PSN introduces satellite-based cellular service

PSN introduces satellite-based cellular service

JAKARTA (JP): Satellite-based telecommunications services
provider PT Pasifik Satellite Nusantara (PSN) introduced on
Wednesday the first Indonesian satellite service for GSM
networks.

PSN Director of Operations Rian Alisjahbana said the service,
brand named Byru, will enable GSM cell phone users to make calls
from isolated areas, not covered by conventional GSM networks.

"This is the most effective way to handle Indonesia, which
comprises many islands," he said after signing an agreement
between PSN and Bank Universal, Bank Internasional Indonesia
(BII), Bank Central Asia (BCA), and Bank Bali at the Hilton Hotel
here.

The agreement will enable PSN customers to pay for PSN
services through the four banks.

He said that PSN, which at present was focused on corporate
clients, would sell subscriber identity module (SIM) cards to
allow GSM mobile phone users to benefit from the Byru service.

"There will be post-paid and pre-paid services available,"
Rian said, without disclosing the price of the start-up kit.

"Byru will be commercially launched on Sept. 27 ... we'll
disclose it (the price) then," he said, adding that the cost of a
call would be no more than US$1 per minute.

Whereas conventional GSM utilizes ground-based transmitters,
Byru will utilize Asia Cellular Satellite's (ACeS) Garuda-1
satellite, in fixed orbit 22,300 miles away from earth.

PSN Director of Finance Anggarini Surjaatmadja said the
company had invested $700 million for the development of Byru,
and an additional $20 million to build a National Service
Provider (NSP).

Rian said the Byru network covers 23 countries in Asia
stretching from Pakistan and India in the west, the Philippines
and Papua New Guinea in the east, Japan and China in the north,
to Indonesia in the south.

The three GSM operators in the country -- Satelindo,
Excelcomindo, and Telkomsel -- as well as 45 other GSM operators
around the world have agreed to cooperate with PSN, enabling Byru
users to utilize their GSM-900 networks, Rian said.

He said under the agreement, subscribers of the GSM operators
could access the Byru service as long as they used compatible
satellite-based mobile phones.

At present, according to him, Byru could only be accessed with
the Ericsson R-190 cell phone, acclaimed as the world's smallest
and due to be launched here next week.

Rian said the company expected at least 10,000 users in
business and executive sectors by the end of the year. (10)