Are you looking for information on how to increase your Telkom internet speed. In this article, we are going to show you how to boost your speed on Telkom mobile, on Telkom fixed LTE and on Telkom landlines. Telkom is admittedly the biggest telecommunications company in South Africa. Their foray into the mobile sphere has been highly successful. Today, they are the third largest player, having surpassed Cell C a while back. As a Telkom customer, one thing that you will want to do is to get the best in terms of internet connectivity. So, how can you boost your download and upload speeds?
Increase internet speed on Telkom mobile, landline and fixed LTE
The following is how to increase your Telkom internet speed;
- Get an LTE SIM.
- Buy a 4G LTE phone or tablet.
- Connect to the Telkom LTE network.
- On Telkom landlines, connect using an Ethernet cable.
- Reduce the number of devices getting connected at one.
Get a 4G LTE SIM from Telkom
This is the first tip for those looking to increase their Telkom internet speeds. This particular tip applies for Telkom mobile customers. If you are one of them, you need to make sure that you have a 4G LTE SIM. Otherwise, you will be getting internet from the network’s 3G network, which tends to be slower.
4G may be slower than 5G, but in reality, it’s enough for most uses, including streaming. So, make sure that you are not using an old 3G SIM card. Should you be doing so, go to your nearest Telkom store and have them exchange your old SIM for a new one. It will only take you a few moments, but the tradeoff will be tremendous in terms of internet speed.
But an LTE device
Having a 4G LTE SIM card will not work as long as you do not have an LTE phone or tablet. So, that’s another thing that you can do to increase your Telkom internet speed.
A lot of the phones that are on the market today offer 4G. That’s great, in that you won’t have to change yours if it’s already compatible. But if you have a 3G phone, then you won’t be able to connect to the 4G network even if you have the right SIM card. So, buy an LTE phone of tablet.
Connect to the Telkom LTE network
Once you have gotten a Telkom LTE SIM and phone, the next thing that you will need to do is to make sure that you are connecting to the right network. In terms of networks, there is 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G. 5G is not that widespread as yet.
But in this instance, we are talking about 4G. You should make sure that you are connecting to this on your device. If you connect to 3G, your speeds will be slow. The following is how to get connected to the Telkom 4G LTE network on an Android device;
- Go to Settings.
- Click on Mobile Networks.
- Open Network Mode.
- Choose LTE/WCDMA/GSM (auto connect).
That’s how to set up. The steps may be slightly different for those with older versions of Android. However, you shouldn’t have an issue getting connected to the LTE network on Telkom. In the above case, your phone will first search for a 4G network. If that’s not available, it will connect to the 3G network. If that’s now available, it will connect to the 2G network.
You can actually force your device to connect purely to the Telkom LTE network. However, in the event that there is no LTE network, you will not get any connectivity on your device. So, it’s better to choose the option given above, where your phone will automatically move over to another network.
Use an ethernet cable
This particular tip applies to those on Telkom landlines and on Telkom fixed LTE. One way of getting better speeds is by using an Ethernet cable. Generally speaking, you get better connection speeds if you use a cable when compared to when using WiFi.
Reduce the number of devices connecting to your network
You can also increase your Telkom internet speed by reducing the number of devices connecting to your network. Again, this tip applies to those on Telkom fixed LTE and on Telkom landlines. The more devices you have connecting at one, the slower your speeds are going to be.
So, if you have fancied yourself to be the father Christmas of the whole neighborhood, and if you have shared your password around like confetti at somebody’s wedding, you may run into a problem if all those freeloaders start downloading nonsense on YouTube at once.
Learn how to change the WiFi password on a ZTE router
Move a router to a better position
You can also increase your Telkom internet speed by moving your router to an unobstructed position in your home or office. Make sure that there are no other electronic devices around as these may interfere with your network. Also make sure that your LTE or fixed landline router is not behind thick walls. Otherwise, that is going to interfere with your internet speeds.
Also try placing the device on an elevated position. This ensures that coverage is as wide as is possible. Should you have issues with the range of your router, you can try a WiFi booster. These are designed to increase the range of your network, so more people can get connected from further away.
Buy a newer router
Some people encounter problems because they are using routers from 10 years back. If you have an old router, you may wish to buy a new one. Devices can develop issues after working hard for a long time. So, an investment into a new gadget may be worthwhile.
Get a higher bandwidth plan
You can also increase your Telkom internet speed buy getting a plan that offers increased speeds. Telkom has plans that offer 10Mbps and 20Mbps plans. Plans that offer higher speeds also cost more, so, that’s something to consider.
But what speed do you need? It depends on how you are going to use your internet. You wish to check out the internet speed required for DSTV Now. That will provide you wish a good idea of what you need.