Excelcomindo's new service

JAKARTA (JP): Subscribers of cellular operator PT Excelcomindo Pratama can now send graphic SMS messages and change their ringing tones and phone logos by accessing the 388 number from their handsets.

Backed by Internet company M-Web Indonesia, Excelcom launched on Tuesday its new service that, it is hoped, will increase the company's short message service traffic to between 50 million to 60 million messages a month, Excelcom's general manager for value-added service Agung B. Laksono said.

Excelcom's SMS traffic currently reaches 1.2 million messages per day or about 36 million messages per month, thanks to the inter-operator SMS service introduced earlier this month, he said, adding that before the service was available, the company transmitted 24 million messages a month.

Subscribers can choose the ringing tones and graphics available by accessing www.proxl.mweb.co.id on the Internet before calling the 388 number.

Each call costs Rp 3,000 (about US$0.26) per minute and currently the service can be accessed only via certain Nokia and Motorola handsets.

"At present, only these two brands have the technology to access the service, but other brands will soon follow," Agung promised. (tnt)