Primasel waits for approval

Primasel waits for approval

JAKARTA (JP): An advanced handphone system called Personal
Handy-phone Service (PHS) due to be launched in Surabaya in March
is still awaiting government approval.

The system, being developed by telecommunication joint venture
PT Primasel, ends its trial development phase tomorrow.

The Secretary General of the Ministry of Tourism, Post and
telecommunications, Jonathan Parapak, said yesterday the ministry
had not decided when approval would be given.

"Just wait and we will tell you when," he said after a seminar
held by PT INTI yesterday to commemorate its 22th anniversary.

Last month, Primasel said it expected to get approval to start
operating in March.

Primasel is owned by state-owned firms PT Inti and PT Indosat
plus PT Yamabri Komunikasindo, a company controlled by the
Foundation of Military Headquarters and a cooperative of the
Ministry of Tourism, Post and Telecommunication.

PT INTI director Jopie Manduapessy said PT INTI had a 20
percent stake in Primasel.

He said he hoped the government would grant it a license to
operate by June.

A telecommunications analyst said the delay was caused by the
entry of the high profile interests into the firm. He did not
elaborate.

Jopie said Primasel was expected to expand to other cities on
Java including Jakarta.

The government has yet to announce its plans for the next
generation of digital wireless telephones, including
the Personal Communication System (PCS-1900), the Digital
Cordless System (DCS-1800), the Digital Enhance Cordless
Telephone, the Personal Handy-phone Service (PHS) and Code
Division Multiple Access (CDMA).

The PHS pilot project was run by PT Primasel while DCS-1800
was run by PT Cellnet Nusantara. Cellnet is controlled by
Sudwikatmono and Siti Hutami Endang Adiningsih, President
Soeharto's youngest daughter. (09)