Telkomsel appoints domestic dealers

Telkomsel appoints domestic dealers

JAKARTA (JP): PT Telkomsel, a digital mobile cellular
telecommunications operator, appointed yesterday 150 agents to
support its marketing strategy in Global System for Mobile
Communications (GSM) business in the city.

Telkomsel's director of operations, Garuda Sugardo, said the
appointment was part of the company's preparations for the
launching of its GSM in the city next week.

The company appointed the cooperative of PT Telkom's Jakarta
employees, Kopegtel Jaya, as the main distributor of the 150
agents appointed yesterday, he said.

According to Garuda, his company has appointed 30 distributors
in the greater Jakarta area.

Through the agents, Jakartans will be able to buy KartuHalo,
subscriber identity module cards designed by Telkomsel for GSM
telephones. The public will also be able to buy any handset they
like from the agents, who will receive commissions from
Telkomsel.

It is predicted that Jakartans will subscribe about 70 percent
of the GSM telephones in the country, making Jakarta the key
market. The GSM business in Jakarta is currently controlled by PT
Satelindo which lists a total of 101,602 subscribers in Java.

Telkomsel expects to net 120,000 subscribers this year, 90,000
of which are expected from the greater Jakarta area.

"We will operate later this year in 24 out of the country's 27
provinces," Garuda said. "We will also operate in the other three
provinces -- East Nusa Tenggara and Central and Southeast
Sulawesi -- in following years."

In a recent hearing with members of the House of
Representatives, Telkomsel's president, Koesmarihati Sugondo,
said that the company plans to invest Rp 450 billion this year
for the expansion of its GSM business in about 17 locations in
the country. (icn)