PT Telkomsel launches mobile base station

PT Telkomsel launches mobile base station

JAKARTA (JP): Private cellular operator PT Telkomsel launched
yesterday its newest innovation -- a mobile radio base transceiver
station nicknamed Combat -- in another effort to improve its
service in the competitive cellular communications business.

Telkomsel operates the global system for mobile communication
(GSM) and has allocated at least Rp 10 billion (US$4.16 million)
to create 10 Combats by the end of the year.

Company director of operations Garuda Sugardo said each
Combat, originally a Mercy truck, would cost between Rp 800
million and Rp 1 billion.

He said Combats consisted of a radio base transceiver with a
telescopic controllable up to 35 meters.

"Combat is designed by Telkomsel and PT Hariff, a private firm
in Bandung, West Java," he said.

Combats would use Motorola, Siemens or Ericsson base
transceiver stations, he said.

He said the first Combat, which was prepared and designed last
August, was operated on Jan. 31 near South Jakarta's Sakti Plaza
building to replace the damaged normal base station there.

"Combat is very useful to replace damaged base stations and
can be moved to support areas which are packed with users on
particular occasions," he said.

He said Combats would be useful for the state-owned PT Telkom
and Indosat if they wanted to improve their transmission links
occasionally.

Telkomsel, which competes with PT Excelcomindo Pratama and PT
Satelindo in the GSM service, is owned by Telkom, Indosat, PTT
Telecom Netherlands and a Setiawan Djody's Setdco group.

Telkomsel plans to spend Rp 710 billion this year to improve
its services. Most of the money will be used to build more base
transceiver stations. (icn)