ADSL Broadband: ISPA vs. Telkom in Naked ADSL clash

ADSL South Africa (Broadband South Africa), 18 September 2011

A war looks imminent between Telkom and the NCC (National Consumer Commission), because Telkom is being attacked for bundling ADSL services and voice data services despite complaints from consumers. The ISP Association has joined the fray, and they intend to pressurize Telkom, to offer only ADSL lines without forcing consumers to take the mandatory analogue voice service.

The Internet Service Providers' Association of South Africa (ISPA) announced recently that this practice of Telkom is in direct contravention of the Consumer Protection Act of South Africa which was recently passed into law. Anton Brooks, General Manager of the ISPA claims that it is very clear according to section 13(1) of the Consumer Protection Act that Telkom bundling goods and services in this way is forcing consumers to pay for services they do not really need. Consumers are being forced to by a voice line to have access to ADSL and in truth; they can get by fine without a voice line.

At this point in time, consumers are unable to access naked DSL options, although they can purchase the voice service without having to pay for the DSL line. Telkom is not going to easily prove that this bundling of these two services represents a saving for consumers. Many consumers consider the mandatory fee for voice line rental to be a Telkom tax.

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