PT Indosat to operate new telecommunication gateways

PT Indosat to operate new telecommunication gateways

JAKARTA (JP): State-owned PT Indosat will operate its new
international telecommunications gateways and earth station early
next month.

Indosat's president, Tjahjono Soerjodibroto, said here
yesterday that the Rp 100 billion (US$43.6 million) facilities,
included three gateways in Batam, Riau, Pantai Cermin, North
Sumatra, and Banyuurip in Gresik, East Java.

The earth station, which will be used for International
Maritime Satellite (Inmarsat) services, is located in Jatiluhur,
West Java.

The new facilities, as well as the new building of the
Ministry of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications, are among the
services and assets of the ministry to be inaugurated by
President Soeharto on Dec. 6.

Indosat currently operates four international gateways, six
earth station antennas, four submarine cable landing terminals
and five microwave links.

"The gateway in Banyuurip is prepared to facilitate
telecommunications in the country's eastern provinces, including
communications to and from Kalimantan and Sulawesi," Tjahjono
said.

He said that by the end of 1996, the telecommunications
facilities already having earth stations will be equipped with
submarine cables.

"So, the facilities can reach countries within the Asia-
Pacific region," he said.

He said that Indosat will cooperate with telecommunications
operators from the United States, Brunei, Malaysia and Palau to
prepare the installation of the submarine cables from Surabaya in
East Java to Brunei, Sarawak in Malaysia, Mindanao in the
Philippines, Manado in North Sulawesi and Guam.

The project may develop into a network starting from Japan and
reaching Malaysia, Singapore, Jakarta, Surabaya and then linking
up with Guam, he said.

He said that the project will likely start in 1997 or 1998.
(icn)