[Opinion] Telkom reaches new lows (and you thought they were there already)

[Marq]

My ADSL speed came down to about 2.6mbps from a usual 5.3mbps, over the past few weeks along with latency errors and a few other unexplained problems.
So the isp logs a fault for me.
Usually Telkom takes takes about 4 days to get around to dealing with their faults in this area. This time a very impressive 4 hours, but being impressed was short lived.

Nicholas from Telkom phones in, and in a take it or leave it type voice and attitude tells me:

• That there is nothing they can do about this speed issue as the current contention ratio is set at 100:1 up from the agreed 20:1, and we must just suck it up. Its not his fault that there are so many extra users on these days.
• He also informed that they were well within the spec for 4mbps-10mbps service which is actually 1.6mbps.
• He further informed me that if I wanted faster speeds I could try the cellular networks and their huge prices. What sort of service did I expect at the cheap rates I pay.
• He also informed me that Telkom had not made a profit for the past few years and was unlikely to be spending anything to fix this issue or make our lives any different.
• International standards were not their concern. Basically this is Africa - get used to it.
• Bottom line is that there was nothing he could do about it, and I got the impression that even if he could do something he was not going to do anything anyway.

Is anyone surprised that Telkom is battling?
Is there anyone that wants to remain with Telkom or go with 8ta?:

For some strange reason my speed was back up to 5.2mbps last night -go figure?

[Dave A]

Their attitude to their clients certainly sucks. I was going to do a rant about... oh moving on - it'll take too long to post right now and that's why I didn't do the rant in the first place.

Marq, are you connected via the Durban North exchange?

[ians]

8 ta now know as Telkom mobile seems to be putting huge strain on the MTN network. Always only had good things to say about MTN, unfortunately I believe they are being pulled down by overloading due to Telkom mobile.

[Marq]

Yep - Durban North exchange.
Ranting about Telkom (or any government ganster org for that matter) is like peeing in your dark suit pants - It gives you a warm feeling but nobody notices.

[SilverNodashi]

how much bandwidth do you use?

And do you actually use the phone line for calls

If you don't use your phone line, and consume less than 7 - 10GB, you could use 3G at about the same price.
8Ta has 10GB day + 10GB night deal @ R299/pm.

[Dave A]

If you don't use your phone line, and consume less than 7 - 10GB, you could use 3G at about the same price.

3G comes with some significant lag in this neck of the woods, Rudi. It's fine for big file downloads, but for normal browsing all those little delays add up to a pretty unpleasant experience.

Marq, much like you I also experienced a noticeable dip in speed for about the last 2 weeks, including a fairly significant shaped deprioritisation (practically an outage) on Port 25 calls which led to me making some phonecalls early last week. I was told that Telkom had some cable damage issues to deal with in the area and the newish IP allocation system was presenting some load balancing problems.

Service levels do seem to have improved some this week.

Doesn't account for the BA from the Telkom guy though

[pmbguy]

I am looking at changing from Telkom to Neotel and I found hellkom.co.za during my investigations.

Brief Telkom versus Neotel Comparison Summary
- Calls from Neotel to Telkom (local and national) are cheaper than Telkom to Neotel during both peak and off-peak
- Calls from Neotel to Cellphones are cheaper than Telkom during both peak and off-peak
- Calls from Telkom to Neotel (local and national) are 65c/min during both peak and off-peak
- Calls from Neotel to Neotel (local) are 17c during both peak and off-peak (Telkom to Telkom is 43c)

Local Calls..

..during PEAK time ..during OFF-PEAK time
..to Telkom ..to Neotel ..to Cell ..to Telkom ..to Neotel ..to Cell
from Neotel 34c 17c R1.76 21c 17c R1.09
from Telkom 43c 65c R1.89 19c 65c R1.17

National Calls..

..during PEAK time ..during OFF-PEAK time
..to Telkom ..to Neotel ..to Cell ..to Telkom ..to Neotel ..to Cell
from Neotel 57c 43c R1.76 33c 43c R1.09
from Telkom 65c 65c R1.89 33c 65c R1.17


Call charge calculations - 5 mins to 1 hour
The tables below indicate what calls to both networks will cost depending on the length of the call. The Telkom amounts include the minimum charge.


Local Calls - Calling from Neotel..

..during PEAK time ..during OFF-PEAK time
..to Telkom ..to Neotel ..to Cell ..to Telkom ..to Neotel ..to Cell
5 mins R1.70 R0.85 R8.80 R1.05 R0.85 R5.45
10 mins R3.40 R1.70 R17.60 R2.10 R1.70 R10.90
15 mins R5.10 R2.55 R26.40 R3.15 R2.55 R16.35
20 mins R6.80 R3.40 R35.20 R4.20 R3.40 R21.80
25 mins R8.50 R4.25 R44.00 R5.25 R4.25 R27.25
30 mins R10.20 R5.10 R52.80 R6.30 R5.10 R32.70
35 mins R11.90 R5.95 R61.60 R7.35 R5.95 R38.15
40 mins R13.60 R6.80 R70.40 R8.40 R6.80 R43.60
45 mins R15.30 R7.65 R79.20 R9.45 R7.65 R49.05
50 mins R17.00 R8.50 R88.00 R10.50 R8.50 R54.50
55 mins R18.70 R9.35 R96.80 R11.55 R9.35 R59.95
60 mins R20.40 R10.20 R105.60 R12.60 R10.20 R65.40

National Calls - Calling from Neotel..

..during PEAK time ..during OFF-PEAK time
..to Telkom ..to Neotel ..to Cell ..to Telkom ..to Neotel ..to Cell
5 mins R2.85 R2.15 R8.80 R1.65 R2.15 R5.45
10 mins R5.70 R4.30 R17.60 R3.30 R4.30 R10.90
15 mins R8.55 R6.45 R26.40 R4.95 R6.45 R16.35
20 mins R11.40 R8.60 R35.20 R6.60 R8.60 R21.80
25 mins R14.25 R10.75 R44.00 R8.25 R10.75 R27.25
30 mins R17.10 R12.90 R52.80 R9.90 R12.90 R32.70
35 mins R19.95 R15.05 R61.60 R11.55 R15.05 R38.15
40 mins R22.80 R17.20 R70.40 R13.20 R17.20 R43.60
45 mins R25.65 R19.35 R79.20 R14.85 R19.35 R49.05
50 mins R28.50 R21.50 R88.00 R16.50 R21.50 R54.50
55 mins R31.35 R23.65 R96.80 R18.15 R23.65 R59.95
60 mins R34.20 R25.80 R105.60 R19.80 R25.80 R65.40

Local Calls - Calling from Telkom..

..during PEAK time ..during OFF-PEAK time
..to Telkom ..to Neotel ..to Cell ..to Telkom ..to Neotel ..to Cell
5 mins R2.79 R3.89 R9.45 R1.59 R3.89 R5.85
10 mins R4.94 R7.14 R18.90 R2.54 R7.14 R11.70
15 mins R7.09 R10.39 R28.35 R3.49 R10.39 R17.55
20 mins R9.24 R13.64 R37.80 R4.44 R13.64 R23.40
25 mins R11.39 R16.89 R47.25 R5.39 R16.89 R29.25
30 mins R13.54 R20.14 R56.70 R6.34 R20.14 R35.10
35 mins R15.69 R23.39 R66.15 R7.29 R23.39 R40.95
40 mins R17.84 R26.64 R75.60 R8.24 R26.64 R46.80
45 mins R19.99 R29.89 R85.05 R9.19 R29.89 R52.65
50 mins R22.14 R33.14 R94.50 R10.14 R33.14 R58.50
55 mins R24.29 R36.39 R103.95 R11.09 R36.39 R64.35
60 mins R26.44 R39.64 R113.40 R12.04 R39.64 R70.20

National Calls - Calling from Telkom

during PEAK time during OFF-PEAK time
to Telkom to Neotel to Cell to Telkom to Neotel to Cell
5 mins R3.89 R3.89 R9.45 R2.29 R3.89 R5.85
10 mins R7.14 R7.14 R18.90 R3.94 R7.14 R11.70
15 mins R10.39 R10.39 R28.35 R5.59 R10.39 R17.55
20 mins R13.64 R13.64 R37.80 R7.24 R13.64 R23.40
25 mins R16.89 R16.89 R47.25 R8.89 R16.89 R29.25
30 mins R20.14 R20.14 R56.70 R10.54 R20.14 R35.10
35 mins R23.39 R23.39 R66.15 R12.19 R23.39 R40.95
40 mins R26.64 R26.64 R75.60 R13.84 R26.64 R46.80
45 mins R29.89 R29.89 R85.05 R15.49 R29.89 R52.65
50 mins R33.14 R33.14 R94.50 R17.14 R33.14 R58.50
55 mins R36.39 R36.39 R103.95 R18.79 R36.39 R64.35
60 mins R39.64 R39.64 R113.40 R20.44 R39.64 R70.20

http://www.hellkom.co.za/telkom-vs-neotel-call-charges/

[Marq]

I use about 30gigs a month and pay R294 for that.

8Ta has 10GB day + 10GB night deal @ R299/pm.

Rudi - Using 8ta is just asking for more silent ranting and rolling with Telkom
If there was a decent option, I would be the first to move across to it.

I dont think neotel is going to be an option. They only have 150,000 subscribers and need to get scale.

If MTN or Vodacom get their hands on it, which is still a rumour - then the chances are that they will collude with Telkom and we will not see much if any difference. The service levels will also be at the usual low big corporate gangster levels.

If DiData picks it up - then maybe a better option for us data consumers as they will probably concentrate on that area and leave the phone and call service to Telkom.

Who knows what the answer is for us plebs - what we need is a network that is not controlled by Telkom and political poltroons - and thats not going to happen soon.

[Marq]

This is the latest telkom plan to 'upgrade' everyone.

So I ask you - If 1,6Mbps is the current standard spec for the Fastest DSL line (per Nicholas from Telkom's take or leave it department)

What are they actually upgrading and whats the point?

Another marketing spin doctor BS designed to keep the sheeple glowing and bubbling along in the hope that one day we can achieve decent speeds.

So if we are averaging around about a ,6-1 average (thumbsuck your number here) - what should Telkom be aspiring to.

According to http://www.bloomberg.com/ the 10 fastest Average speeds in the world in January this year were:-

• Singapore - 30,7
• Israel - 30,9
• Bulgaria - 32,1
• Switzerland - 32,4
• Belgium - 32,7
• Romania - 37,4
• Latvia - 37,5
• Japan - 42,2
• South Korea - 48,8
• Hong Kong 54,1

Seems as though there is some growth room.
I dont think we need these super fast speeds to get a better edge but I would imagine probably double of what we have may cut it and get us out of cleft stick mode.

[ians]

If you are happy with super fast speed of around 0.53 Mbps on an iphone5 or the like, then 8 ta (Telkom mobile) would definitely be the way to go. Their response to my "no signal" line dropping problem and no data coverage, "We are still new in the data network industry so you will just have to be patient, it will improve in years to come"

[SilverNodashi]

I use about 30gigs a month and pay R294 for that.

And how much do you pay for the phone line + ADSL ? Another R300-odd?

Rudi - Using 8ta is just asking for more silent ranting and rolling with Telkom
If there was a decent option, I would be the first to move across to it.

I dont think neotel is going to be an option. They only have 150,000 subscribers and need to get scale.

If MTN or Vodacom get their hands on it, which is still a rumour - then the chances are that they will collude with Telkom and we will not see much if any difference. The service levels will also be at the usual low big corporate gangster levels.

If DiData picks it up - then maybe a better option for us data consumers as they will probably concentrate on that area and leave the phone and call service to Telkom.

Who knows what the answer is for us plebs - what we need is a network that is not controlled by Telkom and political poltroons - and thats not going to happen soon.

I think you're approaching this from a "too political" point of view. I'm using the 8ta special at home, since there's no ADSL lines in our area due to cable theft. It performs much better than Vodacom / MTN in the same area. Another plus point is that I can use it pretty much anywhere, well anywhere where there's 8ta coverage. Can't do that with ADSL.

Our ADSL line in the office has been rather flaky in the past 3 months, apparently Alberton is "over capacity" and it's downright impossible to upgrade due to the high metal content in the cliffs around us. I know this is an issue with normal radio (FM and AM), wifi and wimax.
If / when Vodacom offers a better deal than 8ta, I *might* consider using it. but it's so damn slow around here that I don't think I'll bother.

[Marq]

And how much do you pay for the phone line + ADSL ? Another R300-odd?

If / when Vodacom offers a better deal than 8ta, I *might* consider using it. but it's so damn slow around here that I don't think I'll bother.

I think we are caught between a rock and hard place with this whole scenario.
Best of the bad bunch thing and making do with bad offerings.

The thing is that we have to bulletproof our business's to avoid downtime.
With the Guest House business, I offer a wifi internet service so not sure if one can do that with a mobile hta type option.
Because I offer that service, I might as well stay with the landline option there.
This year though, we have probably had about two weeks of no landline comms thanks to 'technical' faults.
Even though the slow speeds make you tear your hair out, at least we have comms..........but thats what frustrates me here, we tend to accept this bad service and have given up complaining and campaigning for better.

[SilverNodashi]

I think we are caught between a rock and hard place with this whole scenario.
Best of the bad bunch thing and making do with bad offerings.

The thing is that we have to bulletproof our business's to avoid downtime.
With the Guest House business, I offer a wifi internet service so not sure if one can do that with a mobile hta type option.
Because I offer that service, I might as well stay with the landline option there.
This year though, we have probably had about two weeks of no landline comms thanks to 'technical' faults.
Even though the slow speeds make you tear your hair out, at least we have comms..........but thats what frustrates me here, we tend to accept this bad service and have given up complaining and campaigning for better.

I know you don't want to hear this, but why do you rely on ADSL for business? Sure, it's cheap, but at the end of the day you get what you pay for. ADSL has NO guarentees and no SLA

[Marq]

I hear you but then how do I offer a wifi network to guests?

[SilverNodashi]

I hear you but then how do I offer a wifi network to guests?

You'll need a 3G router, if you don't have one already.

I use my Andriod tablet as wifi hotspot, both at home and on the road.
Or get one of these: http://www.netram.co.za/New-Products...r-150mbps.html (these guys are in Durbs), or any of these: http://www.dbg.co.za/index.php?cPath=32_85

I have one of these @ home with an iBurst modem, but it could take a 3G modem as well: http://www.dbg.co.za/product_info.ph...roducts_id=423