Confusion surrounds the status of ADSL connectivity around the greater Johannesburg area this morning, as users in several areas of the city have reported problems, while others do not seem to be affected.
While it is understood that Telkom`s ATM network may be the cause of the problem, the telecoms group has not yet released an official statement.
However, a source at Telkom told ITWeb the group has been experiencing problems with its fibre optic network, which has been affecting ADSL connectivity recently. However, the cause of the problem is unknown, and the source speculated the network could either have been damaged or is simply suffering the effects of "normal wear and tear".
Sources have also speculated that the fault lies with Telkom`s central authentication server through which all ADSL connections are routed.
However, none of this could be confirmed, as Telkom`s corporate communications department and CTO Thami Msimango are not available for comment. It is understood that members of senior management are locked in meetings this morning, and an official statement from Telkom is expected later today.
While it is not currently possible to ascertain the magnitude of the problem, Telkom`s ADSL call centre was flooded with callers reporting connectivity issues this morning.
In contrast, members of Telkom`s technical department claim they are unaware of a large-scale problem.
Johan Landman, manager of high-level support for ADSL, says there has been no word about a major failure, which would have been reported to his department.
Yet ADSL provider DataPro confirmed that most of its clients, in Johannesburg and surrounding areas, inundated its call centre with complaints this morning. A technician at DataPro says the company is still attempting to ascertain the cause of the problem and has not been able to get through to Telkom`s call centre.
Meanwhile, users in some areas of the city, such as Randburg, Malanshof and Parkhurst, have not reported problems.
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