Cellular consumers warned to be careful. Operators are also trapped on tariff war

Consumers are asked to be careful on assessing the operator in the time of tariff war. PT Indosat Tbk just launched what so called first minute free Mentari and SMS Ce-eSan or free SMS among user of the operator's product. While PT Excelcomindo Pratama Tbk. (XL) promotes cheap tariff Rp0.1 per second for connection to all operator at second minute of talk. PT Telekomunikasi Secular (Telkomsel) claimed its products are the most transparent and flexible. Telkomsel recently promoted Simpati PeDe that sold Rp 0,5 per second from the very first minute of talk, and Kartu As that sold at Rp 20 per second. PT Mobile-8 Telecom also claimed of selling the cheapest product by selling Fren which sold at Rp 700 per minute for connection to all GSM operator without registration and change the number. Meanwhile Bakrie Telecom stated that they are the only company which gives money to the customers of Esia. PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom) Tbk also promote another cheap product called Flexi which promise 100% free pulse. And PT Hutchinson promote 3 (Three) which sold at Rp 1 per minute on some time. General Marketing Product of XL Bayu Samudiyo affirmed that the operators of cellular now are in time of tariff war. "Operators were trapped in," he said. But Marketing Director of Indosat Guntur S. Siboro denied the charge. He said that tariff is only one among several factors which determined the position and brand value which influence the costumers.