Patrako's satellite services

JAKARTA (JP): PT Patra Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Patrako) has launched a satellite communication system for oil companies to reduce their communication costs and improve their efficiency.

PT Elnusa president Budy Prasetyo said yesterday Patrako would provide several communication services, including voice, data, sign, image and video conference services.

Patrako is 40 percent owned by PT Elnusa, a subsidiary of the state-owned oil company Pertamina; 30 percent by the state-owned PT Telkom, 10 percent by the state-owned PT Indosat; and 20 percent by Tanjung Mustika, a subsidiary of the Sinar Mas Group.

He said Patrako planned to invest Rp 30 billion (US$12.9 million) to establish 300 stations nationwide.

"The stations and their supporting facilities will be completed in the 2000s," he said.

He said Patrako had set up 44 stations in Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan, Bali, Nusa Tenggara Barat, Nusa Tenggara Timur and Irian Jaya with an investment of about Rp 500 million. (bnt)