Irian to have more phones

JAKARTA (JP): State-owned domestic telecommunication company PT Telkom plans to install transmission control stations in 29 locations in Irian Jaya to support telecommunications facilities in the province's villages.

Company manager in Irian Jaya, Syahrial, said in Nabire over the weekend that the stations will be located in the regents of Mimika, Yapen Waropen, Nabire, Jayawijaya and Manokwari.

He said the project would be part of Telkom's aim to cover all villages in Irian Jaya by 2001.

Telkom will also install 45,800 telephone lines in six other regents in the province using integrated system digital network technology by 1999, Antara news agency reported.

Telkom awarded a contract last October to PT Bukaka Singtel to install some 400,000 lines by 1999 in the country's eastern region covering Sulawesi, Maluku, Irian Jaya and Nusa Tenggara. (icn)