Telkom Upgrade Nightmare – Misrepresentation, Billing Errors & Zero Accountability

I am beyond frustrated with Telkom and the absolutely shocking service I have received across almost every department I have dealt with. This has been one of the worst customer experiences I have ever had. I was on a 24-month Telkom contract nearing completion. During my 22nd month, Telkom Sales contacted me and offered an upgrade on my contract line. At no stage during this sales call was I informed of any early upgrade penalties, fees, or billing changes. Based on Telkom’s own sales representation, I proceeded with the upgrade in good faith. In November 2025, I received my first bill after the upgrade and immediately noticed that the amounts were incorrect. I was being charged carried-over device fees on two contracts, which made absolutely no sense as I was upgrading from a double-deal contract. When I contacted the Telkom call centre: Sales advised that I should NOT be charged any early upgrade fees because I was eligible for an upgrade in the 22nd month. Billing, however, told me the opposite — that early upgrade charges apply because the 24 months were not fully completed. I was then sent back to Sales, where a Sales Team Leader (Lwazi) again confirmed that I should not be charged any early upgrade penalties and that this is not considered an early upgrade. So which department is telling the truth? Because clearly Telkom has no internal alignment, no ownership, and no accountability. I have been passed from: Call centre Billing Sales Walk-in branches And every single one gives a different answer. Walk-in branches are completely clueless and simply send you back to the call centre, who are just as ***********. I paid the full November 2025 bill in good faith. However, I refused to pay the full December bill because Telkom has failed to correct their own mistake. Yet Telkom has no problem threatening disconnection for non-payment while completely ignoring legitimate customer disputes. This entire situation is a result of misrepresentation by Telkom Sales, followed by a complete breakdown in Telkom’s internal processes. Customers are punished for Telkom’s errors while being dragged from pillar to post with no resolution. If this issue is not resolved within 14 business days, I will be escalating this matter to the ICASA Ombudsman and lodging a formal complaint. I am also seriously considering returning all devices, cancelling all contracts, and moving my business to a provider that actually values customer service — something Telkom clearly does not. Telkom, sort out your billing, fix your internal communication, and start taking accountability for your mistakes. Customers should not have to fight this hard just to be billed correctly.