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)