Telkom technical joke?

[Dave A]

I'm such a fool.

My ADSL went down this morning at about 8.30a.m. OK. It's happened before.

Reboot POTS router - no go.

Try again a half hour later - still no go.

Call special ADSL technical help number, the one for priority service I pay extra for :

ME: My ADSL is down.
TECH: Yes sir. Most of the country is down right now. We are working on the problem.
ME: When do you expect to have the problem fixed?
TECH: Don't know yet. Our systems are down too!
ME: You guys must be hectic with calls.
TECH: Yes. Don't worry - we're working on it.

So I get on with work quietly thinking the country must be going a little crazy right now, but at least we're all in the same boat.

Comes about midday and still no ADSL - so I call a good buddy who has an online business to commiserate.

ME: Apparently ADSL is down over most of the country.
BUDD: Sh*t. (He immediately grasps the gravity of the situation). Let me check...... Nope. No problems my side, but my ISP is not Telkomsa. Maybe it's Telkom ISP that is down across the country.

Comes 3.00p.m. I call my special ADSL technical number - the one for priority service that I pay extra for:

ME: Hi, I called this morning because my ADSL is down. Still not sorted.
TECH: Yes sir, I've just come on duty and there's a note here saying there's a major problem.
ME: Is it ADSL services or Telkom ISP?
TECH: It's our entire system.
ME: Well a bud of mine is having no problem, but his ISP is not Telkom.
TECH: Well it must be Telkom ISP then sir.
ME: When will it be fixed?
TECH: Don't know sir, but I'll find out and email you - what's your email address.
ME: Sure, but please tell me how to download the email when my ADSL is down!!!
TECH: Hmmm. A problem... *Silence*
ME: How about if you phoned me?
TECH: *Surprised* Yes, that could work!
I give cell number and hope for the best.

Comes 4.45p.m. No ADSL and no phonecall. I call my special ADSL technical number - the one for priority service that I pay extra for:

ME: Hi, my ADSL is down. I called at 9.00a.m and at 3.00p.m. and was told there is a major countrywide problem. How's it going.
TECH: There's no problem sir.
ME: What! You guys told me there's a major system problem.
TECH: Well, our internal systems are down, but that shouldn't affect you. There must be a problem on your line.
ME: Well, it does affect me. We could have started on the real problem at 9.00 a.m. this morning....
TECH: Hold on sir, let me check on something... *Click*
TELKOM CALL CENTRE SYSTEM: For new sales press 1, for progress report on a new installation press 2, for ADSL connection problems press 3.. *I press 3*
SUPPORT: Yes sir, can I help you.
ME: My ADSL is down, apparently you have a major countrywide problem...
SUPPORT: No sir. Everything is normal.
ME: But I've just been put through from technical support - they've been telling me there's a major system wide problem all day...
SUPPORT: Are you anywhere near Westville sir?
ME: No.
SUPPORT: Well sir, what is your ADSL line number?
*Give number*
SUPPORT: I've tested the line and there is no sync - seems like a problem with the line. I'll report it for you - your reference number is 999AA99.
ME: When will it get fixed?
SUPPORT: Well the exchange will test if the problem is on their side straight away. If they can't fix it from their side they'll call you to come out to sort out the problem on your side.
ME: What number will they call?
SUPPORT: What number should they call on?
ME: *Give cell number* What number can I call to follow up?
SUPPORT: *Gives number*
Finish call and I hope for the best.

Now gone 10.00p.m.
ADSL still down. No phonecall. So much for that special 24 hour service I pay extra for.

To do list:
Cr*p on Telkom
Find new ISP
Terminate ISP service with Telkom
Post this story on every damn forum I can find.

Oh yes - Why am I a fool?
Because I believed them every time. Even the last one.
I mean, thinking about it afterwards; How the hell is she logging the problem if all Telkom internal systems are down?

[Alan]

Oh the pain and whats worse there is nothing one can do about it, very frustrating.

[RegalProjects]

Mmmm I won't even go down this road, it just infuriates me to get such crap service and pay the earth for it. The scary part is Telkom controls every bit of bandwidth in SA including the wireless.
When is the supposed second service provider coming into action ? Does anyone know ?

[Dave A]

Apparently the SNO is backed by Tata - the vehicle people.

If it is anything like their first vehicle offering here in SA, it might be cheaper but I think the operative word might be "functional".

I heard a mutter of August/September but that was a few months ago. Haven't seen much fanfare since.

I think we all wait with bated breath.

[AndreMorgenrood]

How will a SNO be able to compete?

Hi Everybody

This is my first post on this forum.

I am somewhat confused as to how a SNO will make any difference. The way I understand it Telkom controls the entire cable infrastructure in SA so if a second operator comes on board they will pretty much have to piggy-back onto Telkom's existing infrastructure?? So what stops Telkom from charging whatever they want and in doing so keeping the baseline cost high with little room for a mark-up, the same problem all ISP's have at the moment.

Exscuse my ignorance but will they be bringing with them a second under sea cable feeding from India, China or somewhere else? The only way I can see them being any kind of real competition is if they bring some serious infrastructure with them and especially their own international bandwidth.

Andre'

[I Robot]

I seem to recall they were looking at carrying signals over the existing electrical supply wiring.

[Dave A]

Friday = No IT day

I'm going to have to make Friday a no IT day.

I got a call on Wednesday from Telkom ADSL to tell me that they had fixed the problem and were closing the fault reference.

Yesterday about 4.30p.m we start all over again. Call - get fault reference after being bounced between Telkom ADSL services and Telkom ISP like a ping pong ball.

I've spent three hours today on phonecalls because no-one has called me back within the half hour promised (each time).

Each keeps blaming the other. I've told them I DON'T CARE. It's a Telkom problem. That's why I got Telkom as my ISP in the first place - so that they couldn't pass the buck.

Has Telkom run out of bandwidth?
Is this why the service is being so badly choked down?

[Dave A]

It's Telkom ISP it seems.

Finally managed to narrow down the problem (not that the culprits are interested).

I'm getting good access to all sites except ones hosted by Internet Solutions.

While I'm struggling to get onto IS hosted sites on my ADSL connected through Effingham Exchange with Telkom ISP, my mate up in Ballito is having no problems with the same site connected on ADSL through the Ballito Exchange with Telkom ISP.

This leaves two potential causes of the problem - the shape of my Telkom ISP account, or a Effingham Exchange traffic shaping issue that is geared against connecting to IS hosted sites.

So now all that's left is to get Telkom ISP to look at the issue, which is proving difficult. Before I went on my fault elimination exercise, I phoned Telkom ISP to hear if there was any news. Apparently not. They're waiting for an explanation from SAIX (!?).

So when I call two hours later to say that it seems I might have narrowed down the fault and after some consultation it seems this has nothing to do with SAIX, my reference number no longer shows up on the system - there is no record of my problem despite 4 previous calls where it was on the system.

Of course the helpful consultant was going immediately to personally find out what is going on and get back to me "right away" - seems he's lost in the system too because three hours later still no call.

Maybe I'm just impatient. The bit that surprises me is that there is all this solution finding going on back at Telkom ISP and I've yet to get a call from a technician to run diagnostics to narrow down the cause of the problem. By now I must have 5 people working on it - none of whom can make a phonecall.

[Alan]

Dave i think you should write Fridays off as help/nag telkom day, lets see what happens when you try bill them for it.

[Dave A]

Dave i think you should write Fridays off as help/nag telkom day, lets see what happens when you try bill them for it.

Who wants to start the weekend in a bad mood?

I don't want to moan and groan - I don't want to embarass them - I just want the problem fixed (or at least a decent explanation with some kind of idea as to when the problem might be solved). But being ignored is doing nothing good for the blood pressure.

As for billing them - imagine trying to collect payment

[AndreMorgenrood]

SNO closer than I thought

Hi Dave,

I've also had problems the past few weeks, lines slow, dipping into inactivety and then bouncing back, etc. Luckily I have'nt been cut off completely though.

I just had a look at Hellkom and you can find the website for the SNO at http://www.snotelecom.co.za/. Looks like they will be rolling out in main centres during the course of this year and beyond, holding thumbs!

Andre'

[Dave A]

This is becoming a diary.

Called Telkom ISP this morning - apparently the current status of my problem is "Pending". Pending what no-one could say. When I could expect a call no-one could say.

I'm advised that if I have not had a call within a week I should call back to follow up. That would be this Thursday then. What might happen if I have to make that call - no-one could say.

I got a nice email from My ADSL today. Apparently they are putting together a submission for an ICASA hearing scheduled for 24th & 25th May.

If you want to give some input, click here.

[Dave A]

An update

Called Telkom again this morning. According to them they have been trying to call me repeatedly, although they have no record of when.

I admit I have had one missed call from a private number that rang for about 1.5 seconds - let's give them the benefit of the doubt, shall we. Must have been them - I was too slow to answer.

Apparently they should call again. I'll keep my finger by the green button so I can be quicker next time.

I have been investigating the problem further. It seems the problem is this:
The Effingham Exchange is suffering from overload.
My site request through Telkom ISP is being put into the IS pipe at Effingham, which must be massively deprioritised to let Telkom traffic through first.
Talking to an IT guy who is going nuts over the problem, technically this is called "a peering problem between Telkom and Internet Solutions."
Ultimately, it means that often the only way I can get to this site is using my cellphone as a modem over GPRS. Seems to defeat the object of having Telkom Business ADSL512!!!

Anyway, the lack of ability to penetrate through the Telkom call centre to someone that can actually explain/resolve the problem gives a whole new meaning to "firewall technology".

[I Robot]

If anyone else is struggling with bandwidth to this site, please make a post in the Administration issues area.

I might have to change the hosting provider of this site to solve the problem - but I need to know how far spread it is.

[Chris B]

Neggative stuff...

Telkom, telkom and telkom.

Dave,
I had a look at this specific thread from an outsiders point of view who's not as concerned about the issue as you clearly are.

Of all the replies I think that Allan has the best approach, the not too stressed one.

You spend 3hours on the phone which got you nowhere, don't know how many hours gaining the info you got regarding the effingham exchange problem etc. Yet your still right where you started but much more frustrated and bugged with a burning issue.

Just a thought...
Maybe you could've used that time and energy for something else more productive with a better reward than none at all. Judging from the effort you spend on this you could've probably done something simpler like save a 3rd world country than taking telkom on as a one man army.

Idiocy can not be reasoned with, its like trying to get George Bush to write out his own speach or use the Internet. You can try but everyone knows before hand what the end result would be...

Just a thought