Telkom WIFI phone and Router

Our business was contacted to advise that Telkom is replacing all landlines with WIFI phones. They will supply a WIFI phone for each fixed line number registered to the company and a Router to replace the ADSL line. All comes with a SIM card. We first received a WIFI phone and Router to replace our fax / ADSL line. The following day that landline was disconnected and the WIFI phone activated and working. The problem however comes with the Router. This is not connecting to any service. After numerous calls to Telkom and even a visit to a walk in center, we are still without the ability to connect to the internet. When speaking to Telkom technical LTE, they say the the landline department should resolve it and landline says LTE department should solve it. Finally I got hold of what seemed to be a competent consultant that registered and "escalated" the problem. From what I now understand, the problem is that the Router is showing on the system as open and not delivered and for that reason the SIM cannot be activated, which is clearly incorrect as I am sitting with the Router in our office and which we have signed for with Telkom's courier company.

So, almost 3 weeks later and still no internet connection. We are forced to use our personal phone's Hotspot to connect to the internet in order to continue with our normal business operations. Since I was told that the costs for the Wifi phone and Router would be exactly the same as for the previous landline, we will undoubtedly be invoiced, and expected to pay, for our internet package that we have with Telkom, even though we have not been able to use a single byte of data in these 3 weeks.

Where at first I was impressed with the forward planning of Telkom to combat copper theft on their cable network, I am now totally disappointed in how this matter has been handled and in the complete lack of ability by their technical staff to resolve this matter. We have not ventured into the realms of trying the second landline transfer yet, but that will be left for another day.

I hope Telkom sees this review and contact me with a speedy resolve and furthermore compensate us for the paid data that we weren't able to use. Here is to being positive.