TelOne’s ADSL: How good is it?
Having used TelOne’s ADSL for a few months, I feel qualified to pass judgement on its performance for the benefit of those who may be considering going down this path. To balance this write-up as much as possible, I have also solicited opinions from a few other people who use the TelOne ADSL offering.
| Would have put the picture of a frustrated individual here, but the internet is too slow to download anything |
Based on what has been going on over the past month or so, it has to be said that performance issues have made this once attractive option something of a pain in the neck. At the moment, for whatever reason, its nearly impossible to get anything done with TelOne’s ADSL. Perhaps I am on the wrong package, but the fact remains that I have suffered endlessly while trying to get work done using the company’s internet. That was not always the case, however.
How good was it before?
Current developments are really unfortunate, because when I started using TelOne’s ADSL internet, connectivity and speed were rather impressive. I could actually work on this blog without interruption, and could download all the pictures that I needed for use on this blog. That was around four months ago.
What I used before
I was coming from having to purchase daily bundles, from either NetOne or Econet, and the chance to purchase all the monthly internet that I could ever hope to use in one go was rather welcome. I mean, one gets tired of the anxiety of having to constantly check one’s balance, as is the case when one purchases daily bundles.
I have a Google Nexus 7 2013 LTE tablet, which I used as a WiFi hotspot. Like most Zimbabweans, I have a SIM card from the three available networks, though I do have to admit that I have semi abandoned my Telecel line.The internet that I got while using my LTE tablet was fast, though frustratingly limited. There was always the worry that I would run out of the 250 MB (Econet) or 350 MB (NetOne) bundles before the end of the day.
TelOne’s Performance has really degraded
As mentioned earlier, I was initially impressed by TelOne’s ADSL. The sad thing, however, is that its performance has really degraded over the past two or three months. I initially thought that it was something to do with my modem, but, after inquiring from various people, I have discovered that the performance issue is across the board.
TelOne has Great Customer Services
I mean, surfing the internet used to be a breeze. Now there are times when there is virtually no connectivity. I can’t tell you the number of times that I have had to reach out to customer service to get some issue resolved.
This is one silver lining on the whole issue. TelOne, as it turns out, has great customer service. The company even has a 24 hour (or late into the night) online chat service and, whenever it is available, you can expect to get a friendly response.
In fact, one of the most popular articles on this blog; the one that covers how to change the WiFi password on a TelOne ADSL router, was based on the instructions that I got from the support guys.
No solution to the speed issue
Unfortunately, being friendly and readily reachable is not going to be enough at the end of the day. What customers expect is an internet connectivity that enables them to go about their businesses without boiling over in frustration.
And after using NetOne and Econet’s lightning speed LTE networks, I have to say that TelOne’s ADSL offering appears to be rather archaic. Don’t get me wrong, the network has days when one cruises at an impressive speed. Nowadays, however, these days are far and in-between.
How much does TelOne’s ADSL cost?
The thing that has kept me using TelOne’s ADSL, despite my misgivings, is the issue of price. Simply put, it is one of the cheapest ways through which you are going to get your entire household (and poaching neighbors) connected. So, how much does TelOne’s ADSL cost? You will find the answer on this website or in the following table;
The best package
The ADSL Home Plus package is clearly the best for home users like me. Unless you are prolific downloader of movies and other large files, 10GB should be about enough to see you through the month.
The Verdict
Okay, when I started writing this article, my TelOne ADSL broadband was running at a decent pace. I thought it was the typical case of an ailment going away at the sight of a doctor. It turns out, however, that my article, which I thought a little hard hitting, has actually been rather merciful. A few minutes into this article, and the internet started acting up again. I almost lost changes that I had made on this blog as WordPress struggled to save the document. So, what’s the verdict?
TelOne’s ADSL clearly used to be the go to place for those who were on the hunt for affordable and reliable internet. Alas, those days appear to be gone. The company clearly needs to pull up its socks if it is to retain its customer base. As it is, I am just waiting for my current subscription to expire and I will flee back to the daily NetOne and Econet bundles.
I do have to note that I have reached out to TelOne a couple of times, mainly to complain about the sluggish internet. Each time I have been told to restart my modem, but that has proven to be a rather futile effort. If anyone has had a different experience to mine, please feel free to leave a comment below.