Telkom Nightmare

This is yet another post from someone who has had endless problems with Telkom. The book has two chapters: - My troubles with ADSL - My troubles with Telkom mobile

Firstly, TLDR because this may be a bit of a meaty post: Do not use Telkom mobile or home, their failed billing system will continue to bill you after you've cancelled and you will NEVER get your money back. Their debit order system may also fail debit your bank and they will then charge you a bouncing fee.

Telkom ADSL:

In 2018 I moved into an apartment where my only choice cable internet was Telkom. No fibre was available in that area yet, and Telkom's monopoly that they held over SA's landlines meant that I had no choice but to be dependent on Telkom. Back then I knew of Telkom's reputation, but thought I'd go ahead, because "surely they would've sorted themselves out by now".

Fast forward a year later, I moved to a new apartment with yet again, no fibre option, so I merely asked telkom for a transfer of landlines. After two months of no internet and no setup from Telkom's side, decided to put in leave at work to spend the day on the phone with Telkom. I then found out that they hadn't even put the order through to the technicians to set up my landline and that I would have to wait another month. I furiously waited another month when they eventually came out.

The start of my problems:

So at the start of month four at the new apartment I finally had internet - I could stop spending R1000+ per month on mobile data. The first debit order went through and was then also informed that my account is in arears. So I logged into their portal, and notice a pecu**** two ADSL accounts had been set up. Whoever actioned the transfer, set up two accounts on my name, meaning that I was being charged double. The debit order amount that I signed for was not enough to cover both accounts (Thank goodness, because I would not have seen that money ever again)

Again, I put in leave to spend the day on a phone call with Telkom just to be told that they will put an "Order for cancellation" in on the one account which would take "7 - 21 working days". After a weekly call with Telkom for the next two months, still nothing had happened, I still had two accounts on my name totaling ~R1800. At this time fibre finally became available for my appartment block. So immediately, I signed up with Web Africa (amazing company). Within a week if I recall correctly, I had fibre. I then put in this "Cancellation order" for both of these Telkom accounts.

I immediately asked my bank to block any debit orders set up for Telkom as this was the only way to ensure that Telkom did not ***** anymore money from me. For another two to three months, they still sent me invoices which I ignored.

Oh, and if you're wondering whether I was worried about my credit record being black listed, back then, Telkom's rights to black list customers was revoked by the credit bureau, so I had nothing to worry about.

This year long battle was finally concluded.

Telkom Mobile

I've been with Telkom mobile since 2013. I have had no issues with their billing up until now. In June, my debit order was "rejected", due to a failure (which Telkom didn't admit but all evidence proves) in their debit order system. I had funds in my bank account and my bank said they did not get any debit order requests from Telkom for the month of July.

Telkom then added a penalty fee to my invoice of R300 which they billed immediately. This was very questionable and almost looked like some form of daylight ***** to me. This happened during lockdown while I was working remotely, so I didn't have to put in a day of leave this time. So again I called Telkom, no one in their support center seemed to understand what was going on. One of them asked for my bank statements, logged a fault and never got back to me.

This story goes on with a bunch of phone calls to Telkom, but I ended up cancelling my contract and sim porting to MTN.

I can now say that I'm free from this Telkom nonsense, and it feels as if a huge burden has been lifted. Telkom is the worst company I have ever dealt with and I look forward to the day that Fibre is rolled out everywhere and Telkom loses this monopoly they have had over most of the countries network for the last few decades.

Please DO NOT open any accounts with Telkom. It will be a mistake. I have a theory that these "mistakes" that they make is actually part of their business model.