Mobile-8 launches first fully wireless phone service<\/p>\n
Sari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
PT Mobile-8 Telecom launched on Monday the country's first
\nfully wireless code division multiple access (CDMA) mobile phone
\nservice.<\/p>\n
The relatively new company aims to become the third-largest
\nmobile phone operator after three years.<\/p>\n
Mobile-8, set up at the end of last year, is 70.52 percent
\ncontrolled by publicly listed PT Bimantara Citra. The remaining
\nshares are held by PT Centralindo Panca Sakti -- a subsidiary of
\nBimantara -- (9.54 percent), Asialink (8.5 percent), Qualcomm,
\nSamsung Electronics, Samsung Corporations, KTF Korea and
\nConverse. No data is available on the extent of ownership of the
\nlast group of shareholders.<\/p>\n
The brand name of the company's wireless phone service is
\nFren.<\/p>\n
"We expect Mobile-8 could have 1 million subscribers by the
\nend of 2004," Bimantara president Hary Tanoesoedibjo told a media
\nconference.<\/p>\n
He added that the company planned to provide up to 2 million
\nlines by the end of 2005 in a bid to become the third-largest
\nplayer in the country's cellular phone sector.<\/p>\n
To achieve this ambitious target, the company is relying on
\nits CDMA-based technology, which can provide a high-speed data
\naccess capability of about 80 kilobytes per second (kbps).<\/p>\n
In comparison, global system for mobile communications (GSM)
\ntechnology offers data access at only 20 kbps to 30 kbps. The
\ncountry's largest mobile phone operators, PT Telkomsel and PT
\nSatelindo, rely on this technology.<\/p>\n
"I'm very confident at the data communications growth here,"
\nsaid Mobile-8 president BT Lim, pointing out that when the SMS
\nservice was launched three years ago by mobile operators the
\nservice contributed only about 3 percent to operators' revenue
\nbut that is now up to 20 percent.<\/p>\n
"I believe data communications will rapidly increase here."<\/p>\n
Mobile-8 will not directly compete with fixed-wireless network
\noperators which offer cheaper service, but will compete with GSM
\noperators. Unlike fixed-wireless operators, the other operators
\nhave to pay frequency charges to the government.<\/p>\n
According to Hary, Mobile-8 is allocating around $200 million
\nin initial investment, including the cost of acquiring three
\nfailed advanced mobile phone service (AMPS) operators: PT
\nKomselindo, Metrosel and Telesera. The three failed in
\ncompetition with GSM operators.<\/p>\n
Eyebox:<\/p>\n
Fren price charges:<\/p>\n
1. Fren to Fren<\/p>\n
- Local Rp 800\/minute<\/p>\n
- Nonlocal Rp 1,500\/minute<\/p>\n
2. Fren to fixed line<\/p>\n
- Local Rp 800\/minute<\/p>\n
- Zone 1 (<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mobile-8-launches-first-fully-wireless-phone-service-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }