Will Telkom ever cease taking you for a ride?

ADSL South Africa (Broadband South Africa), 11 July 2006

Telkom claimed in some of their ads to provide: “Always available internet access Telkom HomeDSL 384” and “Fixed monthly rental R449-00”. It looks wonderful doesn’t it? No? Ok, at least they didn’t take you for a ride with that one.

Telkom used the above wording (“Always available internet access Telkom HomeDSL 384” and “Fixed monthly rental R449-00”) in its ads until recently before ordered by the Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa (ASASA) to remove it. Fact is they tried to deceive “consumers into believing that they could get 24/7 internet access for the full price of R449-00 per month” (MyADSL) while it was definitely not the case.

If complaints against Telkom at ASASA may be used as a standard of Telkom’s willingness to come clean and give consumers what they deserve, things are not looking bright at all even after Telkom’s announcement of so-called ‘lower ADSL prices’ commencing in early August if ICASA approves.

The question therefore remains: “Will Telkom ever cease taking you for a ride?”