Fibre internet in Gauteng on Openserve (Telkom) network

Is there going to be an price increase in the installation cost? Axxess is now charging R2.2k and another R570 for install.

Same with ISP Afrika, looks like price increase for installs.
 
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Telkom-based FTTH from ISPAfrika

Just so all the info is in one place, here's some gen on the Telkom-based FTTH product offerings from ISPAfrika.
( thanks to Fintan for the original reference to this )

Like other ISPs, they're offering FTTH line and data (ISP) services in any area that has Telkom FTTH infrastructure. What makes their capped offering a little different is that it comes with a rather small amount of "compulsory" data included (10GB pm), making it fairly usable as a "naked FTTH" product, if that's what you're after. Unlike other ISPs, there is no "nightsurfer" component at all.
ISPAfrika also offer uncapped fibre line+data packages, currently starting at R599pm for 4Mbps.

Fintan already posted ISPAfrika's current capped package prices, but here's the full price list (as at May 2016), including installation and other costs :

20160517 ISPAfrika FTTH pricing.JPG

I enquired about large-cap packages directly with them, and also asked who they use for international connectivity. This was the reply :

"We don’t offer larger caps. We have a standard R5 per gig top up and this can be purchased in increments of 1,5,10,20,50 and 100.
Traffic is over RSAWeb and Seacom."

On the capped packages, the ISPAfrika "build your own cap" option is somewhat unusual in that it seems to entail buying top-up data, in the denominations given above, at a flat rate of R5/GB, on an as-needed basis. With the marginal cost of fibre data being around R2/GB/month, that does seem a little pricey, but on the other hand, if you aren't regularly using up all of your "compulsory" monthly data on a large capped package, you could be paying quite a bit more than the marginal cost anyway. For instance, if you're on a 100GB/month from WebAfrica at R199, but you're only using an average of 60GB/month, then you're actually paying R3.31/GB, not R1.99.

For those who might be interested, a complete price list and application form from ISPAfrika is attached.
 

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Hi Guys,

I ordered my line through ISPAfrika and had excellent service (dealt with Garth the entire time - [email protected]). Initially I had some problems with my address due to it being a complex within an estate(Mooikloof Ridge, Pretoria), but after that was nailed down I received an order number within about 3 hours of plotting my address and a Telkom technician came to install the line 8 working days after that.

The install was very simple. They cut my existing ADSL line, taped the fibre to it and pulled it through to the connection point outside (+-15m) and spliced both ends. I was up and running about an hour later.

Using the 20Mbps option on an Afrihost account I have so far had extremely good performance during any time of the day. Costs less than my old 4Mbps uncapped ADSL setup so I am extremely happy :D

Local:
http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/5394289926

International:
http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/5394304445
 
plakkie said:
Hi Guys,

I ordered my line through ISPAfrika and had excellent service (dealt with Garth the entire time - [email protected]). Initially I had some problems with my address due to it being a complex within an estate(Mooikloof Ridge, Pretoria), but after that was nailed down I received an order number within about 3 hours of plotting my address and a Telkom technician came to install the line 8 working days after that.

The install was very simple. They cut my existing ADSL line, taped the fibre to it and pulled it through to the connection point outside (+-15m) and spliced both ends. I was up and running about an hour later.

Using the 20Mbps option on an Afrihost account I have so far had extremely good performance during any time of the day. Costs less than my old 4Mbps uncapped ADSL setup so I am extremely happy :D

Local:
http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/5394289926

International:
http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/5394304445
Click to expand...

I see that your upload speed is ~10Mbps i.e. half of your download speed. Is that correct?
Does this mean Telkom has bumped up their Upload speeds on Fibre?
As far as I understand its supposed to be 25% of download
 
I boycotted Telkom for about nine years. I recently decided to install Telkom FTTH (200GB+200GB soft cap @100Mbps). I was not charged for line/installation fees at my Estate (Clearwater Fly Fishing Estate). I'm getting download speed of between 81-85mbps and upload speed of between 21-26mbps. I submitted my application on the 15th May and my line was installed and operating on the 30th May 2016. I very impressed with the improved service from Telkom, particularly third agent Warren Tuohy!
 
Gralalo said:
I see that your upload speed is ~10Mbps i.e. half of your download speed. Is that correct?
Does this mean Telkom has bumped up their Upload speeds on Fibre?
As far as I understand its supposed to be 25% of download
Click to expand...

I also noticed that in his upload :wtf:

I'm on a 40mb Telkom fibre line myself and my upload is still at 25% of my upload speed. Guess it's just a case of whoever configured the speeds at his exchange made a balls up, therefore he is very lucky to have a greater upload speed than he should have :)
 
Historically the upload seemed to be around 20% on the lower-speed packages (up to 40Mbps) and 25% on the 100Mbps package.

No change on my 40Mbps (nominal 8Mbps upload) package this side (Telkom / WebAfrica) :

5401142908.png
 
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jcheek said:
Historically the upload seemed to be around 20% on the lower-speed packages (up to 40Mbps) and 25% on the 100Mbps packages.

No change on my 40Mbps (nominal 8Mbps upload) package this side (Telkom / WebAfrica) :

View attachment 368437
Click to expand...

I get 25% on my 20Mpbs (5Mbps up). Maybe the few extra weeks wait was enough for me to go through a policy change ;)
 
jcheek said:
Historically the upload seemed to be around 20% on the lower-speed packages (up to 40Mbps) and 25% on the 100Mbps packages.

No change on my 40Mbps (nominal 8Mbps upload) package this side (Telkom / WebAfrica) :

View attachment 368437
Click to expand...

Mine only changed after being limited to 1 Mbps the whole weekend, I assume there was some kind of an upgrade this weekend.
 
If you live in Pretoria East but don't fall within a Telkom fibre area, please keep an eye on http://Frogfootfibre.com as they are starting with their deployment soon. Lynnwood will be first and soon thereafter they will start in an additional suburb.
 
[Warning : Slightly O/T]

So for those of you who are awaiting (im)patiently for areas of Pretoria (especially the East) to go from "light purple" to "dark purple" for Telkom FTTH, be aware that Telkom has at last brought LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) to large portions of Garsfontein and added some coverage "islands" in other areas too.

jcheek said:
Bear in mind, though, that as announced in November 2014 (and confirmed here), Garsfontein is at least getting LTE-A while it waits for FTTH
Click to expand...

See the report over here. Also see the Telkom coverage map (recently updated), as seen here (around Pretoria East) for example :

20150713 Telkom LTE-A signal coverage around Pretoria East.jpg

There's now some LTE-A coverage in parts of Garsfontein, Moreleta Park and Olympus.

So .. if you absolutely can't wait for fibre, maybe it's time to organise a Huawei E5186 LTE-A modem-router and take a trip to Wireless Speedland :D
 
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StoneCold said:
I also noticed that in his upload :wtf:

I'm on a 40mb Telkom fibre line myself and my upload is still at 25% of my upload speed. Guess it's just a case of whoever configured the speeds at his exchange made a balls up, therefore he is very lucky to have a greater upload speed than he should have :)
Click to expand...

JOU KARNALLIE!!!!

so in die middel van nerens, maar met n beter lyn as ek :(


:p
 
jcheek said:
Yip, it wasn't much fun at the time; but it was (and is) well worth it in the end.
I don't think my experience was typical. The first installations in a newly-reticulated area are always "fun".
I also think/hope the process is getting slicker as more and more people take it up.

I got a Telkom reference number from WebAfrica that was all numeric, of the form nnnnnn-nn. But I never had any luck following up direct with Telkom itself - mostly I got told that the number was not correct and/or doesn't exist.
If you do try it at all, try to get feedback direct from the Telkom Fibre Help Desk. See this post for details.

Also ask your questions over in the Mooikloof Ridge thread linked previously - the experiences there are more recent.

What area are you in ?
Edit: Lyttelton, I see.
Click to expand...

jcheek said:
If you happen to phone the Telkom Fibre Help Desk (080-000-7268) when it is unmanned or (more likely) overloaded, your call gets forwarded to a "normal" helpdesk and even though you have your (wholesale) Telkom order number, the operator will most likely tell you that your order doesn't exist.
You need to speak to a "proper" Fibre Help Desk operator, or else you will get nowhere (hint : one lady operator on the Fibre Help Desk who always seems to be able to get this right is Dineo).
Click to expand...

Witman22 said:
Well I have been phoning all telkom numbers and the one you sent me and finally one lady knew what I was talking about. She told me it is a batch order for 300+ people from webafrica and she cannot see any other further information about it. She also said that it was ordered today the 19/7/2016. I have contacted a techie that I know and gave him the webafrica number they gave me. If he can get something done with it than fantastic. I will let you know.
Click to expand...
What's the bet that's still Dineo ?

Good luck. It'll be worth the wait !
 
jcheek said:
What's the bet that's still Dineo ?

Good luck. It'll be worth the wait !
Click to expand...

Haha I honestly cannot remember her name. Maybe it was! Well I will have to wait and see what happens. Wish I could do it myself.

They should have a online thing. Once you get a order number you log in with the order number and then you can from there contact a techie with the order number schedule a date on the online calendar and then once the fibre is installed you activate it online. That will be a perfect world! :)
 
Just something random I thought I'd share. Busy trying to host a dedicated server for a certain game. Had some difficulty because the damn server just wouldn't show up in the server browser. Decided to break out the Telkom Netgear one I got with my fibre installation and see if my problem wasn't route related. Did a speedtest and low and behold:

Telkom account:
http://www.speedtest.net/result/5497025477.png

Vox account:
http://www.speedtest.net/result/5497042696.png

My upload speed has doubled. I don't know if it's because of the time of day, or the router, but I'm going to test and see if there is a difference between the two routers I have. If it's definitely the router, then I'm permanently moving over to the Telkom one right now :D

Or maybe they decided to increase the upload speeds overall across all connections ;)

EDIT:

Tested on my non-Telkom router, same result:

http://netgauge.ookla.com/share/501497838.png

Seems like they definitely doubled all Telkom fibre upload speeds (or at least in the process of doubling it)
 
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