Indonesia-India satellite

Indonesia-India satellite

NEW DELHI (Reuters): Indonesia's Pasifik Satelit Nusantara
said yesterday its Asia Cellular Satellite (ACeS) mobile
telecommunications unit had formed a joint venture with Shyam
Telecom Ltd to market the service in India.

"We have formed ACeS India Ltd, a joint venture between
ourselves and Shyam Telecom Ltd, and have applied to the Indian
government for a license," Ashutosh Garg, ACeS' senior vice-
president, told Reuters by telephone from Jakarta.

He said the joint venture firm would have an equity capital of
between US$10 million and $15 million, and ACeS would have 51
percent of the equity.

"ACes India will be responsible for marketing the service and
the handsets for it in the local market," Garg said.

ACeS is a joint venture between Pasifik Satelit Nusantara,
Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co and Thailand's Jasmine
International Overseas Co Ltd.

Shyam Telecom Ltd has mobile phone service licenses in eight
Indian provinces, and a fixed telephone license for one province.
It also operates a very small aperture terminal (VSAT)-based
satellite communications network, and makes a range of telecom
equipment.