Telkom expands PDConnect

By Damaria Senne for Telkom
Johannesburg, 03 Mar 2008

Telkom has expanded its Property Development Connect (PDConnect) service, launching the regional operations of the initiative in Durban, last week.

PDConnect enables property developers to carry out more efficient planning of telecommunications services in new developments by informing Telkom of their plans in advance.

Customers are able to access a range of telecoms services, including high-speed Internet access, fixed-lines, prepaid lines, additional lines for children, and wireless hardware for setting up home networks.

The service was first introduced in November 2006, with a Western Cape launch in Cape Town, in 2007.

Telkom group executive for corporate communications Nabintu Petsana would not provide specific details as to the number of property developers and architects who joined the initiative in the two years since its debut.

However, she says the initiative has been successful. "We have a significant number of developers and associated industries registered on our database."

Pros and cons

Telkom group executive of contact centre operations Zethembe Khoza explains that PDConnect alleviates developers' and consumers' frustrations caused by delays in providing telecoms infrastructure in new developments.

PDConnect will take the burden off property developers and ensure the telecoms requirements of each customer are expeditiously met, he says.

The service was previously criticised as being "anti-competitive", as Telkom does not allow property developers to resell the telecoms services directly to home-owners.

In response to the criticism, Telkom noted the Electronic Communications Act required that a person/company have an appropriate private telecoms network licence before it could render a communications service to consumers.

"Anyone who wants to provide a network in a private estate, or anywhere else for that matter, must be issued with an electronic communications network service licence," the fixed-line operator said.