VoIP operators forced to tie up

Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government is pushing 12 unlicensed Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) operators to set up a joint-operation scheme with two operators, PT Gaharu Sejahtera and PT Atlassat Solusindo, said Directorate General of Post and Telecommunications spokesman Gatot S. Dewa Broto.

Gatot said on Monday that his office was involved in talks with the 12 VoIP operators.

The VoIP operators are considered illegal because the government said that they had not been granted the necessary licenses. Authorities recently raided the operators.

Only five operators have licenses. In addition to Gaharu and Atlassat, the legal VoIP operators include companies linked to state-owned telecommunications firms PT Telkom, PT Indosat and PT Satelindo.

The 12 VoIP operators have protested against the government policy to limit the number of operators. In a bid to resolve the problem, the government has proposed that the other operators set up joint operations with Gaharu and Atlassat.

But the 12 VoIP operators preferred to set up joint operations with Telkom's unit, arguing that the credibility and commitment of Gaharu and Atlassat were in doubt.

A source said that the minister of communications was believed to be backing Gaharu and Atlassat.

The directorate general of post and telecommunications recently barred the 12 operators from pursuing a deal with Telkom's unit to set up a joint operation business.

Experts said that the move has created new uncertainty in the sector since according to Ministerial Decree No. 23/2002, companies that are granted licenses to operate VoIPs are free to cooperate with any company.