Iridium users can access local GSM network
Iridium users can access local GSM network
JAKARTA (JP): Iridium satellite mobile phone users visiting
the country can now access the local global system of mobile
(GSM) network of PT Excelcomindo Pratama and save up to 75
percent on their telephone costs, an executive of Excelcomindo
said on Wednesday.
Customer service and corporate affairs director Rudiantara
said Iridium users here would pay US$1.5 per minute for roaming
Excelcomindo's GSM network, a fraction of the regular cost.
"On the usual basis, international roaming would cost Iridium
users up to $7.5 per minute," he said.
Excelcomindo is the first GSM operator in Indonesia, and
second in Southeast Asia after Thailand, to enable Iridium users
to roam in the local GSM network to their destinations, he said.
The Iridium system in Asia is provided by Pacific Iridium
Telecommunications Co. Ltd, a Taiwan-based telecommunications
firm owned by Iridium LLC of the U.S.
Iridium LLC operates 66 satellites through its 12 gateway
operators worldwide, serving about 9,000 subscribers.
Rudi said the memorandum of understanding on roaming
cooperation between Excelcomindo and Pacific Iridium was actually
signed last year, but came into practice only this week due to
thorough preparation and testing processes, including on
technical matters and customer billing.
In May, users of Excelcomindo's GSM-XL will be able to access
the Iridium satellite network whenever they travel to overseas
destinations where the GSM network is unavailable, he said.
"We estimate the addressable market of GSM-XL users to access
the Iridium satellite network overseas is about 3,000 out of the
total 200,000 GSM-XL and Pro-XL active subscribers," he said.
Asked about the financial benefits of the agreement to
Excelcomindo, Rudi said the company would charge Pacific Iridium
a roaming fee of $1.5 per minute per user, whereas Iridium will
charge its subscribers a surcharge of about 15 percent for
accessing through Excelcomindo's network.
Rudi did not disclose the charge for GSM-XL users who access
Iridium satellite network overseas.
Most users of the Iridium network here and overseas are
workers in the maritime, forestry, search and rescue and oil
fields, he said.
"Those are the places where the GSM network is sometimes not
available," he added.
GSM-XL users who want to access the Iridium satellite network
overseas need special satellite cellular telephones, such as
Motorola's satellite series.
Excelcomindo began operations in late 1996 and currently
serves Greater Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, East Java, Bali
and Lombok.
It is owned by Nynex Corp. of the U.S., Japan's Mitsui, Asian
Infrastructure Fund and Indonesia's PT Telekomindo
Primabhakti. (cst)