Hong Kong firm eyes RI's cellular phone business<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Hong Kong business group Hutchison Whampoa Ltd
\nis looking for a niche in Indonesia's lucrative cellular mobile
\ntelecommunications business.<\/p>\n
Khoo Chek Ngee, managing director of Hutchison Telecom, a
\ntelecommunications affiliate of Hutchison Whampoa, told reporters
\nhere yesterday that his company had set up a consortium with
\nNatrindo and Lippo Group of Indonesia to participate in the
\ncountry's digital cellular business.<\/p>\n
\"We will conduct a feasibility study on personal
\ncommunications networks in Indonesia,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said that the consortium would then participate in a tender
\non digital wireless telecommunications services, expected to be
\nheld later this year.<\/p>\n
The government will hold a tender in the near future to select
\nsome operators of wireless telecommunications using new
\ngeneration systems, including the personal communications system,
\nthe personal handy-phone service developed by Japan, the DCS-1800
\nsystem from Europe and code division multiple access technology
\nfrom the United States.<\/p>\n
Most of the improved digital wireless telephone systems
\noperate at high frequencies, between 1,800 and 1,900 megahertz.<\/p>\n
The government plans to launch a personal handy-phone service
\npilot project soon in Surabaya, East Java, and a DCS-1800 system
\nproject in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
In addition to Lippo and Hutchison Telecom, a number of
\nprivate conglomerates and state-owned firms, including PT Indosat
\nand PT Inti, have prepared themselves to take part in the much-
\nawaited tender.<\/p>\n
In addition to his consortium announcement, Khoo was here
\nyesterday to witness the launch of a paging service called
\nPersonal.<\/p>\n
Hutchison Telecom is one of the developers of Personal, which
\nis operated by PT Hutchison Sewu, a joint venture company. The
\ncompany is 42.5 percent owned by Hutchison Telecom, 42.5 percent
\nby PT Gunung Sewu Kencana, a subsidiary of the Gunung Sewu group,
\n10 percent by the foundation of employees of the office of the
\nCoordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security and 5
\npercent by the foundation of the Association of Retired Military
\nOfficers.<\/p>\n
The Gunung Sewu group has more than 40 subsidiaries, operating
\nbusinesses of food commodities, properties, agribusiness and
\nmanufacturing.<\/p>\n
Hutchison Sewu's president, Josep Lay, said yesterday that his
\ncompany would invest Rp 8 billion during the first year of
\noperation.<\/p>\n
\"The investment will reach Rp 20 billion in the third year,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
He said that Hutchison Sewu expected to net 2,000 subscribers
\nin the first year and 125,000 subscribers within the next four
\nyears. (icn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/hong-kong-firm-eyes-ris-cellular-phone-business-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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