all customers have fair and equal use of the Home Uncapped service and to protect the integrity of the network, Web Africa reserves the right and will take necessary steps to prevent improper or excessive usage thereof.

Web Africa may undertake the following action(s) to ensure fair and equal network performance for all customers:
- Adjusting the throughput of the aforementioned service based off the current and historic usage of the service.
- Limiting or preventing service through specific protocols and/or ports.
- Continuous excessive usage of a service may result in termination of the Home Uncapped ADSL account.
- Any attempt to bypass Shaping Policies may result in termination of the Uncapped ADSL account.

Web Africa's Home Uncapped solution is a prioritised service, based off available network capacity along with current and historic usage trends.

MWeb - no mention of limit

• We reserve the right to establish policies, rules and limitations, from time to time, concerning the use of any service. You must comply with any bandwidth, data storage and other limitations we may impose, in our reasonable discretion. Failure to comply with these rules will result in your service being restricted, suspended or terminated, in our reasonable discretion.

• We will manage bandwidth usage to the best of our ability during peak periods, however, it remains a best effort service.

• We reserve the right to manage our network in order to optimize its efficiency for the benefit of all our subscribers, including, without limitation, by way of the following: rate limiting (speed), rejection or removal of spam or otherwise unsolicited bulk e-mail, anti-virus mechanisms, protocol filtering and imposing restrictions on your use. We may take any other action we deem appropriate in order to help ensure the integrity of the network experience for all subscribers, including limiting your data traffic by controlling your network and/or bandwidth usage.

• You may not use service for unattended automated operation, unless otherwise agreed. You may stay connected as long as you are actively using that connection. You further agree not to use Internet applications for the purpose of simulating network activity to avoid session inactivity disconnection.

 

[xrapidx]

So - what is considered safe usage? I have no clue what my Telkom password is, but according to my usage, I've done 160GB on 4Mb.