Marie Matthews, a director of C.S. Telecom, explained that the new service is hinged on the Oceanic Digital (operators of MiPhone) cellular network and only requires customers to purchase a fixed line instrument and plug into an electrical socket for it to work.  She said the service is available islandwide.

Craig McBurnett, chief executive officer at Oceanic Digital, said his company's partnership with C.S. Telecom was a strategy to break into the fixed line market.  "Since there is such a crying need for more landlines, we are working very closely with this company to try and fill that void," he said.  Mr. McBurnett noted that the fixed wireless device looks like a regular desk phone, but the mechanics allow it to operate like a mobile.  "So this saves the cost of having to string a copper cable to one's house and go from pole to pole," he emphasised.

SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY RATE

The service is now on offer at a special introductory rate for the purchase of the telephone instrument and a one-time activation fee.  Customers can make unlimited calls to other users on the same network, both cellular and landline, for a monthly charge.

Customers also have the opportunity to earn bonus credits towards free calls from incoming calls received through Cable and Wireless landline and mobile phones, Digicel phones, as well as on overseas calls.

Mr. McBurnett said the response to the new service "has been very good."  The Oceanic Digital CEO added: "I think it is driven by the fact that there is such a large part of this nation that needs wire line devices, they need phones in their homes."  With this response, he said they were expecting to get at least 100,000 subscribers by year-end.

Ms. Matthews explained that the overwhelming response has resulted in a shortage of instruments at some of the 22 locations across the island.  She said more instruments have been ordered.

In reacting to the new service being offered by C.S. Telecom, Cable and Wireless said it supported the competition and was confident that the quality of its service would stand out and maintain its dominance.  "We have embraced competition as being a good driver for us in terms of making us even more responsive to the customers needs," Everald Edwards of Cable and Wireless said yesterday.

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