Telstra sticks by MGTI through tough year

Telstra sticks by MGTI through tough year

The year 1998 was a tough year in many sectors of the
Indonesian economy and telecommunications was no exception.

Telstra, as a shareholder in the Central Java KSO operator,
Mitra Global Telekomunikasi Indonesia (MGTI), has been working
with its main partners Indosat, Widya Duta Infotel and NTT, to
ensure that the company emerges from this difficult period in
good shape and resumes its drive to provide the highest quality
customer service.

Despite the difficult economic conditions, MGTI was able to
complete a state of the art switching and transmission network in
1998. This network is based on self-healing optical fiber rings,
to support the telephone and data needs of people, businesses and
organizations in Central Java.

MGTI is well on the way to completing its target of 350,000
new lines by March 1999 with the assistance of construction
partners. These include Kopnatel, Astragraphia, Thiess, Erindo,
Nasio, Lucen Technologies, INTI, NEC and Ericsson.

Meanwhile, Telstra Nusantara continues to provide consulting
and contracting from its Jakarta head office.

Telstra Nusantara President Director, Robin Russell, said,
"Telstra launched its new international strategy in November
1998. Indonesia figures strongly in that strategy and our
commitment is for the long term. Our new theme is Think Beyond
Technology. Our objective is to provide telecommunications
solutions for our customers. For Telstra, technology is a tool
and not an end in itself."