Durbanville ADSL Research: Request assistance

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MyLowBandwidth

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I have been struggling for two years to get my line speed upgraded to 10Mbps or faster, but my exchange does not support 10Mbps. I live in Durbanville in an area with a high density (many housing estates). There are many people struggling to either get DSL or to get decent quality DSL.

I'm stuck on a 4Mbps line and there does not appear to be any inclination from Telkom to upgrade the exchange. I'm on the Durbanville (WDBV) exchange.

The only option I have is to research the issues myself and possibly petition Telkom to upgrade the exchange if enough people are affected. My plan is to contact the various estates and have the body corporate of each distribute a petition to residents.

Could anyone assist me or guide me in how I can obtain the following information:

1. A geographical representation of the Exchanges and the areas they cover
2. Number of consumers (particularly DSL consumers) per exchange
3. A filterable list of all exchanges and the DSL speeds supported
4. Contact details for the Northern suburbs DSL planning department at Telkom
5. Public relations department at Telkom or whoever I can send the petition to

Thanks very much for any help. I'd appreciate any responses consisting of constructive and supportive commentary. If you think this is a stupid idea, then please keep that opinion to yourself. There are many "real people" who support the idea. Many of us in this area are struggling with this (people who work from home) and we are trying to do something about it.
 
Can't answer your question, but I'm in Brackenfell, near the Makro. On Monday I got a call from Telkom asking if I wanted to upgrade to 10Mbps as they have upgraded my area. However, on the 'my coverage' page it still lists the max speed in my area = 4Mbps.
 
MyLowBandwidth said:
I have been struggling for two years to get my line speed upgraded to 10Mbps or faster, but my exchange does not support 10Mbps. I live in Durbanville in an area with a high density (many housing estates). There are many people struggling to either get DSL or to get decent quality DSL.

I'm stuck on a 4Mbps line and there does not appear to be any inclination from Telkom to upgrade the exchange. I'm on the Durbanville (WDBV) exchange.

The only option I have is to research the issues myself and possibly petition Telkom to upgrade the exchange if enough people are affected. My plan is to contact the various estates and have the body corporate of each distribute a petition to residents.

Could anyone assist me or guide me in how I can obtain the following information:

1. A geographical representation of the Exchanges and the areas they cover
2. Number of consumers (particularly DSL consumers) per exchange
3. A filterable list of all exchanges and the DSL speeds supported
4. Contact details for the Northern suburbs DSL planning department at Telkom
5. Public relations department at Telkom or whoever I can send the petition to

Thanks very much for any help. I'd appreciate any responses consisting of constructive and supportive commentary. If you think this is a stupid idea, then please keep that opinion to yourself. There are many "real people" who support the idea. Many of us in this area are struggling with this (people who work from home) and we are trying to do something about it.
Click to expand...

Where in Durbanville are you? I am near Grannendaal and they upgraded the exchanges to VDSL. I myself am running 20Mbps and used to struggle to get 2Mbps a year ago.
 
I feel for you. Durbanville is a nightmare. It's one of the biggest suburbs in the Western Cape and growing daily.

Back in 2011 there were 15 000 households already. All going through the exchange behind the Police station.

Fiekus said:
Can't answer your question, but I'm in Brackenfell, near the Makro. On Monday I got a call from Telkom asking if I wanted to upgrade to 10Mbps as they have upgraded my area. However, on the 'my coverage' page it still lists the max speed in my area = 4Mbps.
Click to expand...

You do not fall under Durbanville :)
 
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All the exchanges in Telkom will be changed to MSAN/ISAM this was a 3 year project but it now seems as though it is a 4 year project .
So some where in this project you exchange will be upgraded , so the planning should have been done .
As to ETA i have no idea we are now in the second year of the project .
FTTH also seems to have interfered with the project .
 
FNfal said:
1. All the exchanges in Telkom will be changed to MSAN/ISAM this was a 3 year project but it now seems as though it is a 4 year project.

2. So some where in this project you exchange will be upgraded , so the planning should have been done .

3. As to ETA i have no idea we are now in the second year of the project .

4. FTTH also seems to have interfered with the project .
Click to expand...

1. 5 year project now stretched to 7 years.
2. Scheduling is done, not planning (in the Telkom sense).
3. 3rd year - year one was the pilot roll out.
4. Agree. My exchange is a case in point. Was scheduled for April 2015. Some wise arsehole decided that a (small) portion of our exchange area is suitable for FTTH, so our entire exchange conversion was halted and is now scheduled for "some time" in 2017. :mad:
 
Lino said:
Where in Durbanville are you? I am near Grannendaal and they upgraded the exchanges to VDSL. I myself am running 20Mbps and used to struggle to get 2Mbps a year ago.
Click to expand...

I'm in a housing estate by the traffic circle near Pinehurst. Corner of Langeberg and Brackenfell Blvd. I know of other people who have VDSL in Grannendal, but my exchange is not supported.
 
MickeyD said:
1. 5 year project now stretched to 7 years.
2. Scheduling is done, not planning (in the Telkom sense).
3. 3rd year - year one was the pilot roll out.
4. Agree. My exchange is a case in point. Was scheduled for April 2015. Some wise arsehole decided that a (small) portion of our exchange area is suitable for FTTH, so our entire exchange conversion was halted and is now scheduled for "some time" in 2017. :mad:
Click to expand...

What i have noticed is if an exchange has no ports they go and fit an ISAM instead of another DLSAM and the lead time is only about 5 months .I know they are not fitting any more DSLAMs.
 
I'm in Door De Kraal, on the Welgemoed exchange.

Though it's not Durbanville, I was visited by someone from Telkom saying we're getting VDSL within the next month or two.
I'm currently on a 4Mbps but I only get 3.4Mbps odd.

Very happy with the news, hopefully you guys are also close!
 
MyLowBandwidth said:
I'm in a housing estate by the traffic circle near Pinehurst. Corner of Langeberg and Brackenfell Blvd. I know of other people who have VDSL in Grannendal, but my exchange is not supported.
Click to expand...

Telkom has laid Fibre to Oakwood for FTTH. Was supposed to come online end Jan, but heard its now end April.
 
MyLowBandwidth said:
I'm in a housing estate by the traffic circle near Pinehurst. Corner of Langeberg and Brackenfell Blvd. I know of other people who have VDSL in Grannendal, but my exchange is not supported.
Click to expand...

Which housing estate? A Friend lives in the same area, Telkom was there 3 weeks ago busy laying fibre for their estate
 
FNfal said:
What i have noticed is if an exchange has no ports they go and fit an ISAM instead of another DLSAM and the lead time is only about 5 months .I know they are not fitting any more DSLAMs.
Click to expand...

100% correct. Case in point...

Grahamstown exchange (GGT) ran out of ports. GGT was only scheduled for MSAN/ISAM in 2017/8. ISAM was installed last month to provide the additional ports. :cry:
 
Lino said:
Where in Durbanville are you? I am near Grannendaal and they upgraded the exchanges to VDSL. I myself am running 20Mbps and used to struggle to get 2Mbps a year ago.
Click to expand...

I am in Uitzicht just above the Graanendal shopping center.

Telkom says I am on a Mini DSLAM so I can only go up to 4Mbps.
 
Telkom are actually quite active in Durbanville. Looks as if they are still rolling out new cabling in Pine Hurst area.
 
FNfal said:
All the exchanges in Telkom will be changed to MSAN/ISAM this was a 3 year project but it now seems as though it is a 4 year project .
So some where in this project you exchange will be upgraded , so the planning should have been done .
As to ETA i have no idea we are now in the second year of the project .
FTTH also seems to have interfered with the project .
Click to expand...

Thanks very much for the info. Much appreciated.

Could you elaborate a bit on what you have written:

1. when did this 3 years project commence. Are we in the 4th year now, or has it only just kicked off?
2. What is MSAN/ISAM in layman terms? I'll google it, but maybe you could just elaborate on that a bit

Is it fair to say that FTTH is great, but it should be implemented on top of an exchange that already supports optimal DSL speeds for the subscribers on that exchange. Telkoms decision would hopefully be to upgrade the slowest and most congested exchanges to FTTH in the quickest time period. The decision should not be to extend a poor consumer experience due to a planned rollout of FTTH in the distant future.

Any ideas who I can contact at Telkom?
 
irBosOtter said:
Which housing estate? A Friend lives in the same area, Telkom was there 3 weeks ago busy laying fibre for their estate
Click to expand...


Berghshoop, opposite Pinehurst. There has not been any Telkom activity at our estate at all AFAIK. I know the exchange is situated on Verdi avenue somewhere.

Thats what the Telkom technician told me when they installed my DSL line 10 years ago.
 
MyLowBandwidth said:
Berghshoop, opposite Pinehurst. There has not been any Telkom activity at our estate at all AFAIK. I know the exchange is situated on Verdi avenue somewhere.

Thats what the Telkom technician told me when they installed my DSL line 10 years ago.
Click to expand...

Not sure what the estate name is where he lives, will find out, but it's the 3rd turnoff from the circle, so past your turnoff then the second one to the left.
 
MickeyD said:
Grahamstown exchange (GGT) ran out of ports. GGT was only scheduled for MSAN/ISAM in 2017/8. ISAM was installed last month to provide the additional ports. :cry:
Click to expand...
I've got a couple of clients in the High St still on 2mbps do you reckon there's a chance they could get their ports moved to the ISAM or is it reserved for new services?

(sorry for the thread derail)
 
dualmeister said:
I feel for you. Durbanville is a nightmare. It's one of the biggest suburbs in the Western Cape and growing daily.

Back in 2011 there were 15 000 households already. All going through the exchange behind the Police station.
Click to expand...

Thanks very much for this info. Very interesting.
Some observations on this.

1. It seems that Pinehurst and the extended sections of Pinehurst (going towards Uitzicht) is not included in that survey.
2. Since 2011, there has been increase in the number of households as a result of additional housing estates being built very quickly.

I would guess that the number of households has doubled maybe even tripled to date, if you include Pinehurst and the areas on the map that seem to fall under Kraaifontein.
 
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