ACeS ready to compete with other regional operators<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian-based multinational satellite
\ntelecommunications firm PT Asia Cellular Satellite (ACeS) is
\noptimistic it is ready to compete with other operators in
\nproviding satellite-based Personal Communications Services (PCS)
\nin the Asia-Pacific region.<\/p>\n
ACeS business development manager Gema Suria said his company
\nwas relatively more prepared than other operators in providing
\nPCS in the region.<\/p>\n
\"We are the most prepared here. We'll be the first regional
\noperator to have a satellite in orbit when we launch Garuda-1
\nlater in October,\" he told The Jakarta Post over the weekend.<\/p>\n
He said other regional operators, including United Arab
\nEmirate firm Etilasat and the Singaporean and Chinese joint
\nventure Asia Pacific Mobile Telecommunications (APMT), were not
\nyet ready to launch their satellites.<\/p>\n
Etilasat will launch its Thuraya satellite three years after
\nACeS launches the Garuda-1 satellite, he said. The Thuraya
\nproject will cover southern Asia, the Middle East and Eastern
\nEurope, he added.<\/p>\n
\"Etilasat will not be our main competitor, though there may be
\na slight overlap in the coverage areas, such as in India and
\nPakistan,\" he said.<\/p>\n
ACeS is a joint venture company between Indonesia's PT Pasifik
\nSatelit Nusantara, which controls 34 percent of ACeS, the United
\nStates' Lockheed Martin (30 percent), the Philippines' Long
\nDistance Telephone Company (27 percent) and Thailand's Jasmine
\nInternational, which holds a 9 percent stake.<\/p>\n
The ACeS satellite system is based on the Global System for
\nMobile Communications standard, and will employ dual-mode
\nhandsets -- ACeS-GSM and ACeS-AMPS. The nonexclusive contract for
\nthe handsets was awarded to Ericsson of Sweden in September 1996.<\/p>\n
ACeS' PCS system will allow any person with a handset to
\ncommunicate with another person who has a similar handset within
\nthe satellite coverage. Also, through ground satellite gateways
\nand normal public telephone networks, it will allow communication
\nwith any person with a cellular or fixed telephone anywhere in
\nthe world.<\/p>\n
ACeS' Garuda-1 satellite, manufactured by Lockheed Martin
\nGlobal Telecommunications, will began commercial operation in the
\nfirst half of 2000, covering dozens of countries in the Asia-
\nPacific region.<\/p>\n
The satellite will be launched on a Proton D-1-e rocket from
\nthe Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The launch, which was
\npreviously scheduled for late last year, was delayed until
\nOctober due to technical difficulties.<\/p>\n
Gema said ACeS was not like to face any challenges from
\nregional operators, particularly because APMT's satellite project
\nwas reportedly stranded.<\/p>\n
Earlier reports said APMT was forced to delay its satellite
\nproject, being handled by American satellite maker Hughes, due to
\na political-related problem.<\/p>\n
\"The most competition will instead come from global operators,
\nespecially Globalstar and ICO Global Communications, and even
\nIridium Pacific -- despite of the collapse of Iridium in the U.S
\n-- because the three have been actively penetrating our regional
\nmarket,\" Gema said.<\/p>\n
ACeS, however, is positive it can weather the competition
\nbecause it offers better terms and cheaper prices than global
\noperators, he said.<\/p>\n
\"ACeS will charge less that US$1 per minute for a call,\" he
\nsaid, adding that the company has secured 35 roaming agreements
\nwith GSM operators in 24 countries worldwide, including the three
\nGSM operators in Indonesia: Telkomsel, Satelindo and
\nExcelcomindo.<\/p>\n
He said that to support ACeS' regional coverage, the company
\nplanned to launch a second Garuda satellite about three years
\nafter Garuda-1 began operations.<\/p>\n
ACeS is also prepared to expand its coverage and, if
\nnecessary, become a global operator by launching two more Garuda
\nsatellites, he said.<\/p>\n
\"We have booked four satellite slots in orbit,\" he said.
\nIndonesia has booked a total of 20 satellite slots in orbit.
\n(cst)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/aces-ready-to-compete-with-other-regional-operators-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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