Asian mobile satellite system set<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian, Singaporean and U.S. companies
\nyesterday agreed to start a feasibility study on the launching of
\nthe world's second mobile geo-stationary satellite
\ntelecommunication system which will cover major parts of Asia.<\/p>\n
Under the agreement signed here by the president of PT Pasifik
\nSatelit Nusantara (PSN) of Indonesia, Adi Rahman Adiwoso, the
\nchief executive of the Singapore Technologies Ventures, Ho Ching,
\nthe president of Singapore Telecommunications Ltd., Wong Hung
\nKim, and the president of Hughes Communications Inc. Kevin N.
\nMcGrath, the four companies will complete the study of the US$900
\nmillion project by the end of September.<\/p>\n
Adiwoso said that the project, named Asian Mobile Satellite
\nSystem, will allow any person with a handheld device to directly
\ncommunicate with another person carrying a similar device within
\nthe satellite coverage and, through ground station gateways and
\nnormal public switch telephone networks, to any person with a
\ncellular or normal fixed telephone anywhere in the world.<\/p>\n
The project will cover an area from India in the west to
\nIndochina in the east and from China in the north to members of
\nthe Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the south,
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
ASEAN groups Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,
\nSingapore and Thailand.<\/p>\n
McGrath said that the first of such a project in the world
\nwill be officially introduced next year in the United States. The
\nproject, called American Mobile Satellite System, is developed
\njointly by Hughes, McCall, MTell of the United States and
\nSingapore Telecommunications.<\/p>\n
Simple<\/p>\n
Setyanto P. Santosa, president of PT Telkom, one of PSN's
\nshareholders, said that the Asian project will be simpler and
\ncheaper than telecommunication projects using the international
\nmaritime satellites (Inmarsat) or iridium technology. An iridium
\nproject in Taiwan, for example, will spend about $4 billion to
\ncreate a telephone network based on 66 satellites that will be
\nsent into orbit by 1998.<\/p>\n
According to Adiwoso, the costs of the Asian geo-stationary
\nsatellite system will be shared among the members in the
\npartnership.<\/p>\n
\"The four parties signing the agreement will share the costs
\nof the project but we hope other parties from other countries
\nwithin the Asian region will participate in the project,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Adiwoso said the project, which has been approved by the
\ngovernment, will use four satellites to be called Garuda.<\/p>\n
The planned satellites, which will be able to serve about one
\nmillion subscribers, will be placed at 80.5, 118, 123.5 or 135
\ndegrees in geo-stationary orbit.<\/p>\n
He also said that a tender for the satellite construction will
\nbe announced in December, while the operation of the system is
\nexpected to start in 1998.<\/p>\n
Minister of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications Joop Ave, who
\nwitnessed the signing of the agreement together with Singapore
\nMinister of Communication and Environment Mah Bow Tan, said that
\nthe partnership shows a most significant advance for
\ntelecommunications in the Asian region.<\/p>\n
PSN, operating in satellite recycling and management, is 30
\npercent owned by the state-owned domestic telecommunications
\ncompany PT Telkom and 20 percent by PT Electrindo Nusantara, a
\nsubsidiary of the diversified Bimantara Group owned by President
\nSoeharto's son Bambang Trihatmodjo. The other shareholders
\ninclude Hughes, Telesat of Canada, Adiwoso, PSN executive
\nIskandar and a number of other executives.<\/p>\n
PSN, which acquires used-satellites and reactivates them, has
\ntotal assets of $20 million, which will increase to about $70
\nmillion when the Palapa-C satellites are in orbit. The launching
\nof Palapa-C1 is scheduled for late next year and Palapa-C2 six
\nmonths later. (icn)<\/p>\n
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