Alcatel continues to support RI telecommunications
Alcatel continues to support RI telecommunications
Convinced that Indonesia will soon be on its journey toward recovery, Alcatel has never changed its commitment to this country.
And it should not be surprising at all.
The country's huge population and the vast geographical area represent a significant market for this global telecommunications company, which has been a leading supplier of communications systems to local state-owned and private sector customers. In addition, Alcatel's track record for the 27 years of its operation in Indonesia is impressive.
From the construction of the 10,000-km-long digital microwave trunk network spanning the islands of Sumatra, Java, Nusa Tenggara and Sulawesi to the installation of the Intelligent Network (IN) that enables Indosat's customers to charge their international calls directly on their Citibank Visa cards. From the introduction of the International Direct Dialing (IDD) of Indosat to the 500,000 lines network infrastructure for GSM cellular phone services operated by Satelindo to PT Telkom's undersea fiber optic cable from Jakarta to Surabaya.
Indeed, there are not many companies in the world that have the capability to offer such a complete range of telecommunications products and expertise as Alcatel. It has been delivering microwave and fiber optic backbones, digital cellular mobile telephony, undersea links, satellites and other turnkey solutions. It has introduced technological breakthroughs such as Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH), the GSM mobile telephony standard, the Intelligent Network, and the Fiber-in-the-Loop that is available to PT Telkom's customers in Jakarta.
With such a long list of major involvement in the development of the Indonesian telecommunications sector, Alcatel has demonstrated its solid commitment to Indonesia despite the current crisis. "We have always taken a long-term view of Indonesia. We see the current economic slowdown as an opportunity to consolidate and strengthen the basis of our activities here," said John Wilkinson, President Director of PT Alcatel Indonesia.
The company has continued to invest in the development of its human resources by providing training, both inside and outside the country, and by sending them away for overseas missions. Currently, a number of their local technical engineers are assigned to work on various projects in Australia, Europe and the Middle East.
As the Internet explosion brings countries throughout Asia into a global IP network, it is logical to expect that Indonesia will move in the same direction. Therefore, many of the future technologies are going to be IP-based, and it is definitely going to change many customers' requirements. To anticipate these changes, Alcatel has implemented a comprehensive strategy, in which the thrust of its activities is in the IP and data solutions.
The recent acquisitions of Assured Access, Xylan and Packet Engines, three U.S. companies actively involved in developing Internet technologies, are proof of Alcatel's strong focus on the Internet. To further strengthen its key position in the IP market, the company has even established a separate Internet Division, integrating the unmatched resources of Assured Access and Packet Engines with Alcatel's own.
In the area of Internet access technology, Alcatel is already the leader of Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL). With this technology, subscribers can enjoy 200 times faster access than today's standard analog modem. As a testimony of Alcatel's leadership in this field, Singapore Telecom's Magix is able to deliver interactive multimedia services to 98 percent of the Singapore population using Alcatel's ADSL.
Today, the company, which is present in over 130 countries around the world, controls over 35 percent of the world ADSL market and 52 percent of the U.S. market. In Indonesia, a field trial of ADSL was successfully conducted with Divisi RisTI, the R&D arm of PT Telkom, last year. It is expected that in a few years' time the interactive multimedia technology will also become available to Indonesian subscribers.
Alcatel's Internet initiative is not limited only to ADSL. Recently, the company unveiled its Alcatel 2ip concept. It encompasses a broad range of powerful, next generation, integrated Internet technology for established as well as new network operators. It includes the 2ip-Family of products and the 2ip-Ready program that will bring IP technologies to customers who need modular technologies capable of offering specific applications as well as integrated solutions.
To move to a higher level and to provide reliable Internet infrastructure that can be accessed from anywhere in the world, Alcatel has also initiated the construction of SkyBridge project. Presently, it is the only broadband satellite-based network that will deliver broadband interactive services, including high speed Internet access, telework, multimedia entertainment and education services.
To address the needs of large and medium enterprises, Alcatel offers Alcatel 4400 PBX, the world's first IP-PCX, an IP-powered Private Communications Exchange for integrated enterprise voice/data and fixed/mobile communications. Furthermore, thanks to the synergy between Xylan and Alcatel, the latter can now offer superior portfolio of data switching equipment for enterprises as well as the forthcoming traffic aggregation equipment for service providers.
In the consumer market, its One-Touch GSM family of mobile phones are known for their durability and advanced features and are targeted at everyone from teenagers to executives. Alcatel has been in the front line in developing screenphones, which enable cellular phone users to enjoy various value-added functions such as wireless e-mail access, data communication and personal organizer. A version of its One Touch Pocket mobile phone even has a built-in Web surfing capability. In fact, Alcatel aptly recognized the wishes of teenage customers and offers the best-selling One Touch Easy, the first colorful mobile phone to appear on the market in 1997.
Alcatel has grown into a unique and highly successful company not only because of its broad range of offerings, strong R&D activities, expertise in network integration and management, but also because of the wealth of talent and experience from the diversity of its teams. Alcatel's employees come from such a wide background of skills, knowledge and nationality. "Maximization of these strengths has resulted in highly productive teamwork," said Wilkinson.
With 118,000 employees worldwide and technological leadership in diverse areas -- from submarine cables to satellites, from wireless to wireline products, the company definitely has what it takes to deliver customized solutions to meet the needs and demands of its customers.
"Indonesia may not be moving at the same pace as the other countries in the region at the moment, but it will catch up. Alcatel shall be in the leading position to offer the best solutions," concluded Mr. Wilkinson.
For more information, please contact PT Alcatel Indonesia Wisma Korindo Jl. M. T. Haryono, Kaveling 62 Jakarta 12780 Phone: (021) 797-6262 Fax: (021) 797-6263