Upgrading our ADSL line- ALL OF THE **** WITH NONE OF THE SUCCESS !!!!!

After receiving a promotional email from Telkom, inviting us to "double our line speed", my boyfriend and I decided to upgrade our ADSL line. I logged on to the Telkom website in order to check what coverage was available in our area- to make sure we wouldn't be wasting our time by going to the store. I provided my address on the little coverage map, selected the correct address from the options provided and was very happy to find that it was possible to upgrade in our area. Shouldn't be any hassles, right? WRONG!

It was on Tuesday, the 24 October 2017, that my boyfriend and I went to the Telkom Direct Store at Walmer Park in order to upgrade our existing 10Mb ADSL line to a 40Mb VDSL line, for the first time. We spoke to a consultant, told her we had received this email from Telkom promoting upgrading our line, checked the coverage map to ensure that it was possible in our area, thus, we were there in order to make the change. She then checked what coverage was available and confirmed that the upgrade was possible. After checking the difference in cost between the 20Mb and 40Mb lines, we opted for the 40Mb. She then said that our account was locked due to non-payment. Immediately, my guilty-looking boyfriend went to pay it at the Pick n Pay in the center. When he got back, we both assumed the issue would be resolved, and that we could now proceed. Oops- no sorry for us, we were told that it would take a while for it to reflect on their system... Sigh... But the delay was our fault so we had to grin and bear it.

So, using the app, I constantly monitored our account to see when it reflected that the payment had been made. Two days later, on Thursday the 26 October, our account showed that we had made a payment- YAY for us! So we went back to the store. The same consultant we previously saw, created the order. She then informed me that there was an error message which she did not understand but that she was unable to proceed (or to cancel the order so that she could open a new order) until this error message was sorted out. She phoned technical support. After NUMEROUS call attempts, eventually, she got through to someone and explained the situation.

I was then informed that there was some issue with our address... ***?! How? It HAS TO exist as Telkom's own website's coverage map picked it up... Anyway, I remained chilled and asked how we were to proceed. She gave me some long story about needing to get the address verified, which she had to send an email in order to do and I was instructed to return the following day- which I did.

Next day, I arrived there and queued to speak to a consultant. When I reached one, I was told that the consultant who had previously assisted me was on lunch and that she would be back in 15 minutes. I asked if the consultant to whom I was talking could assist me and was told that she couldn't- AGAIN ***?!! Anyway, I waited. She eventually returned and again gave me some bull**** about inconsistencies in addresses linked to our account. ”Now what?” I asked. She rep**** with another long story about creating an incident and blah blah blah, I must return on Monday.

Monday 30 October, I returned, was told that this address issue was sorted and that she could now proceed with my order for the upgrade. I asked how long it would take and was told that she was off the next day, but that by Wednesday 1 November, everything should be sorted. I asked if it was necessary for me to come in again (as we had already purchased our VDSL modem elsewhere) and she said that it was not. She promised me that she would phone me later on that day to update me and that she would phone me on Wednesday to confirm everything was in order.

I received no phone call on Wednesday. On Thursday 2 November, I went to the store again, arriving at 13:43. The consultant who had 'helped' me thus far, was not there- I was told she had swapped her off day.... I queued and was seen by a different consultant, and for the first time experienced some sort of assistance- however, still remain unsuccessful with my upgrade. I waited while she typed, phoned people, sent emails, phoned more people- one of whom, I was told, was a/the developer of “the new system” and who, after concurring with her that he had worked on the account himself twice or thrice, there was still some issue with it, which he is unable to resolve. The consultant asked what she should do to rectify it, or who she could contact in order to achieve this, but must not have been given any direction in that regard, as eventually, I was asked to come around to the other side of the counter to look at her screen. She showed me the INSANE AMOUNT OF ORDERS since the 24.10.2017, all of them “canceled”- for various similarly worded reasons.

I asked a deflated-looking consultant, how I was supposed to proceed. She looked at me apologetically, however, seemed uncertain of how I could resolve this issue and actually achieve my goal of an upgrading our line. I walked out of that store at some time after 16:30- I had wasted an entire afternoon AND HAD ACHIEVED NOTHING!!!!!

TELKOM, WHAT A PATHETIC EXCUSE FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE!!! I detest those people who run to social media and harp on and on about what a ****ty experience they've had with XYZ- BUT FOR **** SAKES MAN, THERE IS LITERALLY NO OTHER ALTERNATIVE IN THIS SITUATION!!!!

I have attempted initiating the change online and in-store, spoken to consultants via the live chat, the 'service center' call line, and in-person AND STILL REMAIN NO CLOSER TO ACHIEVING MY END GOAL OF upgrading my line and GIVING YOU MORE EFFING MONEY!!

I am seriously sick to my stomach, of the ridiculous amount of bull**** Telkom heaps on top of their non-delivery, of anything which even slightly resembles customer satisfaction or service AND I STILL WANT MY EFFING 40Mb LINE!!!!!!!!!! Can someone please, just pull yourself towards yourself, and get this sorted out, or I will be forced to look into instituting legal proceedings- which, believe me, I am stubborn AND ****ED OFF ENOUGH TO DO!!