Jakarta to host int'l telecom expo, meeting
JAKARTA (JP): An international telecommunications exhibition, called Asia-Pacific Telecom '97, will be held from Nov. 29 to Dec. 3 at the Jakarta Fairgrounds in Kemayoran.
The event will feature a conference, ministerial roundtable and panel discussions, secretary-general of the Ministry of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications, Jonathan L. Parapak, said.
"Among topics of discussion will be the controversial accounting rates which were reduced unilaterally by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC)," he said at his office on Thursday.
He said the topic would also be discussed by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the World Trade Organization.
The accounting rate is a revenue sharing plan between international telecommunications operators for calls between two nations. Some countries, including Singapore and Japan, have complained and objected to the FCC for its unilateral cut.
Parapak said 134 telecommunications companies from 20 nations had confirmed their participation at Asia-Pacific Telecom '97.
The exhibition will focus on the theme "Competitiveness through Multimedia and Wireless Technology in the Global Information Society of the 21st Century".
Asia-Pacific Telecom '97, which is to be officially opened by Minister of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications Joop Ave, will present several speakers, including Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Production and Distribution Hartarto, Singaporean Minister of Communications Mah Bow Tan and Australian Minister of Communications and the Arts Richard Alston.
Companies which will participate in the exhibition include Alcatel, Nokia, Lucent Technologies, PT Pasifik Satelit Nusantara, PT Satelindo PT Telkom, PT Indosat, France Telecom, PTT Nederland and Siemens.
In a related development, state-owned Telkom will hold a seminar on "The harmonization between human resources and technology" from Nov. 12 to Nov. 13 in Bandung, West Java.
Some 400 participants are expected to attend the two-day event. (icn)