Indosat to join sub cable project<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): PT Indosat, the state-owned international
\ntelecommunications company listed in New York, will take part in
\nthe third generation of an optic fiber submarine cable project
\nlinking Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Western Europe.<\/p>\n
An executive of the company told The Jakarta Post yesterday
\nthat the project, called the Southeast Asia-Middle East-Western
\nEurope 3 (SEA-ME-WE 3), will involve 16 world-class
\ntelecommunications firms and link Italy, France, Egypt, India,
\nDjibouti, the United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka, Singapore,
\nThailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The firms joining the project are Telecom Italia, France
\nTelecom, ARENTO of Egypt, OPT of Djibouti, VSNL of India,
\nETISALAT of the United Arab Emirates, SLT of Sri Lanka, Telekom
\nMalaysia, CAT of Thailand, Singapore Telecom, AT&T and TOCI of
\nthe United States, British Telecom, KDD of Japan, DBP-T of
\nGermany and Indosat.<\/p>\n
A preliminary agreement was signed late last year but the
\nparticipating parties are still discussing construction details,
\nsaid the executive, who requested anonymity.<\/p>\n
He said the project will be designed to operate up to 16 times
\nfaster than SEA-ME-WE 2.<\/p>\n
SEA-ME-WE 2, established at a cost of US$700 million, is the
\nworld's longest optical fiber submarine cable system, stretching
\n18,190 kilometers (11,300 miles) from Southeast Asia to Western
\nEurope. Indosat holds a three percent stake in the project, which
\nis participated in by 14 operators from 13 countries.<\/p>\n
Complaints<\/p>\n
The executive also said that Indosat is inviting subscribers
\nto send letters to P.O. Box 001, Jakarta 10000, if they have any
\ncomplaints about its international direct-call services.<\/p>\n
The company introduced the post office box on Feb. 15 but has
\nyet to receive a letter.<\/p>\n
Indosat, which applies the 001 code for its international
\ndirect call service, has only one competitor, PT Satelindo, which
\napplies the 008 code.<\/p>\n
Satelindo introduced its international telecommunications
\nservices last September but the competition between the companies
\nis based purely on service because the government has fixed the
\nrates for both of them.<\/p>\n
Indosat, which began business 27 years ago, employs both
\nsubmarine cables and satellite systems.(icn)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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