PT Excelcomindo Pratama builds fiber optic network
PT Excelcomindo Pratama builds fiber optic network
JAKARTA (JP): PT Excelcomindo Pratama, a private global system
for mobile (GSM) operator, is installing a 2,000-kilometer fiber
optic network along railway lines in Java belonging to state
railway firm Perumka.
Excelcomindo president Julius S. Djohan said Wednesday that
the US$100 million project would be completed before the end of
this year.
He said that a consortium of Fujitsu and Tomen of Japan and
domestic firm PT Tripatra were supplying equipment, such as radio
transmission devices, and developing the project.
Under the government's regulations in the Fundamental
Technical Plan, which is amended annually by the Ministry of
Tourism, Post and Telecommunications, private telecommunications
firms may install their own networks but they cannot lease their
infrastructure to other parties. This is designed to protect the
state telecommunications firm PT Telkom.
Julius said the 2,000-kilometer fiber optic network, to link
Jakarta and Surabaya, East Java, would support the company's
existing microwave networks.
Excelcomindo, which goes by the GSM-XL brand, now has 25,000
users. "We expect to have 150,000 users by 1997," Julius said.
The company is the youngest of the country's three GSM
operators. GSM, the most recent system to be introduced
domestically, is also operated by PT Telkomsel and PT Satelindo.
Meanwhile, the Swedish telecommunications group LM Ericsson AB
will launch next March its newest product, the GF-788, claimed to
be among the smallest GSM handsets.
Franky Prionggo, a manager of PT Ericsson Indonesia, the
marketing arm of the Ericsson group, said Wednesday that the
dimensions of the new terminal were 160mm in height, 50mm in
width and 24mm in length and that its weight was just 125 grams,
including the battery.
Ericsson now offers the popular GF-388, which is 130mm tall,
49mm wide, 23mm in length and 175 grams in weight. The company
recently introduced the AF-738, one of the smallest analog
handsets.
The cellular terminal market in Indonesia is controlled by
Motorola, Nokia and Ericsson. (icn)