BRTI seeks to up Flexi's frequency fees<\/p>\n
Dewi Santoso, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Telecommunications Regulatory Body (BRTI) is
\nurging the Ministry of Communication to increase Telkom Flexi's
\nfrequency fees amid protests from other cellular providers who
\ncannot compete with Flexi, which offers its fee 20 times lower.<\/p>\n
\"We are currently working on a formula that will differentiate
\nbetween Flexi's totally fixed stations and mobile stations. Once
\nit is finished, we'll propose an increase in the frequency fees
\nfor Flexi's mobile stations,\" BRTI member Hery Nugroho said on
\nFriday.<\/p>\n
He said it could be finished by next month, \"We still need to
\ncalculate the planned amount of the increase. For sure, it'll be
\nhigher than the current one, but lower than that of other
\ncellular operators.\"<\/p>\n
Telkom Flexi, a product of state-owned telecommunications firm
\nPT Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom), is a cellular service that
\nuses fixed wireless with code division multiple access (CDMA)
\ntechnology.<\/p>\n
According to the Indonesian Cellular Telephone Association
\n(ATSI), Flexi has to pay an annual frequency fee of only Rp
\n900,000 (US$105.88) per trunked radio unit (TRU), whereas private
\ncellular operators have to pay an annual fee of Rp 18 million per
\nTRU.<\/p>\n
A TRU is a communication path between two or more points,
\ntypically between the telephone company's central office and one
\nor more users. One TRU can usually cover 12 users.<\/p>\n
Unlike other countries where frequency fees are based on the
\namount of frequency used, in Indonesia, frequency fees are based
\non the amount of TRU.<\/p>\n
Data from the ATSI shows that frequency fees from cellular
\noperators other than Telkom Flexi contributed around Rp 700
\nbillion to the country's non-tax revenue last year. No official
\ndata was made available for Telkom Flexi.<\/p>\n
ATSI secretary general Rudiantara said that the huge disparity
\nbetween Telkom Flexi's frequency fees and other cellular
\noperators' was \"unfair\".<\/p>\n
\"Telkom Flexi's license is for fixed-line services, which
\nallows it to pay lower frequency fees. Yet, the technology that
\nit uses is mobile. That's unfair,\" said Rudiantara.<\/p>\n
Thus, he demanded that the government be fair and lower the
\nfrequency fees for cellular operators other than Telkom Flexi to
\nbalance the disparity.<\/p>\n
He did not, however, mention the amount that the government
\nshould lower it, saying, \"It still needs to be calculated.\"<\/p>\n
Rudiantara added that the government should also determine
\nwhich service category Telkom Flexi should fall into.<\/p>\n
\"If the government considers it (Telkom Flexi) a fixed-line
\nservice, then it should not give Telkom Flexi the privilege to
\nhave mobile technology. If Telkom Flexi is considered as mobile
\nor limited-mobile service, then it should possess a license of
\nthe same kind,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Telkom spokesman Mundarwiarso refused to comment, saying only:
\n\"Let's leave it to the BRTI to decide. We'll discuss the decision
\nafter it comes out.\"<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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