Utterly disgusted in Telkom Mobile

[wazup]

Ran out of my Vodacom bundle for the month, and decided to top up with Telkom's 2Gb + 1Gb deal for R149. Was impressed to see I received 10Gb to be used at a wifi hotspot...until I discovered you need a cellphone that supports EAP-SIM security to access the data. Very few cellphones are compatible, and I don't understand why they can't just give you a username and password to use with a laptop or tablet. If they don't want you to download movies or torrents, why give you 10Gb of data? Why not rather a free hour or two to check your email, etc then...which is available to anyone anyway until December.

I really don't see the point, but I figured that at least I got what I paid for, and that is the 2Gb of 3g data. Boy was I wrong...I also suffer from the problem where you surf for maybe 5min if you are lucky, then the signal disappears, and you can't reconnect for hours...reading forums, hellopeter, etc. it seems it is a common problem.

If I lived outside of their coverage area, then it is my fault for not checking before I bought the bundle, but that is not the case here.

Telkom Mobile, you are thieves - you took my money for a service that you obviously are not capable of delivering. You can shove my money, your data and your useless 10Gb "freebie" wifi data where the sun don't shine.

You will never see a cent of my money again, and I will actively advise people against using any of your services.

 

[kingrob]

Maybe you should have checked out Telkom Mobile's coverage map, before coming here to cry foul.

 

[NeonNinja]

Buddy you have coverage issues. Some of us don't have a problem.

Waste of a thread this.

 

[wazup]

@ kingrob: I certainly did check out the coverage map, I live in Centurion, which is a major metropolitan area, not in the middle of the Karoo. My area falls well within their coverage map.

@ slab: I'm glad you don't have any problems, but that doesn't change the fact that I experience problems. And I have a right to be mad, I live well within their coverage area so they are at fault. I really can't afford to waste R149.

I even tried using different devices to make sure it is not perhaps faulty or incompatible hardware on my side, but the problem remains. So I feel the problem here is poor network quality.

 

[Randux]

should have done a network test 1st to find the good spots around your house etc

 

[kingrob]

should have done a network test 1st to find the good spots around your house etc

+1

Buy a prepaid sim and put R10 on the sim, then run a few speed tests and check reception.

 

[wazup]

I actually purchased this bundle from them before and it worked perfectly then, that is why I decided to get it again. Obviously between then and now their network got more congested, or the quality dropped significantly, or both. I tried putting the dongle in different spots, without success.

In any case, one doesn't expect such a service to be perfect, but rather to work to a reasonable degree. In my case, I cannot use the service at all. If they sell such a service, and I meet the requirements to use the service, i.e. living in the coverage area, using the correct compatible hardware, etc. I should be able to use the service in reasonable terms.

My money was good enough, no problems there...

You guys can side with them all you want - if any of you were in my position you would have been unhappy too.

 

[Maverick Jester]

Coverage is one thing, but throughput is another- good coverage does not guarantee actual throughput.

PM the Telkom Mobile rep, and ask him to refund you the amount that you spent on the data bundle.

 

[MickeyD]

I actually purchased this bundle from them before and it worked perfectly then, that is why I decided to get it again. Obviously between then and now their network got more congested, or the quality dropped significantly, or both. I tried putting the dongle in different spots, without success.

In any case, one doesn't expect such a service to be perfect, but rather to work to a reasonable degree. In my case, I cannot use the service at all. If they sell such a service, and I meet the requirements to use the service, i.e. living in the coverage area, using the correct compatible hardware, etc. I should be able to use the service in reasonable terms.

My money was good enough, no problems there...

You guys can side with them all you want - if any of you were in my position you would have been unhappy too.

Send your details and location (co-ords if possible) to the Telkom Mobile rep on MyBB. (user = Telkom Mobile or TelkomZA)

 

[The_MAC]

until I discovered you need a cellphone that supports EAP-SIM security to access the data. Very few cellphones are compatible

You can just register the MAC address on their website of a secondary (in your case primary) device if it cannot perform EAP-SIM authentication...

 

[wazup]

You can just register the MAC address on their website of a secondary (in your case primary) device if it cannot perform EAP-SIM authentication...

Only if you are on contract, not for prepaid...believe me, I've tried...

I still don't understand why they offer that freebie when probably 90% of the people they offer it to will not be able to utilise it.

 

[mazelove]

love my 8ta

 

[kingrob]

You guys can side with them all you want - if any of you were in my position you would have been unhappy too.

I am definitely not siding with them.

However, I have been a subscriber for more than two years, and had good reception and download speeds for most of the time.

I'm sure something must be wrong with the tower you're connecting to.

 

[wazup]

Fair enough - many people do have a positive experience with them...but I am not one of them.

Something wrong with the tower I am connecting to? That may be the case - why must I suffer as a result though? I cannot drive around hoping to get a good signal somewhere - my house is in their specified coverage, so things should work.

I am frustrated because I need internet for work purposes (work from home) and had to spend additional money today to buy a Vodacom bundle, just to have a working connection again...all because the Telkom sim does not want to work at all.

Will they refund me because they are not providing the service? Fat chance, I think not. I am sure they are conveniently covered in some set of terms and conditions somewhere...I can kiss the money goodbye, and so another case of a company getting away with it happens...

 

[MickeyD]

have you pm'd any of their reps yet?

 

[wazup]

PM sent, let's see if one of them could perhaps have a solution for me

 

[Telkom]

Ran out of my Vodacom bundle for the month, and decided to top up with Telkom's 2Gb + 1Gb deal for R149. Was impressed to see I received 10Gb to be used at a wifi hotspot...until I discovered you need a cellphone that supports EAP-SIM security to access the data. Very few cellphones are compatible, and I don't understand why they can't just give you a username and password to use with a laptop or tablet. If they don't want you to download movies or torrents, why give you 10Gb of data? Why not rather a free hour or two to check your email, etc then...which is available to anyone anyway until December.

I really don't see the point, but I figured that at least I got what I paid for, and that is the 2Gb of 3g data. Boy was I wrong...I also suffer from the problem where you surf for maybe 5min if you are lucky, then the signal disappears, and you can't reconnect for hours...reading forums, hellopeter, etc. it seems it is a common problem.

If I lived outside of their coverage area, then it is my fault for not checking before I bought the bundle, but that is not the case here.

Telkom Mobile, you are thieves - you took my money for a service that you obviously are not capable of delivering. You can shove my money, your data and your useless 10Gb "freebie" wifi data where the sun don't shine.

You will never see a cent of my money again, and I will actively advise people against using any of your services.

Hi

Please PM us your Telkom Mobile number, physical address and alternative contact number.

Thank you
Telkom Mobile Social Media

 

[rico112]

I am definitely not siding with them.

However, I have been a subscriber for more than two years, and had good reception and download speeds for most of the time.

I'm sure something must be wrong with the tower you're connecting to.

+1 not siding with them too.
But you should have perhaps PM'd the rep to assist you prior to creating this thread.

I even taught of of the EAP-sim and the complexity about it. But i guess 8ta would not want the free wifi to be used on other operators devices. Very clever of them to ensure its available to their loyal 8ta primary phone users.

 

[dalkill]

i feel for the OP... i too was / is in your position.
see my various moans and groans on the "report problems" thread started by Telkom rep.

They did send out an engie to come check my coverage and my zink roof was to blame.
Just this morning i got 3.5DL and 2+UL consistently... still same roof telkom. Last night playing BF3 online, lag and connection drops.
I signed up for afrihost account, but i could see i was on frnge of the coverage area. therefore took a chance to test, but going to cancel as it's even worse than telkom.
I bet my bottom dollar my tower is over subscribed and has nothing to do with my setup. Back in april i could not do speedtest cause the UL failed. now certain times I get very good results. Could it be the direction the wind is blowing ??

What i don't understand though is how I can get such good speeds VS my sisters ADSL where she gets about 1+DL / UL, but her ping is +-15ms... whereas this morning , with the speed i got triple / double her speeds, my ping went from 55 - 120ms. And i bet this is what kills me playing online. Playing FPS game, that split second lag get you shot in the face. Hardly noticeble when browsing or streaming, as a 5 sec loading time will not annnoy anyone really, but it makes for horrible gaming experience.

 

[RichardG]

Maybe you should have checked out Telkom Mobile's coverage map, before coming here to cry foul.

OP shouldn't be complaining he was excited about 2gig+1gig promotion then he received an SMS and excitement - jumping up for joy. Then discovers he is unable to use the free WI-FI at his home (Someone commented and was under that impression I laughed my lungs out)

OP - send out an SMS you will get 1hour complimentary access R1,50 isn't much you can even use your VODACOM/8TA/MTN number to send the sms

Free WI-FI goes along way