GSM-XL works toward no more dropped calls in traffic jams

People trapped in the traffic jams within Jakarta's golden triangle are now able enjoy crash-free telephone conversations if they subscribe to GSM-XL, which is operated by PT Excelcomindo Pratama.

Quite often, calls suddenly crash during peak hours and traffic jams, especially in the city's central business district -- the golden triangle -- which includes Kuningan, Jl. Sudirman and Jl. Thamrin. More and more people use their mobile phones in such situations, though traffic jams in the capital have become an official excuse for unpunctual people.

Excelcomindo is trying to help GSM-XL users enjoy this mobile wireless telecommunications facility by installing a continuous microcell network along the streets in the golden triangle.

A network -- spanning about 15.5 kilometers -- of 27 microcells have been installed, ready to begin operating later this month, making GSM-XL users really wireless, and not "talkless".

"The microcells are installed at traffic hot spots. Major intersections, hotels and conference areas are ideal locations, as we also identify high traffic areas and locate antennas as close as possible to subscribers," said Excelcomindo's president, Y.W. Junardy, adding that obvious locations also include airports and shopping malls.

He said the microcells were supplied by Ericsson.

A top executive of PT Ericsson Indonesia, Mats H. Olsson, said that Excelcomindo had shown great perception to install the microcells.

"With or without Ericsson, it's sheer genius to arrange a continuous microcell network within the golden triangle," he said.

"It's a unique concept," he reiterated.

He said that the microcells were usually installed in smaller sites, not too high and could be either outdoor or indoor.

"Tremendous traffic jams in Jakarta are a recurrent event. There have been numerous uncompleted calls or dropped calls from cellular phones during these traffic jams. This unusual concept aims for customer satisfaction," he said.

He said that people tended to use mobile phones while they were trapped in traffic jams.

"Peak hours, which include on the way to work or after work, are usually marked with traffic jams. It's irritating that if put in such a position we are trying to dial and dial on our cell phones and just get uncompleted calls."

"I am very proud to be involved with Excelcomindo, to install a microcell network in the golden triangle, which is the longest seamless and continuous microcell network ever installed in the world," he said, adding that the microcells were normally installed outdoors.

He said that microcells would help generate better-quality cellular coverage.

"When people walk outside of buildings, they are no longer covered by the picocells inside the buildings, but by microcells," he said, adding that Excelcomindo's installation of the 27 microcells for this project was just the first of a series of expansion phases.

"It's a genuine concept to make a continuous microcell network which will help people avoid uncompleted calls."

Olsson said that the main reason for the microcell network was the capital's traffic jams.

"Lengthy traffic jams could be on Jl. Sudirman, Jl. Gatot Subroto, Jl. Rasuna Said or wherever in the golden triangle. Overcoming these traffic jams with microcells has been proven by other operators."

Many microcells have been installed, but there was still the problem of microcells not being placed close enough to one another.

"The best way to handle this is to have one continuous network," he said, adding that the network would operate 24 hours a day, though traffic jams occurred only during peak hours.

He guaranteed that the network would be able to handle GSM-XL users making calls during traffic jams.

The longest

Ericsson was also involved in a microcell network installation in Singapore. "But it's less than 15 kilometers, so this one, installed by Excelcomindo, is the longest. No one else in Indonesia has installed such a continuous microcell network," Olsson emphasized.

Excelcomindo's president, Y.W. Junardy, said his company cooperated with Ericsson to install this microcell network because the Swedish company is one of its the major supplier.

"This is the first phase. It will be followed with several other phases," he said.

He said that Excelcomindo needed to launch the project in the golden triangle to improve the capacity in the area.