[Kabar-indonesia] 3G firms hope to start services by end of year

[Joyo at aol.com]

The Jakarta Post 
Wednesday, August 30, 2006

3G firms hope to start services by end of year

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Five companies who won licenses to operate third-generation (3G) mobile 
telecommunications services in Indonesia are upbeat they will be able to meet the 
government's deadline to begin commercial operations next year.

"We have conducted several technical preparations to meet the target. 
Currently, we have established our Base Transceiver Stations for 3G in Greater 
Jakarta and East Java," vice president for public relations at PT Indosat Adita 
Irawati told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

Adita said that with the completion of the two transceiver stations, Indosat 
would be able to provide high-speed mobile telecommunication services in major 
business areas in both Jakarta and Surabaya.

She said Indosat would carry out trial operations in the next month so that 
the commercial operation could be launched in the fourth quarter of the year.

Besides Indosat, the government also awarded high-speed 3G service operating 
rights to PT Telkomsel, PT Excelcomindo Pratama, PT Natrindo Telepon Seluler 
and PT Hutchison CP Telecommunications.

They are required to provide services to at least at 10 percent of their 
coverage capacity in two provinces. To be able to begin commercial operations, 
they have to conduct a trial operation under the supervision of the government.

If the operational tests fail, they will not be allowed to launch their 
commercial services, and if, by the end of the year, they are still unable to work, 
the government will take over the Rp 5 billion (US$549,903.7) guarantee given 
as part of their bidding requirement. They will have to pay the same amount 
again if they want to regain the permit.

3G technology enables cellular subscribers to enjoy video streaming and video 
conferencing through cellular phones, in addition to a much faster data 
transfer rate.

The Communication and Information Ministry's post and telecommunications 
director general, Basuki Yusuf Iskandar, said last week that the trial would last 
about two weeks to ensure all the systems operated in line with the 
government's standards.

He said operators could launch their services a month after passing the trial 
operation, adding that only Hutchinson had so far succeeded.

Hutchinson director Sidharta Shidiq said his company's service would cover 
Jakarta and several other major cities.

A few weeks ago, Telkomsel launched the trial operation of its 3G services, 
including a customer pre-registration program through which Telkomsel customers 
who already have 3G-enable phones can sign up.

"That event was not a commercial launch. It was just part of the public 
education on our new services because we are still waiting for the result of our 
operational test from the government," said Telkomsel external corporate 
communications officer Suryanda Stevanus.

He said the commercial operation would be launched soon after the government 
issued the result of the tests.

Exelcomindo's vice president for new products and technology, Alfred 
Boediman, told the Post his company would be ready for the trial operation next month.

"We can meet the target of covering two provinces since our designed coverage 
capacity can reach all areas in Jakarta, Surabaya and Bali," he said.

Natrindo corporate communications Rachmawati said in an e-mail that the 
company was completing the necessary infrastructure to be able to provide G3 
services by the end of this year.

------------------------------------------
Joyo Indonesia News Service
------------------------------------------