Cellphone operators increase rates<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Several cellular phone operators in the country have increased
\ntheir charges following the increase in the fixed telephone rate,
\neven though the government has yet to issue a decree permitting
\nthem to carry out such a move.<\/p>\n
PT Satellite Palapa Indonesia (Satelindo) and PT Indosat
\nMultiMedia Mobile (Indosat-M3) confirmed to The Jakarta Post on
\nWednesday that they had increased their charges for post-paid
\ncellular services beginning this month and were considering
\nraising the rate for the pre-paid phone service.<\/p>\n
PT Telkomsel, the country's largest cellular phone operator,
\nhas also planned to raise its rate for both post-paid and pre-
\npaid services starting next month.<\/p>\n
\"We are not actually raising the rates, just adjusting them
\n(to the increase in the fixed phone rates),\" said Satelindo's
\ngeneral manager for technical administration, Sulistyowati.<\/p>\n
The operators said, following the increase in fixed phone line
\nrates, they now have to pay higher fees to state telecom company
\nPT Telkom for the use of the Public Switching Telephone Network
\n(PSTN). The cellphone operators use the facility when their
\nsubscribers are connected with a fixed line telephone.<\/p>\n
Telkom raised its charges last month following approval from
\nthe government.<\/p>\n
Spokesman of the Directorate General of Post and
\nTelecommunications at the Ministry of Transportation Gatot S.
\nDewa Broto insisted that under the existing regulations,
\ncellphone operators were not allowed to raise their rates without
\ngovernment approval.<\/p>\n
\"No rate hike is allowed without a ministerial decree,\" Gatot
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He admitted, however, that the ministry would soon issue a
\ndecree on the increase in cellphone rates.<\/p>\n
According to him, the directorate general of post and
\ntelecommunications had sent a letter to nine cellphone operators
\nwarning them not to introduce their new rates before the decree
\nwas issued.<\/p>\n
\"We understand that cellular operators have been burdened by
\nhigher costs. But since this concerns the public interest, they
\nhave to follow government rules,\" Gatot said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/cellphone-operators-increase-rates-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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