Control on radio frequencies tightened

JAKARTA (JP): The government will tighten controls on the use of radio frequencies in Indonesia, said Director General of Post and Telecommunications Djakaria Purawidjaja.

Djakaria said here yesterday that tighter control was needed to ensure that unauthorized use of frequencies did not disrupt official telecommunications services.

At present, radio users are not only required to have a license to use a frequency but also to use their telecommunications equipment.

"A telecommunications operating license is needed to match the existing frequency utilization license," he told reporters after speaking at a round-up on telecommunications operations at the Ministry of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications.

Djakaria said many people still operated radio equipment without a license. "This often disturbs official telecommunications operators, including cellular telephone operators, radio trunking providers and other users."

He said people illegally operating radio communications equipment would be raided, to encourage the legal use of radio frequencies.

The head of the Jakarta office of the tourism, post and telecommunications ministry, Pudjo Basuki, said the government had not issued licenses for commercial radio operation in the capital since last September.

He said some 10,000 licenses had been issued for point-to- point commercial radio operations, like those operated by taxi cab companies.

The government had so far licensed 38 private radio stations, 20 radio beeper firms and six radio trunking operators in the capital, he said.

He said that so far 50 communications sets had been seized, and 14 operators have been taken to court for not having a license.

In East Java, head of the tourism, post and telecommunications office in Surabaya, Rio Judojanto, said he had launched a series of raids without prior notification.

"This will make people aware that they must have a license," he said.

He said the city's telecommunications derived revenue such as from registration and license fees had increased from Rp 52 million in 1995 to Rp 200 million last year. (icn)