Trying for over a month and a half to get ADSL installed. Still waiting.

Item: Telkom
Rating: 1
Author: Monique G

We have been trying to get ADSL installed with Telkom for over a month and a half now. We went into a Telkom store and we were told to call 10210. On 06/02/2016 we called in and spoke to lady and asked her to email us all the various options and considerations. She said that since she was in an inbound call centre, she couldn't email it to us. We then asked her to put us in touch with someone who could. She said that she could not refer us to anyone but that she would email us when she could. She didn't send the email and she sent some info on 07/02/2017 after we emailed her reminding her to send the information. In the email she confirmed that we could get 10mb ADSL coverage and a screenshot from the Telkom website which we explained was not enough information in the original phonecall. ie: She ignored what was discussed and just sent a screenshot of what we requested more information on. We rep**** as follows: " Good afternoon and thank you for the info. I would like to confirm that if we take a 10mb package and it turns out that we can only get say 4mb, that we can downgrade and that we will not be billed for the speed that we cannot get. With regards to the rates below, what is that for exactly? To be clear, I would like pricing on the following: 1. Just the DSL line installation. 2. Line installation + various options. Uncapped and capped for 10mb.) " These are not unreasonable questions to ask. To date we have not received a further response. Following this, we called in to Telkom and submitted several contact and complaint requests on the Telkom website but to no avail. When you call in to either 10210, 10213 or 10217 you often have to hold for ages and more often than not, the line goes dead before anyone picks up. (And sometimes while speaking to someone.) If Telkom can't get it right for themselves, how can they be expected to get it right for the country? Nonetheless, the worst was yet to come. When we finally got through to someone, she was very apologietic and confirmed that we had coverage for 10mb ADSL. She arranged for the installation and said that she would try and expedite the installation. On 28/02/2017 we received an SMS welcoming us to Telkom Internet which included our Access Username, Email Login and Password, a call centre agent called shortly after to confirm our billing details and said we would get an sms to confirm the installation details. Then on 03/03/2017 we received an SMS saying that a technician would install on 06/03/2017. The day came and went without a word from Telkom or the technician. On 07/03/2017 we tried to call in to Telkom and after being on hold for 3 hours. (Yes, 3 hours.) The lady who answered was very apologetic and thanked us for calling in saying that it was good that we called in otherwise the installation would not have been (re)scheduled. She told us that the installation was rescheduled for Wednesday 08/03/2017. Then, once again, on 08/03/2017 the day came and went without a word from Telkom. We tried to call in to Telkom and couldn't get through. We eventually got another SMS saying that the installation was scheduled for Friday 10/03/2017. No contact froma technician, no apology, no phonecall, nothing. A technician eventually arrived on Friday only to tell us that he needed to run a new cable but he did not have the cable and that they were waiting for cabling from Telkom who also never had the required cable. (He works for a 3rd party contractor, Huawei.) When we told him that was unacceptable, he made some phonecalls and found some cable. He then proceeded to ask if he could come back the next day. (Saturday) We said that was fine. After making a phonecall, he asked if Sunday would be better and we said that whatever was best for him would be fine. He then confirmed 10:00 on Sunday 12/03/2017. Before he left, he asked if we minded if he drilled a hole in the top of the wall in our main bedroom during th einstallation. When asked why he didn't just take it through the roof like the alarm cable in the same corner, he said that they do not work in the roof. I asked how they possibly do proper, tidy installation without working in the roof. He said he agreed but that was the policy that Telkom enforces. How do they intend to do a proper tiday installation? Similarly, when we told him how long and how we had battled to get the line installed, he agreed and said that Telkom was shocking and that he was actually looking for something else and asked if we didn't have a driving job for him. At 09:29 on 12/03/2017 we received an SMS from Telkom confirming that a technician had been despatched to carry out the installation at 10:00. Then, at 09:41 (19 minutes before the appointment.) on Sunday we received a phonecall from the technician telling us that the installation would not take place as there is a problem with an underground cable and that it needs to be repaired/replaced before the installation can take place. When asked how long it would take, he said he did not know and could not give us an indication. Since the cable linking the house to the main Telkom feed is not connected and it is the one that needs to be replaced, how do they possibly know that the line needs to be replaced? As there are no exisiting Telkom lines on the premises. You could clearly hear over the phone that the technicican just didn't want to work on a Sunday. We have not received any further communication from Telkom. We now still sit without ADSL connectivity after more than a month and a half trying to get Telkom to install an ADSL line. It is important to note that each time that Telkom scheduled an appointment, we needed to make arrangements for someone to be at home for that day. It shows absolutely no regard for customers. If there was another company in SA that was capable of installing ADSL lines, Telkom would be out of business in a matter of months if they continued this type of service. I would happily pay more for professional, compentant service as opposed to the absolutely shocking service that Telkom consistantly provides. It is absolutely shocking. Telkom, please contact us urgently to arrange for the installation and provide us with the direct contact details of someone who can see to and address this issue properly and professionally. Calling in to your call centre every time does not work and having to explain the entire ordeal all over again each time is ridiculous and frustrating. Consumers, please take note of this when deciding which service provider to give your business to.

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