12 Mbps ADSL Upgrades Trialed

[fallen_angel]

speedtest to jhb server...



cape town server...

[Sojourn]

I was thinking about this from a logical perspective and couldn't understand why Telkom doesn't think Logically. What is currently taking place is that people can get uncapped at 384k for a rather decent price. Which means that they will leave downloads running at every opportunity (trust me I know, I have it and I do it) which basically keeps servers busy and congested all the time, resulting in (I'm guessing) increased latency. Yet if everyone could download their stuff quicker they'd also get off the net quicker, possibly resulting in the net being less congested meaning Telkom could offer faster speeds to more people and thus not have to restrict who can have it by making it so expensive! Because I can honestly not understand what exactly they are charging me for by giving me a faster line?

Your point is moot as they cannot even succeed in making ADSL available to all residential areas. And I am not talking about poor areas, I am referring to affluent and middle-class areas, like Wilgeheuwel, Wilropark and Weltevredenpark in the west rand.

The consistent reply to some areas applying, is that there is either no ports (friken upgrade the area!!) or the infrastructure is in process of being upgraded (for the last two years, friken get it done already!) or that they only have optic-fiber voice lines, no availability on data (this requires a conversion card from optic-fiber to copper at the residential exchange, really not such an issue).

The biggest problem with ADSL availability is the last-mile connection, in control by telkom. The proposed "solution" to this is making decent wireless available (Neohell), but at this stage decent wireless connections able to consistently compete with wired broadband just does not exist for the uncapped or gaming enthusiast.

The joys of a 3rd world country is legion.