Hoorah for self-install
When, after moving house, receiving a decent wireless signal proved impossible – even after climbing on the roof and extending the antennae as high as possible with the pole used for sweeping the pool – we gave in and called 10219.
I say "gave in" because that was our second attempt at ordering an ADSL line, having given up waiting the first time around.
Once you’ve established if your line is compatible and placed the order, Telkom promises a seven-day response time for self-install. And, sure enough, within four or five working days we’d received the call to say all systems were go.
The call centre agent, who promised to follow up the following day, never did. However, that was quickly forgotten because the line worked (it would have otherwise been a different story).
The process was simply one of configuring the computer for the ADSL modem router – which you can buy from Telkom or your local PC shop – and entering the settings of the Internet service provider (ISP) providing the bandwidth (be sure to shop around).
A true technophobe wouldn’t be advised to go the self-install route. But there’s technical help available telephonically and, as a last resort, they say they’ll send a technician.
Telkom had for some time been promising to offer self-install ADSL as a means of speeding up its broadband roll-out and managed to do so relatively recently. It will be interesting to see over the coming financial reporting periods just how successful that – and other initiatives to cut roll-out time – have been.
Of course, few consumers would be as lucky to get ADSL within days. Former Telkom chief sales and marketing officer Wally Beelders was reported previously as saying it needs to build in eight out of 10 cases. However, for those wanting the benefits of fixed-line broadband and with compatible lines, then ADSL self-install is the way to go.
Although prices have come down, it’s still not the cheapest offering. But any comparison of costs needs to take your particular usage needs into account.
However, as a "man in the street" that has tried almost every wireless option available, there’s no other way to conduct a Skype call (although the quality of VoIP over 3G isn’t bad).
Finweek
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