Excelcomindo Pratama expands to Lombok

JAKARTA (JP): Private cellular operator PT Excelcomindo Pratama, which runs the GSM-XL cellular service, has expanded its service to Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, by installing nine base transceiver stations (BTS) on the island.

Company director of sales and customer service F.X. Hadi Tjokrosusilo said yesterday that Lombok was now the fifth province in the country served by GSM-XL after Jakarta, East Java, West Java and Central Java.

"We plan to enter Medan in North Sumatra early next year," he said.

He said that Excelcomindo's BTSs in Lombok had been installed in Mataram, Senggigi, Ampenan, Kediri, Nyerot, Praya, Bukit Muluk and Bukit Bantar.

Excelcomindo, which currently operates 330 BTSs serving some 140,000 customers, is the youngest of Indonesia's three global system for mobile communication (GSM) operators. The other two are PT Telkomsel and PT Satelindo.

Excelcomindo has inked overseas roaming service agreements with 45 overseas GSM operators, allowing GSM-XL subscribers to use their cellular phones in 30 countries, including Australia, Britain, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Singapore and several European countries.

The company has also signed roaming agreements with Mutiara Telecommunications of Malaysia and Singapore Telecommunications of Singapore, which will allow GSM-XL customers to use the Digital Cordless System.

Excelcomindo has also made an agreement with Pacific Iridium of Taiwan which will operate Iridium, a global satellite-based cellular system. (icn)