Global firms pack communications and IT expo

Global firms pack communications and IT expo

JAKARTA (JP): Leading communications and information
technology companies from most parts of the world packed an
exhibition on Wednesday to flaunt their latest products and
services in the hope of sharing in the country's huge market
potential.

Global telecommunication carriers and infrastructure
providers, such as France Telecoms, Lucent Technologies and
China's Huawei Technologies and mobile telephone makers Ericsson,
Nokia, Motorola and Siemens, are among the hundreds of
participants in the Indonesian International Telecommunications
Media & Information Technology (IITELMIT) exhibition, which
opened on Wednesday.

Major local players, such as state-owned telecommunications
companies PT Telkom and PT Indosat, Telkom's KSO partners, mobile
phone operators Satelindo and Telkomsel and dozens of Internet-
based firms, also packed the Jakarta Convention Center, where the
exhibition is being held through Saturday.

Foreign participants said their presence reflected their big
hope in Indonesia's communications and information technology
sectors, which were widely expected to flourish in the next
couple of years in line with the government's plan to liberalize
the sectors.

Philippe Valigny, an advisor to Telkom's KSO partner in
Sumatra, PT Pramindo Ikat Nusantara, which is partly owned by
France Telecom, said the company was looking forward to a greater
business opportunity that would come along with the
liberalization of Indonesia's telecommunications sector.

"We have high expectations in Indonesia's telecommunications
sector and we plan to increase our existence here," he said.

The Indonesian government is considering liberalizing the
telecommunications sector by lifting a monopoly currently held by
Telkom and Indosat by 2002 or 2003.

Telkom now has the exclusive rights to provide local fixed
line telecommunications until 2010, while Indosat controls
international phone call service with its subsidiary Satelindo
until 2004.

Wang Xin, a representative from China's largest
telecommunications equipment manufacturer, Huawei Technologies,
said like many other global players, his company was also
anxiously waiting for a bigger business opportunity in the
country's telecommunications sector.

"Indonesia is a very important market. Hopefully, the country
will open its telecommunications sector soon so that we can have
a greater opportunity to participate in the telecommunications
business here," said Wang, adding that his company just started
business four months ago.

Mobile telephone and Internet-based participants are stealing
the limelight at the IITELMIT show.

Hundreds of visitors were dazzled with a range of new Internet
access-enabled cellular phones from Nokia, Ericsson, Motorola and
Siemens which are displayed at large, stylishly decorated stands.

Ericsson's director of consumer products, Susanto Susilo, said
the current trend in the communications sector was the
convergence of mobile phones and the Internet.

"Mobile Internet is the sensation now and it will stay that
way for the next couple of years in line with the rapid growth of
the country's Internet sector," he said.

Detik.com, kopitime.com, boleh.net, CyberCity Indonesia, World
Wide Web Institute, www.TradeEzy.com and the Indonesia Net
Exchange are among the dozens of Internet-based companies that
are showing off their latest products and services at the
IITELMIT show. (cst)