Indonesian Cellular Operator Gets International Fixed-line License (Indonesia)The Indonesian government has awarded cellular call operator PT Bakrie Telecom a license to operate international fixed-line call services, a senior government official told reporters Monday.”We awarded the license to Bakrie Telecom as the company meets all the requirement to operate the services,” Director General of Post and Telecommunication Basuki Yusuf Iskandar told reporters.
As part of the license, Bakrie will have to develop a fixed-line gateway to allow international calls to be made.
“We will give Bakrie Telecom five years to build its first network and international gateway connecting Batam, Singapore and the U.S.,” Iskandar said, adding that U.S.-based Verizon Communications will assist Bakrie in the development of the gateway. He didn’t elaborate.
He added that the government will fine the company if it fails to build the gateway within the five-year period.
He didn’t specify how big the fine would be.
Bakrie will also be obliged to develop a network that will connect Kupang, a city in East Nusatenggara, to Darwin in a second five-year period.
“So, within ten years, we expect the company will have a solid backbone to support its business,” he said, adding that Bakrie may start developing the networks this year and commercialize the services in three years.
He said that for the first five years, Bakrie will need to spend IDR222.899 billion to build the international gateway.
Two other cellular phone companies - PT Excelcomindo Pratama and unlisted PT Natrindo - failed to get the license.
Bakrie Telecom is controlled by the Bakrie Group conglomerate.
