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)