ICO Global Communications links up with Excelcomindo

ICO Global Communications links up with Excelcomindo

DENPASAR, Bali (JP): Subscribers of the London-based satellite
mobile communications firm ICO Global Communications can now
access the local global system of mobile communciations (GSM)
network of PT Excelcomindo Pratama and save 50 percent on their
telephone costs, an executive of Excelcomindo said on Monday.

Billing and customer service director Rudiantara said ICO
subscribers visiting Indonesia and roaming Excelcomindo's network
would only be charged at about US$1.75 per minute.

"Usually, they pay about $3.50 per minute, including a roaming
fee, international rate and a call surcharge of 15 percent," he
said after signing the roaming agreement between Excelcomindo and
ICO on Monday.

ICO's regional director for marketing cellular services Andy
YB Yong said the agreement would enable Excelcomindo subscribers
to roam on ICO's satellite-based worldwide communication network
during their visit to areas that did not support the GSM system.

He said Excelcomindo's subscribers, however, could only enjoy
ICO's satellite transmission service next year when ICO started
its full commercial service following the launching of four ICO
satellites.

"ICO plans to have in orbit ten Medium Earth orbit (MEO)
satellites by the end of 2000 to support global coverage," he
said.

Andy said ICO had so far secured about 30 satellite and 16
terrestrial-roaming agreements worldwide.

He said most users of the Iridium network were employees and
companies with outdoor activities, such as those at sea, in
forestry, search and rescue and oil fields.

"These are places where the terrestrial-based network, such as
GSM, is not available," he said.

In addition to the future roam access to ICO's satellite
network, which is the agreement's main benefit, customers of
Excelcomindo visiting North America can now use ICO's
interstandard system to roam the local analog Advanced Mobile
Phone Service (AMPS) and those visiting Japan can roam the
Personal Digital Communications (PDC) 1500, Andy added.

Excelcomindo's international roaming manager Ferdinand HS said
the company was the first Indonesian cellular operator that had
access roaming to Japan's PDC1500 network.

He said the agreement with ICO would certainly enrich the
company's overseas coverage service.

"We have so far signed roaming agreements with 75 cellular
operators worldwide to enable our customers to roam in 45
destination countries," he said.

Excelcomindo signed earlier this year a similar agreement with
another satellite-based mobile phone system company, Iridium.

Ferdinand said Excelcomindo users who wanted to roam on the
AMPS or PDC1500 network should change their phones to the ones
suitable for the local network.

The phones could either be bought at about $150 or rented at
certain companies to be appointed later, he said, adding that
calls made by Excelcomindo or ICO users during the roaming would
be integrated in the customer's regular billing here.

Excelcomindo began operations in late 1996 and currently
serves Greater Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, East Java, Bali
and Lombok.

It is owned by the United States-based Nynex Corp., Japan's
Mitsui, Asian Infrastructure Fund and Indonesia's PT Telekomindo
Primabhakti. (cst)