I'll try this agian...

urgent replies please...

What do you (expats and locals) think of Digicel in Tonga?

I hear that Digicel bought out Tonfon last November.

Happy with the service? unhappy? don't know of the service?

What do you as a consumer want out of a mobile company? Are Digicel doing it?

(I'll be asking similar question in the Samoa thread and the Vanuatu thread, and maybe PNG.)

testing. I can't reply on another thread, just trying this one.

bump.

I could give you my opinion regarding Samoa but not on Digicel in Tonga

Thanks, that would be great. I appreciate it. I just to need to get some sort of understanding of the perception of the punters in regards Digicel as a company.

I had posted this same question in the Samoa branch, but TT in it's wisdom didn't put it up.

In summary I completely dislike the style they behave in public. But I have to admit that they provide a complete and very good phone coverage all over Samoa. So if you are traveling around the islands or staying in a more remote part of the country, you have no choice than to use Digicel.

That is in fact a very important point for me as a consumer, so I commend them for that. Regarding anything else I simply hate them.

For example only (as the list could be much longer):

• that excellent coverage is only possible because they put their transmission posts wherever it was technically most appropriate. Obstructing many beautiful views and sceneries. In most cases an eyesore indeed.

• their rates are substantially higher than those of their competitor (GoMobile/SamoaTel). Texting is costly too.

• they come up with games and competitions which appear to be for the customer's good but in fact they are rip-offs. Like: everyone texting to a certain number gets into a draw to win a car. The more often you text the more chances you have. In small print though: every message costs you $1 ... A huge bargain for them but the regular Samoan customer does not see the bigger picture.

• when they opened business virtually the whole town was painted in red and white (their colors). They are loud, aggressive, pushing and shoving. Nothing special compared to the marketing ways overseas, like in the US. But completely unfamiliar to Samoa - which is not meant as 'innovative' but only as disrespectful and disgusting.

And that is exactly how many people regard them: extremely un-Samoan, aggressive, costly and even cheating.

But - and there is no way to deny it - they have an excellent mobile phone service. Oh, and they are vital as counterpart in the competition. Without Digicel the single other provider would triple all rates for sure. So even I hate Digicel I would never want to miss them . (Like: Who would Pepsi be without Coca-Cola :-))

Most people in the business community, expats and academics do have two mobile phones. One to use in Apia and for any longer calls and calls to NZ/OZ/US. That would be Go Mobile, equipped with a 20 or 50 Tala prepaid card. And another phone with a 5 Tala prepaid card to take with you when going on trips to be able to make calls (just in case). That would be Digicel.

For tourists traveling around in Samoa however, Digicel would most probably be the preferable choice, even though they are more expensive. Their prepaid cards are available virtually everywhere, the coverage is excellent and roaming is good as well as they have a wide range of overseas partners. And as a tourists you would not have to stand their eyesore TV ads and such anyway (or even feel their insensible behavior irritating in the first place).

Editing does not work:

Please read 'insensitive' instead of 'insensible' at the end of the last paragraph above.

The whole thing is simply:

I hate the company but I like their product.

ok, tah.

In Tonga, I found the TonFon staff to be bloody useless.

ah, bad luck harry. hang in there.