'Telkom tax'

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mando

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Firstly, sorry about the long rant but it needs to be said. We need to get these messages out there so feel free to use this as you see fit..

What being online could be (and what Telkom has made it).

Welcome to the wonderful world of ADSL. Its an always on internet connection (except in SA you must just switch on, download you email, and switch off - and thats it - you dont want to accidently exceed your cap. Someone pings or scans your PC, worm, trojan - too bad you're going to pay. Someone sends you an email - you pay! So what if its out of your control - just keep your PC off - and unplug your router while you're at it)

You can use it for entertainment and to buy movies, music and play games. Hook up the Gamecube or PS2. Expand your horisons by listening to new music from one of the thousands of streaming internet radio stations. Support local artists! (Not in SA - keep an eye on those downloads and remember you are paying twice for any music that you buy - so add in the Telkom tax. And you're shaped so sorry about the lag and stuttering music)

You can keep yourself, and your operating system and antivirus automatically up to date. Try a free copy of linux, there are several excellent live DVD versions to download. Register for Microsoft's beta program and skill up on the new version of windows. The country needs IT skills! (Except in SA you better disable that automatic update - you dont want to accidently exceed your cap - and it will be cheaper to get a linux DVD posted to you - and you just bust your cap with the 2.4 GB windows download you abuser!)

Educate yourself, get a degree! Register for online courses that will deliver streaming audio and video and course content to you. Have a look at MIT's open courseware, its a great opportunity. Reverse the brain drain! (Better watch that cap - so UNISA, you shouldnt even bother about developing online content. And you will be paying per gig so remember that Telkom tax!)

Do research for your projects, business or job, compare information from multiple sites - verify and cross check becauase you cant trust everything on the internet. Look for opposing viewpoints. (or maybe not - we paying per gig, so just use the first info you find).

Develop your hobby - photography, gardening, cycling, flower arranging... Share pictures, videos, chat and meet people from around the world. Get involved in open source, develop new technologies (dont even go there, Telkoms internet is for limited email and web for one person per household only).

Create and host your own content to share with family and friends. Put security webcams at home. Learn how to set up a website, start a forum, a podcast, a mailing list, a business! Sell stuff! Make money! (Oh dear, better check with Telkom terms of service!)

Teach your mother, grandmother, wife, husband and kids how to use the internet. Did you know that some creches have webcams so you can monitor your precious baby while you at work? Keep in touch! (Telkom decrees thats abuse of the service!).

Sign up today its only R250 per month all inclusive. Soon we will have 1 million lines installed with 10 times as many online users. Think of the opportunities! The size of the market! How many jobs and new businesses will be created! All those people will need support, or advice or goods or services or entertainment or SOMETHING! Lets get that 6% GDP growth! (Someone forgot to send Telkom the memo - they think that the market is saturated. Besides, nobody will have money to spend online after telkom has ripped them. And why charge R250 when people are willing to pay triple that for only 3GB?)

What internet revolution?
Nothing to see here, just email and a bit of web browsing.
Move along now.

What a missed opportunity :(
 
Oh so true. I use "only" 9GB per month, and that is for

1) email
2) web browsing
3) updates (4 PCs, 2XP 2 linux)
4) occasional game downloads (mostly free linux games and java games)
5) Linux distros and development software
6) Hosting of development sites (sites I developed, that I host for test purposes).

Jeez, what an abuser I am.
 
mando, absolutely brilliant. We need to get this published in the newspapers. What about a letter to the editor? Its free and lots of people will read it.
 
Now for the next step.

And as part of your superfast broadband internet package from Telkom you will also get the new complimentary Telkom web browser (based on Internet Exploder) that will prevent you from accidently abusing the system.

This funky new browser will insist on running at a native 640x480 16 bit resolution on your new 19" LCD but you will only be allowed to visit the following approved sites

www.telkom.co.za
www.telkomsa.net
www.vodacom.co.za
www.ananzi.co.za

There will also be a special submit button available in this browser whereby you can request additional websites not on the approved list to be browsed but our speedy Telkom technicians must first make sure that viewing it does not abuse the system.

It should take only 14 Telkom working days (3 months) for them to come back to you.


Or optionally you can purchase our Webmore package for only R2999.99 excl VAT per month on top of your normal ADSL and ISP package which will allow you to view any website not on the approved list.

Telkom ... taking you further ... into the past.
 
To further enhance broadband internet usage in S.A another product we are proudly introducing this month is our speedy ADSLBlaster modem.

Through the hard efforts of the Telkom R&D dept we have done away with the requirement for rolling out ADSL infrastructure to our exchanges thereby saving lots of valuable foreign exchange for the country (oops shareholders) as befits a proudly South African company.

So connect to the internet at the blazing speed of 56K (*your experience may vary based on your location and the phase of the moon) and discover the joys broadband internet whilst preventing abuse to the system.

This superfast modem plus 100 hours of Webmore minutes is available at a special low cost introductary offer of only R499.99 per month excl VAT.

Operators are standing buy to take your order on 0800-11111-00000

Telkom ... taking you further ... into the past.
 
Telkom is a classic "cripple the service and make people pay more" company. Somebody said it so well the other day. "Telkom creates scarcity where there is none only to use the scarcity as an excuse to charge more..."

That is Telkom people. At Telkom, the customer is not king. At Telkom, Telkom is king...
 
Brilliant!

Just a pity its not a joke but the truth :mad:
 
Yeah well done Mando.
I look forward to your posts. :)
 
Hey everyone, this is my first post, although i have been reading the forums and articles everyday for about a month now.
I am personally disgusted by the way telkom treats its customers (and i know from experience :mad:, im not even going to go there....)
The prices, the service, everything is just so wrong it makes me sick.

In my own little act of rebellion against telkom i moved to iburst which i found to be just as bad... I really had high hopes that wbs could provide a decent service, i was proved wrong... My iburst connection is almost as bad as my old 56k modem (downloads at about 15kbps, even though it says 100% signal strength). A 1mbps line? Yeah right...
I think wbs' only saving grace is that its not telkom.

Reading the forums here and listening to Antwons 702 interview about telkom and the SNO forming a Duopoly depressed the hell out of me :(
I just wish there was something the consumers (us) could do that would make a change, no matter how small. Or if ICASA would get its act together and actually do something effective, that would be the day.
I know im being pessamistic here but it seems like there is no hope for us, ICASA wont act, the government refuses to take a stance and Telkom is firmly rooted into the south african economy.
 
Welcome SeanH.

Just by being in this community and being involved makes MyADSL stronger ......
Right now i probably feel very similar too you but not just about Telkom, about
every other company that rapes s.a's citizens every day....
 
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