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.