Telkomsel wins ISO-9002 certification

Telkomsel wins ISO-9002 certification

JAKARTA (JP): Privately owned cellular operator PT Telkomsel
has won an ISO-9002 certificate from TUV Rheinland of Germany for
its service.

Telkomsel, which operates the Global System for Mobile (GMS)
communications, received here yesterday the ISO certificate
awarded for the company's customer care online service.

The ISO certificate series are awarded to institutions which
meet the guidelines and standards on quality systems introduced
by the International Standardization Organization.

Company director, Garuda Sugardo, said improving customer
services for cellular phones, particularly GSM operators, was an
essential business strategy.

He said wide coverage and high capacity were trivial matters
if services were not improved.

"Good operators are looking for qualified customers who always
use mobile phones, are loyal and pay their bills regularly."

Telkomsel also introduced yesterday its customer care center,
Grha Pari Sraya.

In a ceremony held at Telkomsel's customer care center at
Wisma Staco on Jl. Casablanca in South Jakarta, Minister of
Tourism, Post and Telecommunications Joop Ave officially launched
12 Grha Pari Srayas in Jakarta.

Garuda said each GSM operator was competing in the greater
Jakarta area which is still considered the key market.

"As part of our commitment to improve services in Jakarta, we
will prepare four additional master switching centers (MSC). By
mid 1998, there will be six MSCs located in Gambir, Central
Jakarta and in Ancol, North Jakarta."

He said Telkomsel would also link 20 station controls in the
capital and its surroundings with fiber optic networks.

PT Excelcomindo Pratama and PT Satelindo also operate GSM
systems. They are battling to provide the most innovative,
qualified and diversified services for GSM subscribers, amid
tight competition from other operators because tariffs are set by
the government.

Garuda said his company would launch on Oct. 28 the second
phase of SimPATI, the prepaid GSM card system first introduced
last May.

"This new SimPATI, which is based on the Intelligent Network,
will be rechargeable and applicable for every GSM mobile phone.
The cards can also be used for long-distance and international
calls."

He said that as prepared cards, SimPATI did not need any
validation and people could buy the cards like ordinary phone
cards.

Telkomsel would therefore be safe from any possible
identification fraud.

"Prepaid card systems as well as Intelligent Network and
multimedia are part of the future business for cellular
operators," he said. (icn)