PT Telkom invites private firms to set up multimedia business
PT Telkom invites private firms to set up multimedia business
JAKARTA (JP): The state-owned domestic telecommunications
carrier PT Telkom is inviting private firms to set up a company
to offer multimedia services.
Several private firms including some from the Bimantara and
Rajawali groups have expressed interest in the venture.
Telkom's president Asman Akhir Nasution, Bimantara Group's
Bambang Trihatmodjo, Rajawali Group's Peter Sondakh and Rali
Siregar of the private TV station Rajawali Citra Televisi
Indonesia (RCTI) met at Telkom's Jakarta office yesterday to
discuss the multimedia services plan.
Informed sources said the top executives exchanged views on
the planned multimedia business which will include video on
demand, news on demand and other services planned to be applied
in Jakarta.
None of the executives were willing to comment on the meeting
and reporters were not even allowed to enter the meeting room's
lobby.
Last year, Telkom signed a preliminary deal with cellular
telephone operator PT Telekomindo Primabhakti of the Rajawali
Group and RCTI to develop multimedia services.
Telkom has well-prepared infrastructure potential for voice
and visual image telecommunications. Its infrastructure includes
the Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) and Intelligent
Network (IN) facilities, which are already being used in big
cities.
Apart from existing services, Telkom plans to replace
conventional cable networks with optical fiber cables.
Cooperation and alliances with private firms are a must for
Telkom because multimedia services are a convergence of various
businesses.
Nasution said yesterday in Cipanas, West Java, that Telkom
would be left behind if the company did not offer multimedia
services.
"However, we have not planned any joint multimedia company.
The process will take a long time," he said.
Sources said with its planned steps into multimedia services,
Telkom has showed it wants to follow the foot steps of PT
Indosat, the state-owned international telecommunications
provider. Indosat which earlier this year acquired production
house PT YTC, has set up a new company called PT Indosat Mega
Media which will handle its multimedia business. (icn)