MegaNet, Telkomsel combine services<\/p>\n
The marriage between the GSM cellular phone and Internet
\nelectronic-mail technology is something that many time-crunching,
\ninformation-thirsty individuals will cheer.<\/p>\n
Over the world, one can see the areas of GSM mobile
\ncommunications and the Internet merge.<\/p>\n
Both markets are booming in almost every country worldwide.
\nMany GSM operators see this as an opportunity to create more
\nservices and more benefits for the user.<\/p>\n
In Indonesia, recently, MegaNet, an Internet Service Provider
\n(ISP) that operates in 16 cities, and Telkomsel, a Global System
\nfor Mobile (GSM) communications operator that covers Indonesia's
\n27 provinces, agreed to combine their services.<\/p>\n
The combined technology is called e-phone, which is short for
\nelectronic mail on a cellular phone. Touted as the first of its
\nkind in Asia, e-phone combines the immediate reachability of
\ncellular phones and low-cost e-mail messaging.<\/p>\n
MegaNet is optimistic that e-phone will be attractive to
\nInternet users because of its capability in making e-mail
\navailable in real time, any time, any where, even without a
\ncomputer.<\/p>\n
\"Most Internet users can afford cellular phones,\" said
\nMegaNet's managing director, Kendro Hendra. He estimates that 90
\npercent of Internet users currently have cellular phones.<\/p>\n
E-phone only requires standard equipment. Users don't have to
\ninvest in new expensive cellular phones or accessories. As long
\nas the GSM cell phone is equipped with Short Message Services
\n(SMS), it is capable of receiving and sending e-mail messages --
\nup to 160 characters -- as well as receiving notification of
\nincoming e-mail directly from an e-mail server without going
\nthrough an operator.<\/p>\n
Those are not its only features. E-phone also enables users to
\nsend text messages from cellular phones to fax machines, pagers
\nand cell phones from other GSM operators.<\/p>\n
Both Telkomsel and MegaNet have strong reasons to be
\noptimistic. The Association of Internet Service Providers
\nestimates that there are about 40,000 cybernauts in Indonesia. As
\na comparison, there are approximately 600,000 GSM users and
\nTelkomsel has 260,000 customers, or 43.3 percent of total GSM
\nusers.<\/p>\n
The e-phone services are now available immediately for
\nTelkomsel users. Telkomsel users who subscribe to ISPs other than
\nMegaNet will be offered special MegaNet-plus-e-phone packages.<\/p>\n
MegaNet subscribers who do not yet subscribe to Telkomsel's
\nservices will have a special offer to buy KartuHalo.<\/p>\n
Services<\/p>\n
A Telkomsel subscriber with any Internet account can now enjoy
\nmost e-phone services. The only exception is the incoming e-mail
\nnotification which is only possible for a Telkomsel user who
\nsubscribes to MegaNet.<\/p>\n
With e-phone technology, Telkomsel users can save money and
\ntime. First, there is no extra charge for receiving SMS by a
\nTelkomsel user.<\/p>\n
Second, getting immediate notification of incoming e-mail
\nmeans no more delays in responding an urgent e-mail.<\/p>\n
Moreover, because there is no need to check the mail
\nregularly, money can be saved on login time and phone bills.<\/p>\n
Any Internet user can now take advantage of the e-phone
\nservices. From any where in the world, they can reach Telkomsel
\nusers in a matter of seconds by typing 0811XXXXXX@sms.mega.net.id
\n(replace 0811XXXXXX with KartuHalo number). For the sender, it is
\njust the cost of sending an e-mail; for the recipient, there is
\nno cost.<\/p>\n
Telkomsel also guarantees the safety of messages sent by e-
\nphone. The GSM system provides encryption to SMS, from one
\nterminal to another.<\/p>\n
Telkomsel's director of technics and engineering, Garuda
\nSugardo, said: \"Sending data over GSM is even safer than from
\nanalog and wired phones.\"<\/p>\n
MegaNet-Telkomsel<\/p>\n
Although MegaNet only started its business on April 1 last
\nyear, it is already one of the larger ISPs in the country.<\/p>\n
It boasts a membership of over 9,600 users in 16 major cities
\nthroughout Sumatra, Java, Bali, Kalimantan and Sulawesi, as well
\nas international roaming in 25 countries worldwide.<\/p>\n
It is also an ISP that offers the most innovative value-added
\nservices.<\/p>\n
Prior to e-phone, MegaNet was already offering e-page (sending
\ne-mail messages to pagers), e-faxMail (sending e-mail messages
\nfrom a computer to a fax machine) and e-fax2fax (sending fax
\npages to another fax machine over the Internet network with the
\ncost of a local call).<\/p>\n
In fact, e-phone services combine MegaNet's already marketed
\nservices, namely the e-page and the e-faxMail.<\/p>\n
For MegaNet, choosing Telkomsel was not just because Telkomsel
\nhas the widest coverage area but also, as Kendro explains because
\n\"they are the most innovative\".<\/p>\n
Indeed, Telkomsel, who started its services in May, 1995, has
\nsimilar services with those of MegaNet.<\/p>\n
Besides serving digital wireless voice calls, it also enables
\nthe cellular phones to communicate with fax machines and the
\nInternet (FARIDA).<\/p>\n
Garuda said Telkomsel does not see e-phone and the Internet as
\ncompetitors. On the contrary, it sees the use of GSM and the
\nInternet as very complimentary because with this combination,
\nusers can send and receive e-mail any where, any time, any place.<\/p>\n
This creates more convenience for the customer and also more
\nair-time for Telkomsel, said Garuda.<\/p>\n
Because of this, Telkomsel would like to give this added value
\nto all its customers.<\/p>\n
For further information contact MegaNet on telephone number
\n(62) (021) 5212928.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/meganet-telkomsel-combine-services-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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