2 months of incompetence

<p>This is a long and arduous tale of how a seemingly simple move of address has resulted in months of no home connectivity. I have called Telkom more times than I can remember and wasted many hours trying to wrangle any information from a multitude of worthless consultants and supervisors. Still I am none the wiser on why it is impossible for a fibre line to be installed at my home address. I have been misled and **** to on numerous occasions and I'm completely exhausted. In my area I am stuck with this tyrannical monopoly or I would have taken my business elsewhere weeks ago. </p> <p>Strap in. This is going to be a long one. </p> <p> </p> <p>On the 22 June I called into the call center. I was going to be moving house on the first of July, to bryanston. I had already checked online if my home was in a valid area, and according to the website my new home is deep within the dark purple zone. </p> <p> </p> <p>After moving day, I had not heard from anyone. I called in to query several times and got bounced from sales, who are ostensibly responsible for move orders, and technical support, who claim this is not thier domain and transfer me back to sales. </p> <p> </p> <p>After several days days and attempts to escalate the request to someone to contact me with a time and date for installation, I am informed my fiber order has now become a 'project' and I will have to wait up to 30 days. Trying to figure out if my line would be installed after 30 days or if I would only be reached after 30 days I got in contact with a supervisor in the Durban sale office by the name of Linda Nkutha. He assures me he will contact 'networking' and call be back at the end of the day with an answer as to what is happening. I wait, and to no ones' surprise I receive no call. 2 days later I call again (it has now been over a month since I have been without a connection, despite being charged for the month). By stroke of luck I manage to reach my friend Linda Nkutha. At this point I am absolutely livid. He apologizes and the promises to call again. Guess what? No call. </p> <p> </p> <p>At at this point I drop the issue and call around to find other fibre providers, who inform me they are reliant on the cabling Telkom provides. I decide to cut my losses and request an adsl line instead. A Telkom agent complies and I am told a technician will be in touch. </p> <p> </p> <p>2 weeks ago, and a week after I requested an adsl line, I see a gazebo with Telkom branding outside my complex. Turns out they are direct marketing 'bolt speed' fibre in my area. I ask them, pointing at my house, if fibre is available right now. They inform me that it is available and that I will get a line installed within 7-21 days if I sign up with them. </p> <p> </p> <p>I tell them my story about how I have waited over a mont and a half without feedback from Telkom. How I am struggling to get the amount paid back from the accounts department along with my whole life story. Mike Nhleko, a sales agent at the gazebo, operating under a company called broadband solutions, tells me not to worry he is on the case. </p> <p> </p> <p>Prefering a fibre line and having been assured of its installation within a reasonable time frame, I cancelled the adsl order and requested they assist me with fibre. I have called again to follow up last week and was told it was with networking again, and there is no way I can reach them, but and escalation was sent and they will call me (they didn't, again). Today I call again and am told the order is stuck at networking and it has something to do with the home owners association. (The same reason I was provided with over 2 months ago). </p> <p> </p> <p>I'm genuinely shocked at the service I have received. Useless consultants far outweigh the consultants that at least pretend to care, and those with a shred of concern are let down by poor departmentalization and bureaucracy. Why on god's green earth are there direct marketers in an area they are unable to provide service to?</p> <p> </p> <p>I hope somebody with some ability can pick up this complaint and assist me. All I ask for is a time frame, should I cancel fibre and go with adsl? How long will it finally take? I am absolutely infuriated, and can only hope that this serves as a warning to others: The dark purple patch indicating fibre connectivity online is absolutely no indication of whether fibre is available in your area. </p> <p> </p> <p>Regards,</p> <p>Justin</p> <p> </p> <p> </p>