www.lifhaus.com.sb

It will be an interesting chapter in our telecommunication's history. The arguments of who provides a better service at an affordable price is yet to be seen. Let digicel establish it self and measure their service with what telekom has already provided. Let the people be the judge and may Solomon Telekom and Digicel be successful in business.

I applaud Telekom's move to prepare itself for competition. Slashing call rates was the right move but where it is now in terms of its capacity to compete is not where it wants to be. This is simply because I believe the level of after sales support, the customer service, employee retention is still way below expectations. Remember Digicel has been around and already knows how to operate in a competitive environment and will come with all the areas I mentioned Telekom is lacking already corrected and working at a very high standard. Congratulations to the government for brokering the deal to open up the market. To be fair, everyone will benefit. The customers get service & choices (hopefully better) and Telekom improves.

Well the main point in having competition is that the customers will have a choice as to where and who to utilize its services...and to have this environment, both competitors must be active and making a worth while investment. Should one fail...its gonna be back to the (square one) single operator again...and this is not what we want. But hey...did u know that The competitor will have the "WORLD BANK" at its side while Our Telekom will only have the local banks to aid its progress in this struggling economy under this world recession. This is already an unfair environment don't u think?...now that the grass is starting to look green...greedy investors will find cunning ways to suck up the profits out of our forever reducing currency...but that's another story...comparing apples and banana's is another thing

People say “Talk is cheap” but the enabling telecommunication equipment that allow “talk” is neither cheap nor readily available in these parts of the world. The taxes haven’t come down and you might add it is ever increasing! But Our Telekom is not grappling for excuses nor is it focused on the budget constraints that these expenses entail; Our Telekom remains committed to adding more value and benefit to the services we provide to the people of Solomon Islands. (When you continue to support naturally you will continue to benefit. It’s a 2-way street and needs action and not just simple talk.)

Lets not forget even this web page is Provided by the services of Our Telekom...lol

In addition to what Kiiri has said, let me put on my Telekom hat and reflect on some thoughts. Our Telekom is really trying to rebrand itself and I think it is time Solomon Islanders support the efforts. Here is a local successful company attempting to make good; we need to be constructive and positive in our criticisms. We need to be pro-active to share, to embrace the changes that are happening at Our Telekom. Of course, there are things still to be corrected but it will take a damn while longer if one side of the fence just sits there and criticise. How many people have jumped onto the media to congratulate Our Telekom on slashing its rates in the absence of 'competition'? Right, absolutely - correct: NONE. By the way, I agree with Neo that perhaps Our Telekom is still not where it needs to be but that should not stop it from weeding out the weeds that continue to inhibit growth and change.

bae ota kam tu o ya?

Now when news broke out of the $$ used by Bemobile to buy the Telekom license to operate in SI is not approved the Board, I guess someone is scratching his pants.

Our people should think of the service that benefits them. Although its up to the decision wise, personal advantage is another issue confronting our telecommunication development. Change change!!!!

whether we are going to experience compition or what..were are going to where no one has been b4...those that want to compete..put ur money where ur mouth is...this is no place 4 the faint hearted...now we r on 3G..and believe it..4G is just a stride away...but we don't even need to go there just yet!....relax and feel the breeze!..now u can talk all u want...just don't 4get ur bills...nothing is free all the time in this world!

In a market like Solomon island where customers carelessly use anything and everything at their disposal Telekom should declare some good return to its s/holders with its new facility. I wonder where are they now with their rural expansion. Telekom go to the last mile and you should say goodbye to critiques who still mourn MR departure. Show the world that we can do it. but please dont paint Honiara road with Red (Vehicles)

me lelebet lukim olsem with competition coming, the market will be tighter but Telekom will make a profit.  I think it is important now that they must streamline operations but still get the best out of the workforce.  Outsourcim come some fala waka mekem me fala oketa small businessman save benefit too NOT only from the phones and services you provide.
But congratulations to Telekom, I can already see a whole new way of doing things by simply introducing this 3G ya....nao if only SIEA and SIWA save use to their advantage.  Something olsem, sendim meter reader go and then allow them to update the system in real time using mobile internet provided by Telekom.  Or use the GPS to determine exact locations of your customer and if someone is enjoying electricity nearby but not listed, you save boss ya steal ba....or with GPS enabled devices manage workers in real time and deploy them to the nearest problem at the shortest time possible.....hem osem ba, last time u callem taxi, by hem se oh yes me lo Pt. Cruz na steady dea....but in reality hem lo White River, you lo KGVI - so the technology wea Telekom hem tekem come hem meanim u just need to be creative to create a whole new business on it......
but umi stop lelebet lo dea - me killim oketa over tomas last time....this time me support because Telekom try best to move forward and I am fair enough to commend people on their good efforts rather than always sitting back and saying....no moa nao, last time u fala raoa and outim Martin Robinson....or last time me call, me no save get through...ma oketa ai, today (present tense) u call, u get thru.....so thank u Telekom

Mi lo b 4 mi use to be very frustrated with Telekom tu ya lo network blo oketa bat distime  ating mi feel honest enough 4 say tageo lo oketa for this fala new move ya...I think I've never denied any access since their 3G network was up on trial...hoping 4 the best yet...thank you once again

the orange team-any idea/update from them? We might be hearing alot from Digitcel had it won than bmobile.

mamio, me agree lelebet waitim you....ating bemobile winim tender ya time hem luk olsem Telekom barava useless stret....months after winning the tender, telekom immediately tekem come world class network blo hem....3 fala friday nao pass finish and hem waka full time...some fala problem but oketa go het waka yet lo hem...so from point of view blo market oketa happy so bemobile hem must go back to the planning table moa ya....mekem hem plannim good moa new move blo hem.  Sapos Digicel by hem no worry nomoa ba becos hem garem finish answer lo 3G capability blo Telekom.....at least by hem offerim Blackberry services blo hem and possibly EDGE for internet & email....then by hem compete waitim Telekom lo price....but question blo me nomoa is, can u offer anything less than $1.50 per month and still make money? For Digicel hem no worry nomoa ba becos every country hem go inside hem always come olsem two fala company.....one nao Digicel front wea salem every service blo hem..nara one hem supplier....even if Digicel no mek money lo mobile phone business - this fala supplier arm blo hem by continue for mek profit...why? you ask becos hem buy premium services from its own supplier and supplier blo hem no base lo Solo ba...hem oversea so tax hem smaller too....example nao osem, hem salem come Digicel brand phone lo you for $100 and you only pay $1 per minute for call blo you....so if you are not making enough calls, the mobile phone front blo hem by no mek money nomoa ba but Digicel still makes its money because it actually bought the phone for $200 ba....just imagine $100 for every customer phone out in the market....while the company on the ground is making little money - its mothership (the big supplier) is continuing to make loads of money while paying smaller taxes....hem illegal practise in most developed countries in the world but umi lo Solomon and many pacific island countries do not have laws to protect against these practices....can Telekom do this? no because it simply buys from suppliers in Australia who have no connection to Telekom in any way....can bemobile do this...maybe...
finally, for all of Digicel's good promise...its a cheap men's mobile phone company...hem nao ting ting blo me...everyone wea go lo Digicel likem cheap something...me likem class lelebet so by me hang around waitim 3G blo Telekom....good thing nomoa is competition by help for improvim service...so time service improve, network improve, new products (email, internet lo mobile) who nao you stap waitim? Telekom...who nao umi fidim for hem fat good...Telekom, why? Seleni blo u stap nomoa lo NPF....oketa wantok blo u waka lo Telekom by benefit....small share blo Cable & Wireless nomoa go out...remainder go lo gavman and ICSI...so you see, supportim local kabani blo umi!
 

Neo, I support the line you're thinking in...u see any foreign company will always find it hard to expand its operation to all the islands of our beautiful nation...even the banks have found it hard to operate from east down to the western parts of this country...what Our Telekom has in place now is like a Ferrari or Super Twin Turbo charged inter-cooled car with all 4 wheels active all the time is what our investment from NPF has been poured into if this was compared to the car industry. Gone are the days where Made in USA ment the better choice...Well guess what..now its made in China! that solved our problems. Ranked #3 in the world after Sony Ericsson and Nokia GSM & Fixedline systems we're fairly assured that we're in good hands.

You are quite right when you said "bemobile hem must go back to the planning table moa ya....mekem hem plannim good moa new move blo hem."

But we still need any form of comp.. just to keep things on good acceptable levels..so we're still waiting...cheers

That's a good point that you have just mentioned; the myth and expectations that a lot of Solomon Islanders have about company's obligation to provide services to rural areas without really having any idea about the costs involved, not only that, but also the main objectives of companies as opposed to government's obligations when it comes to providing services and infrastructure. Bae me tok pijin.

Gavman nao waka blong hem fo provaedem services wetem olketa aims olsem, for everyone garem benefit, access, etc.
Olketa kabani waka blong olketa nao for mekem seleni for olketa owners blong kabani. No confusim tufala main samting ia. Gavman for helpem iumi, Kabani for mekem seleni. Simple as that.

OK, taem mi talem olsem hem no minim that olketa Kabani barava no garem any social olbigations or responsibilities nao. Nomoa. Olketa must operate lo society wetem samfala kaen of social obligations tu ba. Olketa obligations olsem, carrim out operation taking environment in mind, taking affordability in mind, morality in mind olketa samting olsem. Bata big point for remembam nao is, olketa kabani bae no providim olketa services ia just because wanfala community garem need for services. Eg wanfala vilij lo middle bush lo Malaita or choiseul no garem mobile service so Telekom must providim service nao...nomoa. Hem no waka olsem for kabani. Kabani taem olketa expandim services blong olketa olketa must assessim nao profitability blo operation/investment lo ples ia, security blo assets, hao long bae olketa tekem for recovam seleni wea olketa spendem for putim sevis olsem.

Ok sapos iumi lukluk lo trends amongst olketa big kabani blong Solomon lo saet lo expanding services into rural areas, hem barava clear fogut nao that staka kabani no laek tekem risk for invest lo rural areas. Why nao iu bae go startim bisnis blo iu lo ples where iu no sure bae iu mek money tu taem iusave stay nomoa lo town anda mekem moa money??? Take ANZ's case lo rural banking blong olketa.

ANZ lo last 2or 3 yrs olketa go het finis nao lo ANZ RURAL BANKING scheme blong olketa. Olketa buym olketa tarake for go out lo olketa rural communities lo Gualekana. Olketa plan for putim ATM lo olketa ples lo vilij olsem. Ok where nao olketa tarake ba blo ANZ distaem? Wanfala nao Telekom baem anda kalam red ia! Hao ANZ go putim any ATM or Office lo Renbel nao? Tinggoa garem ANZ ATM? Hem simpol nomoa; Bae ANZ lusi sapos hem rollim out Rural banking blong hem, so distaem hem go baek lo drawing board moa ia.

Hao gavman helpem SIEA for putim SIEA generator lo every big village lo kandere nao?
Hao gavman helpem SIWA for putim mains water supply lo every big village lo kandere nao?
Hao banking services?
Hao wharf services?
Hao shipping services?
Hao health services? hao sukulu?
Sapos gavman bata no save duim kaen ia, hao mas moa olketa kabani where olketa in the business of making money?

Bata situation hem no luk nogud tumas. Sapos gavman hem truely intend for helpem olketa telco services for go aot lo barava rural areas me suggestim the following:
1. Negotiate to bring in an underground fibre cable to connect Solomons to the rest of the world. This way we remove the costly satellite link.
2. SIG to not touch any GST, Customs fee, Income tax and license fee blo olketa telephone or internet company. Olketa seleni ia for gavman usim for subsidisim expansion of telco svcs to the rural areas.
3. Spread economic acitivities out to rural areas. A viable and vibrant local economy reduces investment risks for service companies and will therefore attract their investment.
4. Prioritise political stability - Company's tend to hesitate to committ huge capital costs when the political climate is shakey. Nogud iu go apum telco tower this week or installim ATM seke nomoa olketa bonem down next wk nao!

Ating me tok tok tumas bata hem nao samfala tingting...mekem iumi tingting olsem samtaems anda no wan saet olowe.

Sometimes hem look hopeless whether SIG by ever mekem any change lo country

when will this so called bmobile start its operations in honiara.Are you still trying to solve the problem with Digicel in PNG or still waiting to sell off some more Shares. Digicel lelebet...nafu na fo laea lo pipol lo solo!

As far as i know..Bemobile and Our Telekom are 2 separate companies. Only con mi herem nomoa start last year kam, taem mi herem Digicel bae start lo taem osem... go go hem muvim moa...bata natin go go kasem 2day. Bata Bemobile nara story to ia...oketa se bae oketa start lo June 2010 ia...bata kaen no eni tower up yet ia bae hao ia... no gut bae oketa usim coconut tree for putim up oketa antena blo oketa..lol..iumi no save...so eni questions aboutim bemobile ating hem best for iumi go kasem offis blo oketa den askem oketa nao bae hem stret...if oketa no start quick hem no problem blo kabani blo iumi (Our Telekom) ia...seleni nomoa toko...Digicel biki kabani to ia..bata taem hem kasem Solo...hem het spin lo hia to ia...bottom line is to do business in the Solomon Islands is very hard...If you fail to prepare, then prepare to fail...or else millions will run like water within the first year of operation...hem osem ia...bata u turu ia...mi taet fo waitim oketa to ia...go go distaem mi no warim eni wan moa ia...only wait blo mi distaem fo Our Telekom nomoa ia fo hem kam kasem vilij blo mi...sapos mi wait fo Bemobile or Digicel moa ating bae mi shud half det na ia...

me think govt shud subdize some of the service such as shipping, banking plus some of the services mentioned by bank user to the rural areas. i gather this will speed up the development in the rural. There is money in the rural area (fisi,shella,timber,fruits etc) Telekom has provided the communication services to the rural areas and other companies should follow suit.

this time iaa companies wait, wait look, look then taem favourable nomoa then rush go now. okay it's business but business meanim takem risks tu. Telekom and some fala waku shops has proven that there's money in the country. bae town bae no hepi long lius if wok for MONEY stap long home/rural.

me recall long buala, me fala run out of cash for about a week. queue line up long agent gogo sam fala go back empty handed then wait for telekom go deposit long noon then rush back more long agent iaa.

A way to start things rolling is infrastructure.....set up a business in the middle of Galekana or Malaita and stacked urself up there unreached....I think this is the reason why many businesses can't get themselves to the rural areas...if we have a road right round the island of Galekana we will expect lots of good stuffs...getting from HONIARA to Maraua for a stay at Tvanipupu resort won't necessary have to be by boat or air for an adventurous tourist....a bus can even do the walk which....I aplaud Telekom's rural roll out plan and looking forward to the govt's contribution in terms of road, shipping and all these as a way of clearing the clouds for other businesses to follow..

This is an interesting discussion.  As Administrator, I must remain fair and impartial.  But at this juncture, it is also an important time to make a point that people often miss about the new 3G network deployed by Our Telekom.  We focus too much on the congestion problem it has resolved that we forget, the new network really ushers in a new way of doing business.  Its time to be innovative; its that word again.  But seriously, eg, if I wanted to run a web development company specializing in developing websites; why bother with the high cost of living in Honiara.  I could be living at the edges of Fiu (Malaita) where I could access the 3G network and run my business without the outlandish overheads in Honiara (even in Auki).  Using the 3G network and a laptop, I can develop websites then upload it to a server anywhere in the world and in real time.  I can invoice my clients directly and using Westpac's Internet Banking monitor the transaction, pay my Our Telekom bill, pay my SIEA bills if I have to - pay overseas bills; all from a simple thatch roofed house in Fiu!  Or I could be buying copra and if 3G is available from any of the 8 sites in Malaita, I could update my overseas buyers in real time about the quality, weight and price of copra and strike a great bargain in rural Malaita.  I could even monitor the exchange rates and price from my suppliers to know what price I can use to buy from local farmers so that I get the best deal possible!  Its all about innovation and if you want to keep ahead of your competitor, you have to be innovative....think of the new 3G network as an opportunity to be innovative and make business happen for you.  If schools in rural area can access the EDGE (2G) layer; they can open a whole new world where libraries are absent.  Thats perhaps a good reason to support the company that has given you the opportunity to make a positive difference with a state of the art mobile phone network.  As Nate would say "Less lo kabani blo umi moa".
grafixFarm
Senior Lifhaus Administrator.

admin can you start a new thread for this (innovation and exploitation of 3G for an optimum benefits) Maybe chamber of commerce with Out Telekom can organize something for our business entrepreneurs to the pointers you mention above.

one other is for Telekom to have package/contracts such as the ADSL one for provincial 3G subscription.

HAO U JUST SEK LON COMMUNICATION CHOICE?IF U NO USIM SERVICES BLO OUR TELEKOM 4 DA PAST YEARS DEN MI TRUST U 4 TOK SPOILEM OUR TELEKOM.
WHO NAO ONAM MORE SHARES LON OUR TELEKOM? ANSA LON MAN NAO, SO CONT.... WEITEM OUR BEST "OUR TELEKOM BRAVA LINK GO LON DESTINY BLO U".
THIS WORLD HEM NO CHEAP YAH,TECHNOLOGY TU HEMI NO CHEAP AS U TOK ABOUT AN U SAVE IF IUMI WAKEM OLKETA TECHNOLOGIES YAH LON SOLO DEN BAE U SAVE GAREM CHEAP COMMUNICATION.
STOP POINTING FINGER AND FOLLOW WHAT EVER TELECOMMUNICATION WHERES HEMI SUTIM MIND BLO U......NAF NAO!!!
BAE U COMPLAINT GO...GO U NOMOA TAET YAH......HAHAHA! MI LON RED NOMOA YAH GO! TELEKOM GO, GO RED GO!

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD 4 LIFE.........

Turu na...Our Telekom barawa insaed lo kompitison na ia...bata iumi mus lukluk gut b4 u jump go lo maus blo lion...no gut hem kaikaim everi miti blo u go go u sore nating...where na iumi waka man benefit gut lo hem na naiz ia...Talem nara 10 fala mobile kabani kam moa...bata mi blo Our Telekom na ia...oh hao everi wantok...man folom go mind blo hem seleva na...ples u reke lo hem u silipi go lo hem na...hehehehe...lukluk gut lo oketa sineke ia...

Maybe I should move to the edges of Fiu to do biz coz maybe 3G or Edge or 2G or ADSL is better there

Thumps up Telekom for the improvement in your network....this time hem rare for u herem that fala mere talem u that network hem busy...

the bart basia voice could be modified, something to the tune of - and batram suri hem tekem ball, strick raunim defender, tane raun findim right leg, hem shoot go...goalie fly wan side...oohhh, hem just hitim crossbar...and ref blowm final whistle...barts hair raising, oscillating, climaxing voice should remain in the halls of fame for sports (soccer) commentaries/adverts and not for account balances...sapos garem baun ma mi switch to post paid

Wonderful Post, I learned something! Which is rare.

Ya but bemobile hem double & free text.olowe

hem go go mobile ia here osem two fala gecko mek noise insaed lo line ia...sign blo klosap fo pack up and close down na ia...bae ufala mekem hem no solid na ia...kaen nogaren selen fo paym bill moa ia...naf run loose lo free txt, internet & double na... Hem start for run osem canteen lo home na ia..hehehehe SOLID NA!...over solid go go free international calls go lo anywhere nomoa from aussie wetem bemobile sim....hahahahaha...save runim mobile chuuuu!...

Benefit blo bemobile come in na call rates have been dropped by telekom. sapos nomoa umi meme lo monopoly blo telekom. support bemobile to remain otherwise ba umi cry moa.

bemobile $1.20/min. Our Telekom 99cents/min

yes thats competition

there was never any competition in Solomon up til now...just someone noise in the coner and i can't hear it anymore..or it has been very quiet..

yes yes yes...wat kaen solid na nao oketa staka risaen from na ia...insaed one year 3 fala CEO na go thru lo hem den meke 4 na distaem...ating hem mas no solid gut yet ia..hehehehe