Telkom Mobile Speed, Disconnections & Coverage Problems – click here first!

[Telkom]

Hi All!

You can post and share your experiences/complaints, but please don’t post ANY private information on this thread.

Please PM us or send an email to [email protected] and in this message we need the following:

Subject: MyBB <username> speed/disconnections/coverage query

Name and Surname:
Current/Previous Case number (if any):
*8ta Number(s):
*If this is not known, please provide the ID number the service was registered with
Alternate Contact Number(s):
8ta Product:
Physical Address:
Date problem detected:
Have you tested with another 3G modem from the same location (if "yes" - provide results)?:
Have you tested with another computer/phone from the same location (if "yes" - provide results)?:
Antenna being used:
What other tests have you done?:
Device(s) used:
Signal Bars:
Time of day problem occurs (if not all the time):

If the query is related to local or international speeds/pings, include the following:

Local Speedtest.net result(s):
Local Pingtest.net result(s):

If the query is related to international speeds/pings, include the following:

International Speedtest.net result(s):
International Pingtest.net result(s):

Any additional comments/queries:


If you have an antenna and need the direction in which to point it, please supply us with the following via PM or above email address:

Subject: MyBB <username> Antenna direction

Name and Surname:
8ta Number:
Contact Number:
Physical Address:
Physical Address Coordinates:
Antenna being used:
Device(s) used:
8ta Product:

Any additional comments/queries:

Please be specific with your responses

Regards,
Social Media Team

 

[akescpt]

tagging this. hopefully i dont need to contact you!

 

[Bundu]

PM sent, thanks!

 

[Telkom]

Thanks Bundu!

We have responded

Regards,
Social Media Team

PM sent, thanks!

 

[k2again]

Quote Originally Posted by 8ta on 21 March 2012
Hi k2again!
Please allow us to get an update on the installation of the said tower for you? Please can you also provide us with your reference number so we can provide the network engineers with the full report?
Regards,
Social Media Team

On 22 March I responded regarding the placement of the Valerida Centre Tower in Stellenbosch.
As of 28th March - I am still awaiting a response.

Hi Social team.
Thanks for your quick reply.

We have two case numbers:

#1: In January - the number assigned was 549 795.
A tech responded with a site visit to the area and our house within a week.
He was based out of Cape Town - and he said there was not great coverage where we were and not as was represented as shown on the [dark pink area] map.
Apparently some antenna direction and focus were not properly set up for our "south of the downtown area" of Stellenbosch.

We followed that up with two or three phone calls to support at 183 - but we never received the written feedback from the site visit.

#2: 702 605 - the most recent from March.
We again contacted 8ta tech support in early Feb and on 08 Feb we then saw your Freedom Ndebele was 1st involved - and we responded to his request and we sent our house location to him.
BTW - He called me last Thursday 22nd but have heard nothing since.

That is the latest number although there have been other reference numbers passed about.
Thanks for any info you can give us about the Valerida Centre tower timing.
K2

 

[Telkom]

Hi K2again!

We have an update for you. The building site lease agreement will be signed by all parties in the first week of April 2012. The construction and providing of transmission equipment and cables takes 5 to 6 months to completion. This site is treated as urgent and progress will be monitored closely by our project managers.

Regards,
Social Media Team

Quote Originally Posted by 8ta on 21 March 2012
Hi k2again!
Please allow us to get an update on the installation of the said tower for you? Please can you also provide us with your reference number so we can provide the network engineers with the full report?
Regards,
Social Media Team

On 22 March I responded regarding the placement of the Valerida Centre Tower in Stellenbosch.
As of 28th March - I am still awaiting a response.

Hi Social team.
Thanks for your quick reply.

We have two case numbers:

#1: In January - the number assigned was 549 795.
A tech responded with a site visit to the area and our house within a week.
He was based out of Cape Town - and he said there was not great coverage where we were and not as was represented as shown on the [dark pink area] map.
Apparently some antenna direction and focus were not properly set up for our "south of the downtown area" of Stellenbosch.

We followed that up with two or three phone calls to support at 183 - but we never received the written feedback from the site visit.

#2: 702 605 - the most recent from March.
We again contacted 8ta tech support in early Feb and on 08 Feb we then saw your Freedom Ndebele was 1st involved - and we responded to his request and we sent our house location to him.
BTW - He called me last Thursday 22nd but have heard nothing since.

That is the latest number although there have been other reference numbers passed about.
Thanks for any info you can give us about the Valerida Centre tower timing.
K2

 

[k2again]

OK folks - its good to know there is some sort of timeline in place and someone knows what is going on. I've been waiting now a month for anyone else in 8ta to have any feedback so your response is a real PLUS!

So - what can we do for the next up to six months?

This AM at 0805 - my results were as follows:
2012-03-29 09:32 EEST 41.151.66.16 DN 0.12 Mb/s UP 0.03 Mb/s Ping 560 ms Johannesburg < 50 km

Surely this sort of crawl of a WIfi result suggests - as was noted by your colleagues back in January at the house and again in February - an gain antennae or some other sort of intervention for this next while.
We are in a house near three schools each with residences - and everyione is right now all gone - so its not the kids!

Again - thanks for the news and as we say here at the CSIR - nice to know but - OK - what to do with that knowledge to fix things [ie NOW WHAT?] ?

It seems like you entered this part of the market space without adequate resources and surely 8ta does not expect tus to pay for this essentially poor and barely useable service - when we understand there are two other logical alternatives 8ta can offer - as per previous emails.
REQUEST: So could we perhaps look at those two alternatives please!

If not - can 8ta agree to cancel our 24 mo contract [effecive end March 2012] with no further payments due and refund the R200 SIM money with the understanding that when there is useful service with the new Valerida station up and running - we can consider it once again. We certainly support 8ta as a new provider - but they need to bring useful service to the table and right now - I think we all agree for southern Stellenbosch - esp south of the CBD - that is not the case.

Thanks
K2

Hi K2again!
We have an update for you. The building site lease agreement will be signed by all parties in the first week of April 2012. The construction and providing of transmission equipment and cables takes 5 to 6 months to completion. This site is treated as urgent and progress will be monitored closely by our project managers.
Regards, Social Media Team

 

[Telkom]

Hi k2again!

A gain antenna will not improve your speed, but only coverage.

For the inconvenience caused, we are willing to cancel the contract without any cancellation fees (R800) as well as a refund for the SIM activation fee (R200) as requested. We will initiate the cancellation tomorrow as this special request needs authorization which can only be done during office hours.

Apologies for the inconvenience caused.

We hope to see you back with us this upcoming September

Regards,
Social Media Team

OK folks - its good to know there is some sort of timeline in place and someone knows what is going on. I've been waiting now a month for anyone else in 8ta to have any feedback so your response is a real PLUS!

So - what can we do for the next up to six months?

This AM at 0805 - my results were as follows:
2012-03-29 09:32 EEST 41.151.66.16 DN 0.12 Mb/s UP 0.03 Mb/s Ping 560 ms Johannesburg < 50 km

Surely this sort of crawl of a WIfi result suggests - as was noted by your colleagues back in January at the house and again in February - an gain antennae or some other sort of intervention for this next while.
We are in a house near three schools each with residences - and everyione is right now all gone - so its not the kids!

Again - thanks for the news and as we say here at the CSIR - nice to know but - OK - what to do with that knowledge to fix things [ie NOW WHAT?] ?

It seems like you entered this part of the market space without adequate resources and surely 8ta does not expect tus to pay for this essentially poor and barely useable service - when we understand there are two other logical alternatives 8ta can offer - as per previous emails.
REQUEST: So could we perhaps look at those two alternatives please!

If not - can 8ta agree to cancel our 24 mo contract [effecive end March 2012] with no further payments due and refund the R200 SIM money with the understanding that when there is useful service with the new Valerida station up and running - we can consider it once again. We certainly support 8ta as a new provider - but they need to bring useful service to the table and right now - I think we all agree for southern Stellenbosch - esp south of the CBD - that is not the case.

Thanks
K2

 

[ooogz]

Nice one 8ta rep.... will you be giving other people with the same problems a cancellation request like that?
I only have a problem when its overcast or rainy so I can still try and live with my problem as there are clear skies ahead but it will be good to know as there are plenty users with the same bad experience....

 

[akescpt]

8ta are you putting up towers in the blue downs area in cape town?

 

[k2again]

OK 8ta team,

We have now paid R850 for service that has been barely useful for the past 3.5 months.
[We cancelled the Midnight data package after the 2nd monthas it was of so little benefit]
My wife has mentally abused me nightly and threatened legal action against others for making her life so miserable with internet connectivity being so terrible since joining 8ta in mid december.

We've know from the 8ta field technician's first visit in early January that there was a service problem in speed due to lack of adequate coverage. Repeated calls since mid January - 2 1/2 months - to your data services were essentially circle games with no one ever able to make any progress and no followup. We ended up with no info until now about the status of the corrective actions 8ta was to take.

FINAL OUTCOME -BOTTOM LINE
We wasted a huge amount of our time and effort with your service and that is most unfortunate.

We have today stopped the automatic debit order to Company TELKOMMOBI00000000000001500026.

We are still owed a refund of R34 for two months of itemized billing on the account - that was never ordered by us [Who ever heard of having a data account itemized billing - and sending us a 44 page printout of connections - or perhasp that is what we should ask you to look at to show how difficult the service was during just one month of the period in question].

We would appreciate it if 8ta could Pls arrange for service and billing to terminate end of day on [31] March and the R200 SIM refund promised and the R34 - returned to us - using the same account the ETF debit has been coming from. If that could be done within the next two weeks - that would be appreciated

Thanks
K2

Hi k2again!
A gain antenna will not improve your speed, but only coverage.
For the inconvenience caused, we are willing to cancel the contract without any cancellation fees (R800) as well as a refund for the SIM activation fee (R200) as requested. We will initiate the cancellation tomorrow as this special request needs authorization which can only be done during office hours.

Apologies for the inconvenience caused.

We hope to see you back with us this upcoming September

Regards,
Social Media Team

 

[lotus123]

Severe network degradation in Fourways area

This has been going on since Friday. Although random disconnects have been occurring for some time, network setup has been working fine for months.

Symptoms are: no response from websites, high latency, very low download speeds (around 0.01mbps), usually timing out on speedtests. There are momentary periods where service returns to normal, but the degradation comes back very quickly.

I've also spoken to customer care - they don't seem to know what to do if the modem is connected to a router (what software/operating system is it using, can you load 8ta Connect on it?).

@8ta rep - I've sent email to [email protected], no reply. Can you please assist?

 

[rapidetiger]

Name and Surname:
Current/Previous Case number (if any):
8ta Number(s):
Alternate Contact Number(s):
8ta Product: 8ta Broadband prepaid 60+60
Physical Address: 10 Young Avenue Houghton Estate Johannesburg
Have you tested with another 3G modem from the same location (if "yes" - provide results)?: No but on another network (Cell C and I did not get disconnects or slow throughput)
Have you tested with another computer/phone from the same location (if "yes" - provide results)?: Several devices same result 8ta network is the cause
What other tests have you done? moved modem to other positions no difference
Device(s) used: E1820 3g Modem and TP link 3g Router (tested with and without router)
Signal Bars: 80 to 100 percent
Time of day problem occurs (if not all the time): Seems to occur usually early to late evening this is when I am home

If the query is related to local or international speeds/pings, include the following:

Local Speedtest.net result(s): variable though it does go up to 3mbs when I am lucky
Local Pingtest.net result(s): sometimes B but noticing a lot of F results over the last weeks

If the query is related to international speeds/pings, include the following:

International Speedtest.net result(s):
International Pingtest.net result(s): F

Any additional comments/queries: I have very strong signal but at time my modem disconnects for hours or when it is connected there is no throughput.

I just spent R1800 on the 60+60 thought I was saving money by doing this now I get the feeling I wasted money. Used to be on a cell c contract and never had these problems also when I started using 8ta in my area things were fine and now seem to get worse by the day I think your network is over subscribed and you know it. There are a lot of people who have spent their hard earned money on your network and they deserve a service in line with the fact that they spent money with 8ta please fix this up as customers now have the right to cancel if a service is not what they expect or have paid for under the CPA. Something should be done before things get worse you need to upgrade and expand immediately, it wont get better by itself and ignoring the problems wont make them go away. We put faith in 8ta by spending money with you now you have to show us that you value your customers.

 

[Telkom]

Hi rapidetiger!

We need you to reply to our PM with the request to take your query further. Please respond.

Regards,
Social Media Team

Name and Surname:
Current/Previous Case number (if any):
8ta Number(s):
Alternate Contact Number(s):
8ta Product: 8ta Broadband prepaid 60+60
Physical Address: 10 Young Avenue Houghton Estate Johannesburg
Have you tested with another 3G modem from the same location (if "yes" - provide results)?: No but on another network (Cell C and I did not get disconnects or slow throughput)
Have you tested with another computer/phone from the same location (if "yes" - provide results)?: Several devices same result 8ta network is the cause
What other tests have you done? moved modem to other positions no difference
Device(s) used: E1820 3g Modem and TP link 3g Router (tested with and without router)
Signal Bars: 80 to 100 percent
Time of day problem occurs (if not all the time): Seems to occur usually early to late evening this is when I am home

If the query is related to local or international speeds/pings, include the following:

Local Speedtest.net result(s): variable though it does go up to 3mbs when I am lucky
Local Pingtest.net result(s): sometimes B but noticing a lot of F results over the last weeks

If the query is related to international speeds/pings, include the following:

International Speedtest.net result(s):
International Pingtest.net result(s): F

Any additional comments/queries: I have very strong signal but at time my modem disconnects for hours or when it is connected there is no throughput.

I just spent R1800 on the 60+60 thought I was saving money by doing this now I get the feeling I wasted money. Used to be on a cell c contract and never had these problems also when I started using 8ta in my area things were fine and now seem to get worse by the day I think your network is over subscribed and you know it. There are a lot of people who have spent their hard earned money on your network and they deserve a service in line with the fact that they spent money with 8ta please fix this up as customers now have the right to cancel if a service is not what they expect or have paid for under the CPA. Something should be done before things get worse you need to upgrade and expand immediately, it wont get better by itself and ignoring the problems wont make them go away. We put faith in 8ta by spending money with you now you have to show us that you value your customers.

 

[Telkom]

Hi akescpt!

There is already coverage in Blue Downs, Cape Town. See here.

Regards,
Social Media Team

8ta are you putting up towers in the blue downs area in cape town?

 

[Telkom]

Hi Lotus123!

We have responded to your email. Thank you for your query

Regards,
Social Media Team

This has been going on since Friday. Although random disconnects have been occurring for some time, network setup has been working fine for months.

Symptoms are: no response from websites, high latency, very low download speeds (around 0.01mbps), usually timing out on speedtests. There are momentary periods where service returns to normal, but the degradation comes back very quickly.

I've also spoken to customer care - they don't seem to know what to do if the modem is connected to a router (what software/operating system is it using, can you load 8ta Connect on it?).

@8ta rep - I've sent email to [email protected], no reply. Can you please assist?

 

[Telkom]

Hi k2again!

Everything has been arranged as you have requested. Please advise if there are any further queries.

Regards,
Social Media Team

OK 8ta team,

We have now paid R850 for service that has been barely useful for the past 3.5 months.
[We cancelled the Midnight data package after the 2nd monthas it was of so little benefit]
My wife has mentally abused me nightly and threatened legal action against others for making her life so miserable with internet connectivity being so terrible since joining 8ta in mid december.

We've know from the 8ta field technician's first visit in early January that there was a service problem in speed due to lack of adequate coverage. Repeated calls since mid January - 2 1/2 months - to your data services were essentially circle games with no one ever able to make any progress and no followup. We ended up with no info until now about the status of the corrective actions 8ta was to take.

FINAL OUTCOME -BOTTOM LINE
We wasted a huge amount of our time and effort with your service and that is most unfortunate.

We have today stopped the automatic debit order to Company TELKOMMOBI00000000000001500026.

We are still owed a refund of R34 for two months of itemized billing on the account - that was never ordered by us [Who ever heard of having a data account itemized billing - and sending us a 44 page printout of connections - or perhasp that is what we should ask you to look at to show how difficult the service was during just one month of the period in question].

We would appreciate it if 8ta could Pls arrange for service and billing to terminate end of day on [31] March and the R200 SIM refund promised and the R34 - returned to us - using the same account the ETF debit has been coming from. If that could be done within the next two weeks - that would be appreciated

Thanks
K2

 

[Telkom]

Hi hugo69er!

We will have to investigate and pending the outcome of the investigation will we be able to make such a decision. Please can you submit your information to us using the thread format via PM or email should you need an investigation.

Regards,
Social Media Team

Nice one 8ta rep.... will you be giving other people with the same problems a cancellation request like that?
I only have a problem when its overcast or rainy so I can still try and live with my problem as there are clear skies ahead but it will be good to know as there are plenty users with the same bad experience....

 

[Myojin]

Having a similar throughput problem as in 8ta-Disconnection-Poll-(Connection-Down) and sent a PM to the rep. As an aside - which I forgot to add in the PM, this problem has been persisting for well over 2 months now.

Regards

 

[lotus123]

Hi Lotus123!

We have responded to your email. Thank you for your query

Regards,
Social Media Team

I still haven't spoken to a technician. I got a missed call earlier today, but no message so no way of calling back.

Can you guys get onto this? The situation has worsened (as if that were possible!). I even bought a new router just in case, but it is definitely a 3G problem.