Cellular operators pledge better networks and coverage
Cellular operators pledge better networks and coverage
JAKARTA (JP): At the beginning of this new millennium, people are seeing that most new English terms are starting with an "e", after a proliferation and familiarization of so-called e-banking, e-business, e-commerce, e-mail, etc. People have the ease to surf the "e-world" (electronic-world) via the Net anywhere thanks to cool cellular telecommunications networks and coverage.
Some Indonesians will also enjoy this good-natured cyber humanity as the country's cellular operators keep expanding their services, particularly the coverage.
Indonesia has seen a promising increase in the number of cell phone users after experiencing a sluggish interval due to severe economic problems which led to rioting and sociopolitical unrest. Based on data from state-owned PT Telkom, there were 1,821,358 cell phone users in Indonesia as of the third quarter of 1999. The number is estimated to pass 2.18 million this month.
The user figure includes subscribers of seven cellular providers: Telkomsel, Satelindo and Pro-XL (running the Global System for Mobile Communications/GSM), Komselindo, Metrosel and Telesera (the advanced mobile phone system AMPS) and Mobisel (Nordic mobile telephones/NMT).
Telkomsel is estimated to lead the cellular industry with a market share of 47 percent, followed by Satelindo, 33 percent, and Pro-XL, 16 percent.
Telkomsel's Laurens J.M. Bulters said that with a total 1,171 base transceiver stations (BTS) across Indonesia, Telkomsel pledges to offer good coverage. Some 400 additional BTS are planned for this year, with one-third of them to be installed in Greater Jakarta.
The number of Telkomsel additional BTS this year is quite significant, realizing that coverage, in addition to capacity, is the main key for customers' to have successful calls. Telkomsel added less than 200 BTS in the last two years due to the crisis.
Telkomsel now operates in over 400 locations, including big cities, small towns, administrative cities and other locations.
Committed to operating throughout Indonesia, Telkomsel remains the only operator to have been able to maintain this. It also runs mobile BTS dubbed Combat and a control room named Superman to maintain its cellular system.
Satelindo has also covered the whole nation. Satelindo's Tb. Ade Lukman said that the company would be able to invest much money for network reparations.
He said focus would be on indoor coverage, particularly in the business districts of Greater Jakarta.
The recent crisis and unrest has had a negative impact on Indonesia's cellular sector. BTS, and any other equipment necessary for coverage and networks must be imported. Therefore, the cost for investment and maintenance is in greenback. Concurrently, cellular providers' revenues are in rupiah.
Pro-XL's V. Elisawati said that during 1998 and 1999, his company did not expand its coverage in new locations, but only maintained its operating areas, including Java, Bali and Lombok, with 360 BTS.
Pro-XL, however, initiated a breakthrough several years ago by installing the world's largest contiguous microcell networks in the capital's busiest business district.
In this world of interconnectivity with the most desirable things of the Internet and mobile communications available, people want to be always accessible anywhere they are. Therefore, coverage is very important. All GSM operators have signed international roaming agreements with most foreign operators for users' convenience when abroad as well as foreigners visiting Indonesia. (Christianto)