1 reviews | Active since Aug 2016
A LEADING African telecomunications company...? LOL :-D
I recently acquired a Vodacom Fiber To The Home (FTTH) contract for a 20MBps synchronous line. This due to the fact that Vodacom somehow (this is Africa) managed to install a close network in our residence (probably due to some underhand dealing with someone in the Ekurhuleni Metro). I.E. We have to make use of Vodacom Fiber as no other provider has access to the infrastructure, hence we need to pay Vodacom's prices.
As a freelance developer I'm constantly using the line but the Vodacom FTTH is severely throttling "non-residential" protocols. I.E. With things like Netflix, Showmax, YouTube or DStv Now the line performs at it's full 20MBps and beyond but should I try work related things like SFTP or SSH I'm lucky if the line reaches 2MBps.
I also signed a contract which specifies a Huawei router will be supp**** but at time of installation I was supp**** with a Nokia router and I've taken this up with Vodacom on numerous occasions but still no resolve.
Most of the features in the setup of the Nokia router are "greyed out" to prevent non literate user from changing them and simple things like parental controls, which is a function on the router the user can setup, don't work. So may nobody have teenagers that might need to be protected from themselves surfing adult content like is my case. Hence four month after installation of Vodacom FTTH I'm still running and paying for a VDSL connection as I can't freely supply the password to the SSID setup on the Nokia Vodacom FTTH router.
In the beginning I had problems with the connection but I was simply informed to get a PC technician out to rectify them, not knowing that I'm rather IT literate myself. It ended up being related to "greyed out" option that Vodacom FTTH were incorrectly configuring, but that raises the question of who's actually responsible for the router. If it's my router seeing I need to get a technician out to rectify them, why is Vodacom FTTH allowed to "grey out" certain features on the router?
I then found out that Vodacom Fiber To The Business (FTTB) is available in the area and contacted them only to find out I need to be a registered business to make use of their services. This lead to lengthy email discussions which resulted in Vodacom FTTB being willing to waive certain processes on their side to accommodate and I was rather pleased with the professional way in which I was treated by FTTB compared to the casual treatment I receive at FTTH.
I was then however informed that FTTB and FTTH are independent and FTTB can't take over the current FTTH contract. Strange as both their identities (names) start with Vodacom.
So, as a loyal Vodacom contract customer since my first Nokia 2110i in 1995 on various platforms, I'm seriously considering my relationship with Vodacom in the whole, the only problem is whereto thereafter as this is Africa in which I thought Vodacom was (as the claim) the leading telecommunication company.
I also noticed that there are so many complaints related to Vodacom here on HelloPeter, that I doubt this will even have any effect hence I probably just wasted my time venting whilst contemplating immigration a there's nothing really left here in SA...
I have since the first post been informed that I can take out a FTTB contract and then request FTTH to cancel the current contract which the FTTH managers will review and decide if the cancellation penalties may be waived. (If not, then I'm conveniently liable for two contracts Vodacom?)
I have also been in contact with the Vodacom legal department who can't understand how Vodacom has managed to install a closed fiber network in an open residential area. They are also in the process of investigating my matter.
So I'm in the process of attacking this matter from various angles but still no real resolve.
The past 6 days (including a weekend in which FTTH should be rather busy compared to FTTB) the fiber in the area was down a total of 8 times in excess of two hours at a time and last night I found out at 22:37 that the call center only operates from 06:00 to 22:00.
I have since the first post been informed that I can take out a FTTB contract and then request FTTH to cancel the current contract which the FTTH managers will review and decide if the cancellation penalties may be waived. (If not, then I'm conveniently liable for two contracts Vodacom?)
I have also been in contact with the Vodacom legal department who can't understand how Vodacom has managed to install a closed fiber network in an open residential area. They are also in the process of investigating my matter.
So I'm in the process of attacking this matter from various angles but still no real resolve.
The past 6 days (including a weekend in which FTTH should be rather busy compared to FTTB) the fiber in the area was down a total of 8 times in excess of two hours at a time and last night I found out at 22:37 that the call center only operates from 06:00 to 22:00.
Nothing has happened, as expected, regarding the callback I had because of this post on hellopeter and downtime is still as irregular as always.
The more I research this Vodacom Fiber the worse it seems to be getting but unfortunately I'm in a situation where I need to put up with them thanks to their closed network, probably why they need to install closed networks, so people can't leave as they know their level of service is a problem.
I've since been in contact with what they call their "legal" department (Legal Collections) but that's also had no positive resolve.
In their Ts&Cs they also cover themselves with the exact wording of " 21. VODACOM DOES NOT WARRANT AN UNINTERRUPTED VODACOM FIBRE SERVICE AND DOES NOT OFFER QUALITY OF SERVICE, UPTIME AND THROUGHPUT GUARANTEES. " and in uppercase as quoted above. https://www.vodacom.co.za/vodacom/terms/fibre/vodacom-fibre
Vodacom FTTH also works on a 1:50 connection ratio whereas FTTB standard works on a 1:20 ratio and FTTB Premium works on a 1:10 ration. This indicates how many people share a connection on the various platforms, hence on a 10Mbps download and 5Mbps upload FTTH connection (which most residential customers opt for, but I went for a 20Mbps download and 20Mbps upload connection as I knew my usage as a web developer will require more resources) you contractually are only guaranteed 0,4Mbps (400Kbps) download and 0,2Mbps (200Kbps) upload. Contractually that is but in the same contract they cover themselves with point number 21 in their Ts&Cs as quoted above stating that they don't guarantee quality of service, uptime or throughput.
It's a pity I couldn't include a clause to the effect of I don't guarantee payment for the service (not offered) either...
Nothing has happened, as expected, regarding the callback I had because of this post on hellopeter and downtime is still as irregular as always.
The more I research this Vodacom Fiber the worse it seems to be getting but unfortunately I'm in a situation where I need to put up with them thanks to their closed network, probably why they need to install closed networks, so people can't leave as they know their level of service is a problem.
I've since been in contact with what they call their "legal" department (Legal Collections) but that's also had no positive resolve.
In their Ts&Cs they also cover themselves with the exact wording of " 21. VODACOM DOES NOT WARRANT AN UNINTERRUPTED VODACOM FIBRE SERVICE AND DOES NOT OFFER QUALITY OF SERVICE, UPTIME AND THROUGHPUT GUARANTEES. " and in uppercase as quoted above. https://www.vodacom.co.za/vodacom/terms/fibre/vodacom-fibre
Vodacom FTTH also works on a 1:50 connection ratio whereas FTTB standard works on a 1:20 ratio and FTTB Premium works on a 1:10 ration. This indicates how many people share a connection on the various platforms, hence on a 10Mbps download and 5Mbps upload FTTH connection (which most residential customers opt for, but I went for a 20Mbps download and 20Mbps upload connection as I knew my usage as a web developer will require more resources) you contractually are only guaranteed 0,4Mbps (400Kbps) download and 0,2Mbps (200Kbps) upload. Contractually that is but in the same contract they cover themselves with point number 21 in their Ts&Cs as quoted above stating that they don't guarantee quality of service, uptime or throughput.
It's a pity I couldn't include a clause to the effect of I don't guarantee payment for the service (not offered) either...