What permanent connection should I get?

A

Azgard

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I've been thinking about this for a while now, and have finally decided to try and get a permanent connection. I say try since my grandfather pays the phone bill so I have to convince him, R700 a month is the upper limit so anything less is better. I'm hopefuly since I gave him a print out of what it currently costs us so he's thinking about it.

I usually only use the net for browsing, email, and downloading via p2p programs, as well as linux isos and that kinda stuff. I don't download that often, but Telkoms 3gb cap is kinda worrying me. Also I hardly ever game online so pings don't matter really to me.

So far I'm thinking about ADSL 384k (3gb cap), or Sentech 128k, or iBurst.

I know most of you guys here have a lot of experience in this sorta stuff, so what do you recommend? I'd like to get a new connection as soon as possible. Currently I use 64k ISDN and every month I keep going over budget so end up owing my grandfather money... And since I'm a student and have no job the amount I owe him just keeps growing.
 
Whatever you do stay the hell away from Sentech (and I believe many others will concur). If I were you I'd wait a few months until WBS (iBurst) release their final package specifications which should be around Feb/March.
 
What do you think of ibursts prelauch package, after looking at it it seems quite good to me actually, even if there is a cap.

The thing is with every month more I wait I spend another R200 about on the net that could be used else where.

I'll take your advice to do with Sentech, I've been visiting here for a long time and read about all the probs. you guys have had with Sentech.
 
Azgard,

Listen to perdition - <b>stay away from</b> any and all <b>sentech mywireless</b> packages. Sentech still have problems and that will likely continue indefinitely. Check out the Sentech MyWireless part of this forum to find out what actual sentech customers have to say about MyWireless.

As far as HomeDSL384 goes, investigate, call Telkom, but make sure you get the following info:

* Will Telkom give you a special upgrade price from ISDN to HomeDSL384?
//If not try pushing the issue - speak to their supervisor/manager or something.
//You might get nowhere, but then you could also get lucky.

* If not, ask them what the installation fee is (specify including VAT).

* Ask them what the monthly subscription to HomeDSL384 is (again incl VAT).

* Ask them what the monthly line-rental is going to be (again incl VAT).

* Ask them what it will cost you if you use Telkom as your ISP (again incl VAT).

* Ask them for a total monthly cost (incl VAT) with all the above added together, I say this bcos they quoted me conflicting figures.

* Now ask them for all of the above all over again, but this time how much it will be from 1st January 2005 when the Telkom rate increases come into effect.

iBurst: If you can comfortably afford R700 per month (incl VAT) from April 2005 onwards then consider iBurst. If not consider waiting until March/April 2005 to see if WBS will provide more affordable packages.

<b><u>Just do not be fooled by sentech</u></b>.
 
Hey Azgard.
I kinda in the same situation as you (except its my dad who´s paying the account).

Done a bit of research, and I´m afraid to say that home adsl 384 is (in my opinion) the best way to go.

Chow, Nick

Nick Smit
broadband@nicksmit dot za dot net
 
The iBurst pre-launch package seems great in that there is no cap at the moment but I'm sure it won't stay that way. At this point it may not be wise to get into a contract that isn't finalised yet, especially if your grandfather will be paying for it. Check out this document on TheRodent's site which was the proposed package structure (though by no means final) :

http://rodent.za.net/files/iburst.pdf
 
Thanks ic, I'll email them soon and ask them for the prices.

If I decide to do for their prelaunch package, when they officially launch will I be able to move to another package? Say a cheaper one for example? R700 a month will mos likely be fine but not more than that.

At first I thought that ADSL 384k would be better, but after sitting here for a couple of hours and reading what others have had to say I think iBurst may be better, even though some seem to not be very impressed by it.
 
Perdition I've had a look at that pricing structure already and all that seems fine to me, either way I'll have to live with a 3gb cap, and it's better than giving Telkom money right?

In the event that I do get it and get capped I really wouldn't mind being dropped to a 64k connection, as long as it isn't shared between 200 users, or more, like ADSL is.
 
http://www.myadsl.co.za/forum/topic.asp?whichpage=-1&TOPIC_ID=5536&REPLY_ID=44600

Right now, the issue with iBurst is that it has not officially launched yet, and the packages that will be on offer come end of March 2005 are likely to evolve (I hope).

If iBurst packages were already set in stone then WBS would already have shot themselves in the proverbial foot before even officially launching.

Personally I agree with others that R699.00 per month is too high, and I think WBS need to provide a lot of choice in the packages that they offer, which logic dictates that they will - since they monitor people's views expressed on MyADSL, and they are not Sentech.

A lot of smouldering ex-MyWireless folk are adopting a wait and see attitude (due to having been burnt by sentech), but there are others that really hate the 3Gb cap (for R699 a month) and refuse to go with iBurst primarily for that reason. So WBS really need to decide yesterday already about the packages that will be on offer.

As to switching between iBurst contracts and packages, ask Noone, he has done his due diligence there, while I'm ready to take cover from flying shrapnel.

What I can tell you about <i>my iBurst connection right now</i> - <i>it's fast, and I have a signal where I'm at</i>, and when it automatically switches base stations the connection does not drop.

There was 0 coverage from Sentech at my home office, and Sentech could not tell me if there ever would be.
 
Can someone please tell what iBurst is?

I've seen it on this forum but I don't exactly know what it really is.

Macs Will Rule The World!
 
iBurst is a Wireless internet service provider, kinda like Sentech, which is launched next March.

Not very technical but that is what iBurst is.

Have a look at http://www.iburst.co.za
 
Looks pretty cool, but is it faster than ADSL?

Macs Will Rule The World!
 
In my experience yes, I have a friend who has ADSL512 and I beleive it is faster, but that could all change when loads of people start using it.
 
Well it's burtstable to 1mbps isn't it? So in theory it should be faster than 512k ADSL.

But what does it matter how fast it is? If it has a cap then you just use it up more quickly.
 
My grandfather said after our holiday he'd decide for sure since he doesn't know how much money we'll have left after going on holiday. Which will be early January.

And he's still wary of the 24 month contract...

Maybe this is a good thing, by then I'll be able to see how iBurst is handling more users.
 
Am I correct in saying that if you already have an ADSL modem then you can get a ADSL connection from Telkom without the 24 month contract right.

What's the best price I can get a ADSL modem for?
 
Not sure about HomeDSL384 but that's exactly how it is with ADSL512 -

If you have your own adsl modem you can go for month 2 month, which probably means a 30 day notice contract.

Azgard, if you don't mind, could you post the telkom price breakdown here for HomeDSL384?
 
No problem :)

Installation: R404
Line Rental: R449pm

and then your ISP charges, Telkom charges R249pm for 3gb cap connection with them as your ISP.
 
Azgard, I don't want to put you off adsl, but just make sure that the R449/m is not just the HomeDSL384 monthly subscription, and line rental isn't included[?] - which is how telkom do the billing for businesses.

http://www.myadsl.co.za/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=5496#44125
 
I'm quite sure the R449 a month is just the ADSL subscription, dunno why I put "Line Rental" when I typed that out, mistake.

Currently I have two lines, one for calls and one for my internet which is ISDN. If I get ADSL I'll convert my line for call into ADSL and cancel my ISDN line all together.
 
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