Phone services in E. Jakarta

JAKARTA (JP): The head of the East Jakarta office of the state-owned telecommunication company, Rizal Saat, has announced that there are now 36 automatic telephone systems in his area.

Speaking to reporters over the weekend, Rizal said the 36th system in Bojonggede -- which was officially inaugurated by the Bogor regent Muhamad Fujari last week -- is projected to serve the 1,900 prospective customers who applied for and have been waiting to have phones installed since last April and May.

He told the customers on the waiting list to beware of the quicker service promised by middlemen or brokers. He said that 65,278 telephone lines were recently installed, adding to the present total of 373,888.

He added, the target of the office this year is 111,250 lines. "Up to June 30, we have marketed 115,902 lines," he said.

Besides the new system, he also said, there are 5,233 card- operated public phones and 4,801 coin-operated phones in East Jakarta, which has 168 telecommunications shops. (26)