Telkom has launched a new ADSL Internet package, which offers customers a combination of e-mail and always-available Internet services at reduced cost. The service is expected to take ADSL to small office and home users at a significantly reduced rate.
The TelkomInternet powered by ADSL Standard package is a basic package offered with the company`s 2GB Shaped service and includes one e-mail account and five aliases, one username and a password. It does not, however, allow concurrent sessions and does not include Web space.
The new package, which costs R199 per month, complements another recently launched product, the HomeDSL384 service, with the products offering 128Kb upload and 384Kb download speeds.
``The combination of both services will provide customers with always-available access to the Internet for under R700 per month. And unlike dial-up services there are no recurring call costs,`` says Nombulelo Moholi, Telkom`s chief sales and marketing officer.
"With this latest introduction customers have the ability to configure their always-available Internet package to suit their individual needs."
According to the monopoly, if the allocated 2GB bandwidth is exhausted before month-end, the service will not be available over the ADSL network until the start of the next month, although customers will have the option of buying additional usernames, or of using the analogue dial-up service included in the package.
Capping issues
Online gamers, who are among the biggest home users of ADSL, have previously argued against the idea of a bandwidth cap.
James Francis, features editor of New Age Gaming magazine, says online gaming in itself would probably not see the user reach his cap, but serious gamers generally require a lot of bandwidth because they use the service for much more than gaming.
"This new offering might encourage people who have previously not been gamers to try it out, but even then this package would need to be pushed as a possible entry-level offering in this regard, otherwise the people who could benefit from it probably wouldn`t even be aware it exists."
He says that in terms of price, it is a good offering and beats anything else on the market.
"Ultimately, Telkom is still not addressing the core issues for home users, which are the high costs of installation, the time it takes and the additional costs of modems and so on. The main impracticability for users is the actual cost of getting the technology to make the service run."
Other home ADSL users that ITWeb spoke to agreed, saying the monthly cost of the ADSL line can be prohibitive to some users, although the download speeds obtained have proven to be good, without being as erratic as some of the wireless options available.
Related stories:
Telkom seeks to reduce bandwidth costs
Significant benefits for telecommunications service providers
Telkom makes 'last mile` wireless
Greener pastures for Net, wireless users
Share
