No service

I am trying to help my parents to sort out their connection problems. I have wasted 2 hours of my time calling the call centre, nobody there to answer. First problem: They are using a 8ta sim card to connect to the internet which never works. They went to the local Telkom shop, they could not help as they are offline again. They told my parents that they should get a new sim card as theirs is too old technology but they cannot help with it. So who should help with a new sim card as this is on contract? Second problem: They are trying and I have been trying to order a landline with a dsl line but no luck. The local shop keep telling us that there is no facility in the estate for the installation of a landline, but how can that be as their neighbours have a landline? I have been calling telkom but you have to hold for hours and still nobody answers. There is absolutely no service at Telkom.