This tends to isolate FarEasTone, a disadvantage in an industry known for mergers and alliances.

ECONOMIST: Tongue-twisters

Although the upper echelons at FarEasTone speak English, Mr O'Konek cannot address many of his other employees without a translator.

ECONOMIST: Tongue-twisters

FarEasTone is a new competitor, one of a handful of such firms that were allowed to challenge the former state monopoly in 1997.

ECONOMIST: Tongue-twisters

He has no way of assessing how FarEasTone's advertisements come across.

ECONOMIST: Tongue-twisters