No more cellular operators needed<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A business executive suggested yesterday that
\nthe government cancel its plan to license more companies to enter
\nthe mobile cellular telecommunications business, which has been
\ntapped by too many firms.<\/p>\n
Businessman Setiawan Djody told reporters that the government,
\nwhich plans to select new operators to provide Personal
\nCommunication Networks (PCN), should be careful in increasing the
\nnumber of mobile cellular telecommunications carriers.<\/p>\n
The country currently has seven companies operating cellular
\nmobile telecommunications, with three different systems. The
\ndigital Global System for Mobile (GSM) communications -- the most
\nrecent system introduced in the country -- is operated by PT
\nTelkomsel, PT Satelindo and PT Excelcomindo. The Advanced Mobile
\nPhone Service (AMPS) -- the analog system introduced earlier --
\nis operated by PT Metrosel Nusantara, PT Telekomindo and PT
\nKomselindo. The third system is the Nordic Mobile Telephone, an
\nanalog service primarily installed in vehicles, which is run by
\nPT Mobisel.<\/p>\n
Besides the above mobile cellular communications systems,
\nIndonesia also has the Cordless Telephone (CT-2) system, which is
\nupgradable to the Digital Enhanced Cordless Telephone. The CT-2
\nis run by PT Telepoint.<\/p>\n
\"They (the operators) will become skinny cows,\" he said after
\nsigning a document for the acquisition of PT Telkomsel.<\/p>\n
The government is expected later this year to launch an open
\ntender to pick up an undisclosed number of PCN operators.<\/p>\n
PCN is the next generation of the digital wireless telephone
\nsystem that uses a light, inexpensive handset with a long battery
\nlife to communicate via low-power antenna.<\/p>\n
PCN includes the Personal Communications System and the
\nDigital Cordless System from Europe, the Personal Handy-phone
\nService developed by Japan and Code Division Multiple Access
\ntechnology from the United States.<\/p>\n
Djody said that mobile cellular telecommunications will be the
\n\"sexiest\" business, especially in countries like China, India or
\nIndonesia, with hundreds of millions of potential subscribers.<\/p>\n
\"The business will be unprofitable, especially for the new
\ncomers, who are required to invest a lot of money in setting up
\nnew networks,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Telecommunications analysts believe that there have been at
\nleast 70 private consortia, comprising of local and overseas
\nfirms, expressing interest to participate in the planned PCN
\ntender in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Worrying of losing their business or facing stiffer
\ncompetition, the existing cellular operators cited Malaysia and
\nSingapore -- which each have less than four mobile cellular
\ntelecommunications operators -- as examples.<\/p>\n
\"Many countries have halted the analog system and expanded the
\ndigital one. \"Hong Kong and Australia have announced they would
\ncut back on the utilization of the analog system by 2000,\" a
\ncellular company executive said. (icn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/no-more-cellular-operators-needed-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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