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The Lifhaus News Desk is often skeptical when people nonchalently pick "cheap" as an option in deciding choices.  While most media outlets rushed at the opportunity to bring to you the historical launching of beMobile services, Lifhaus reporters were quietly observing and analysing every comments.  It seems the catch phrase seem to be "cheap".   One Lifhaus reporter said, "while people are after cheap handsets and phones, we should be happy that both networks are world class mobile phone networks.  However, I admit cheap is not always the best benchmark."

Lifhaus reporters have also spoken exclusively to our sources from Our Telekom and posed few questions about interconnectivity concerns and what the company reaction was to beMobile's historical launch.

Our sources have revealed that Our Telekom is quietly confident and has countered by launching "Karange Wik", its current version of its earlier double Monday specials in July when it launched its new 3G network.  "We have other plans in the pipeline but we are taking a very subtle approach giving beMobile its chance to show to Honiara and the Solomon Islands what it can do.  Our Telekom will definitely showcase its products in due course."

When pressed on interconnectivity issues currently being blamed on Our Telekom, our source refuted the claims saying, "Our Telekom is transparent in its dealing and we opened up interconnectivity with beMobile from day 1 of its launch.  We know that calls from beMobile are connecting to the Our Telekom network without problems.  But if customers cannot call a beMobile phone from an Our Telekom one, you need to ask beMobile why?"  However, Lifhaus understands that some users have disputed this, saying that Our Telekom calls are going through to beMobile without problems.  Our Telekom assured Lifhaus that these are early days and any interconnectivity issues will be resolved in due course.

A customer who spoke with Lifhaus has already raised concerns about the "cheap" Alcatel mobile phones sold by beMobile.  "These handsets are very cheap.  On the other hand the cheapest Our Telekom phone is a Nokia 1202 or 1200 at $399.  The Nokia phones are better in quality so it is worth spending the extra hundred dollar."

But the excitement is gaining momentum and beMobile's entrance into the telecommunications market must be causing some worry among the Our Telekom management.  It is merely a matter of time before Solomon Islanders will see the effects of competition.  The customer is always the winner if both carriers do not participate in any negative collusion.  In due course, Solomon Islanders will realise "quality" will always determine the winner.  Will it be beMobile or Our Telekom.  Let the competition truly begin.