Telkom has denied a suggestion that a new policy, which could lead to downtime for broadband asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) switching Internet service providers, is anticompetitive.

This comes after some ISPs warned their customers that from 19 June, Telkom will implement a “suspend phase” under which users will experience downtime of anything between a few days and a few weeks when requesting an ADSL line transfer to another ISP.

There is currently no downtime when transferring an ADSL line from one ISP to another.

“There is no anticompetitive behaviour displayed on this process,” Telkom spokesman Jacqui O’Sullivan said in response to a query from TechCentral. “The new policy allows for transparency and provides a safety mechanism to all service providers to ensure that their customers are moving in accordance with the contractual arrangements they have with their current provider.”

O’Sullivan explained that Telkom is introducing the ADSL line transfer policy as part of efforts to improve its customer experience and service. “The new policy introduces changes on the resell DSL order handling and flow methodology.”

She said the change is meant to address order flow with regard to customers migrating from one service provider to another.

“All end users requesting a migration from their current service provider to another service provider will first be migrated to a Telkom Wholesale holding pool. Accordingly, upon receipt by Telkom Wholesale of the migrate application from a service provider, the above migration of the end user concerned into the Telkom Wholesale holding pool will first be implemented.

“This is to ensure that only end users who are free from any contractual obligations to their current service provider are eligible for migration to a new service provider. It is necessary to observe the business rules applicable to the Telkom Wholesale holding pool in order to provide the best possible advice and guidance to a migrating end user,” she said.

There are currently two order types available to all service providers seeking to migrate an end user. Telkom said these will remain in place and are: