Telkom just called and want me to “test” some new equipment

[FunnyWan]

So....I applied for ADSL during Feb/March of this year. About two months later the Hellkom techie came out to do the installation. After checking out my line, the techie told me something like the modem/line isn't sync'ing with the exchange and that Hellkom will need to send someone out.

My installation "was handed over to the Faults Department". I followed up a couple of times but Hellkom were pretty much useless as usual. One of the people i spoke to even laughed when i asked her, "So, that basically means i'm never going to get ADSL?".

So...after all that...i pretty much gave up on ever getting ADSL and have been looking at other options ever since.

To my surprise, i got a phone call this morning from Hellkom. The lady on the phone informed me that i have "been selected to participate" in a 2 week trial/test of new ADSL equipment. The way she tried to sell it was that this will "expedite" my currently outstanding ADSL installation and that i won't have to pay for the line for the duration of the trial (2 weeks).

I said, "Sure...that would be great to finally get ADSL but i would like some details on what the test involves". She said it's a WiFi modem they want me to test and started to stumble so she got her supervisor on the line. He basically gave me the same story as she did and said that they can't guarantee a date but someone would be contacting me soon.

I took down their details and noted the time of the call (since it is "recorded for quality purposes"). I'm not holding my breath but it would be cool if they actually follow through.

Anyone else been approached like this? What do you guys and girls think about this?

 

[Inertia]

WiFi? That has nothing to do with ADSL, it's wireless internet. So once the trial is up don't expect to have an ADSL line magically appear

 

[derekc]

Maybe she meant WiMAX?

 

[Turbo_Aspiration]

Sound more like a wifi adsl modem (like they said)

 

[[OUPA]MrNutz]

secret sources - that would be wimax

 

[FunnyWan]

Is the WiMax possibility realistic though? Is it a known thing that they been doing WiMax testing?

Interesting....buddy of mine and i were speculating as to what it could be about.

One of the theories was that it could be a wireless setup between me and the exchange and then normal lines from there.

We could, of course, just be smoking our socks....

 

[derekc]

Yes the testing has been going on. Intel and Telkom have confirmed the collaboration. Wimax benefit more for the rural towns where getting cabling hundreds of km from an exchange is expensive. I'm not sure if Telkom will offer WiMAX anytime soon in suburban areas as they already have ADSL offerings. They might be too worried WiMAX will cannabilise their ADSL offering.

WiMAX is looking good though as wireless broadband access. I would think it would be like how iBurst/Sentech and 3G/HSDPA is offering their wireless service except is has better coverage and better QoS and be very expensive. Many people say it's just a super version of Wi-fi.

 

[TheRoDent]

Could be a WiMax test installation

 

[Syndyre]

Maybe they're wanting to use Wimax for the last mile? Doesn't really matter if it cannibalises ADSL if they control both.

 

[FunnyWan]

Some more speculation......i think that one of the main areas they're targeting for these tests is Sandton. Reason i say that is because when i gave the lady on the phone my street address she confirmed with me a couple of times that "is it in sandton?".

I know of a few people in the sandton suburbs (bryanston, rivonia, etc.) that have been told they can't get ADSL becuase of various reasons (exchange is full, etc.).

Maybe this is Telkom's alternative solution for areas where the infrastructure is poor

 

[mancombseepgood]

Infrastructure is clogged you mean.
I can imagine that one eventually starts to hear noises when the wireless frequencies are clogged.

 

[rendan]

Well they are definately doing Wimax tests. So are neotel, the 3 cell operators, sentech and iburst.

Funnywan, please please please post a new thread once you actually get the Wi-max modem and let us know how it goes...I'm sure lots of us would be interested in how good the quality, speed, latency etc.. Wimax theoretically (and practically in other countries) has much better latencies than wifi, iburst and other wireless technologies..

 

[Wisemansa]

how fast is ths WiMax thing?

 

[FunnyWan]

Infrastructure is clogged you mean.
I can imagine that one eventually starts to hear noises when the wireless frequencies are clogged.

Yip, actually meant for areas where infrastructre has reached capacity and can't support/cope with addtional installations.

Funnywan, please please please post a new thread once you actually get the Wi-max modem and let us know how it goes...I'm sure lots of us would be interested in how good the quality, speed, latency etc.. Wimax theoretically (and practically in other countries) has much better latencies than wifi, iburst and other wireless technologies..

Will keep you guys posted on how it goes. Would be freakin cool if it is WiMax but i'll get all the details of what they're up to from the techie when he comes to do the installation.

 

[derekc]

how fast is ths WiMax thing?

Depends on how they will allocate it but indications are that it could be anywhere form 512kbps to around 5Mbps. A Wimax base station can transmit 75Mbps point to point so configuring that to a cell-like mode will result in less.

WiMAX has built in QoS so latency should be low so its looking good. Hopefully it wouldn't be very expensive.