Telkom completely messed up a new ADSL/VDSL Installation!

I am writing this review on behalf of my father, a pensioner of 70 years old.

My parent recently moved into a new home in Reebok, Mossel Bay. This happened shortly after the initial 6 week lock-down. Shortly after they moved into the new house, my father app**** for a 10Mb/s VDSL Uncapped Internet connection. I helped him to check that the service is in fact available in his area. We checked the coverage map on Telkom website (which I know know is completely useless and outdated), and to confirm we even phoned Telkom and asked a sales person to check the exact address.

So armed with the assurance that my dad can apply online for a NEW 10Mb/s VDSL Uncapped Internet connection, I sat with him, and helped him to complete the online application. Keep in mind, my father is 70 years old, we are in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, and my father falls into the High-risk group. So in stead of him taking the risk of standing in a queue at the Telkom offices, we opted for the online application.

After completing the online application, a few days later a happy-go-lucky sales person (knowing he will earn an easy commission), talked to my dad and said all the right things to confirm my dad's Order. My dad explicitly asked the sales person AGAIN to confirm that he will be getting a 10Mb/s VDSL Uncapped service, to which the sales person happily confirmed, YES HE WOULD. When my dad app**** he also qualified for the Covid-19 promotion, where he would pay "R299.00" pm for the first 6 months.

Ok so fast-forward a litlle more than a week, a chap from OpenServe contacted my dad, to arrange for the installation to happen. At this point I wish to add, the guy from OpenServe, I know him only as "Walte" deserves 10/10 for his sharp service and the way he went out of his way to assist us. So Walte connected and tested our line to the nearest Telkom DB box, and this is where the problem starts. Turns out the DB box not only does not have the VDSL equipment, it only has ADSL capability, it ONLY support 4Mb/s connections.

So Walte tried everything, even checked if he could connect us to the second-closest DB Box. Unfortunately, the best he coulkd do was the 4Mb/s ADSL connection. So my dad had an option, either it is 4Mb/s or nothing. We asked Walte to proceed with the 4Mb/s install. He even went as far as to drive to the Telkom offices and collect my dad's new Telkom Router, and came back and set everything up for my dad. He then, while at my dad's house, phoned Telkom to inform them that they should downgrade the application to a 4Mb/s Uncapped ADSL, which would then only cost my dad R199pm for the first six months on the promotion.

Well, to no surprise, come the first Telkom bill, my dad gets a Bill stating that he has a 10Mb/s VDSL install and, get this, he has to pay R599.00 pm - the full price.

This was three months ago. Since then every month my father, the 70 year old pensioner, has to sit on the phone for hours every month to to speak to *********** Telkom Account Consultants, having the same ****** problem that never gets fixed.

I am F****king furious.

Tell me, Telkom, do you take pleasure in *********** pensioners who are stuck at home during a Covid-19 pandemic?

Are you proud that your Sales department will say anything to conn a pensioner into applying for a Service that you are physically unable to provide?

Would you, Telkom, say that your Support department are professional when they are incapable of correctly update your computer systems to indicate that the ACTUAL 4Mb/s ADSL that my father sits with is the SAME that you ACCOUNTS department bills my 70 year old father?

I want, for ONCE!, and HONEST, CARING, Telkom employee to respond to this review. I am not interested in B***S***T explanations on what went wrong, or why my 70 years father and pensioner has to endure such torture. I am ONLY interested in a complete solution for my father's situation. I DEMAND that you correct your *********** mistakes immediately. It's enough my father and mother has to fear for their lives from an invisible enemy. All they ask is that you provide them for the service they asked, and for which they are willing to pay what is promised.

Oh, and since yesterday morning, their ADSL now runs at 0.98 Mb/s after a power failure damaged the DB Box. Several frustrating phone calls later, countless modem restarts and Post resetting, a fault was logged... wonder how many weeks my pensioner parent have to now sit and wait that that to be fixed.

This is absolutely SHOCKING how your company does business. In my line of work, as a software and web developer, my clients will fire and sure me in a heartbeat if I deliver even a fraction of your complete ******* service.

I await your answer? I will NOT accept my pensioner parents being held hostage by your incompetence! You will fix this, as per your contract with my father.