Indonesia

Telkom selects TRG for WiMAX solution

On 03.12.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: PT Teknologi Riset Global (TRG) has been selected by PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom) to supply a national 802.16d WiMAX solution in the recently freed up 3.3GHz band. PT Teknologi Riset Global (TRG) is an affiliate of leading Indonesian infrastructure developer the Indonesian Tower Group.

The announcement has been made a ministry decree calling on operators to migrate from the 3.5GHz to 3.3GHz band. The ministry has also asked to stick with 802.16d accredited technology.

According to the telco, it has already deployed TRG’s WiMAX solution in four regions: West Java, Jakarta, Sumatra Island and Kalimantan Island.

TRG has been working with Canada’s Tranzeo Wireless Technologies Inc to integrate WiMAX equipment for Indonesian carriers with licensed spectrum at 2.3GHz and 3.3GHz. Tranzeo Wireless manufactures wireless broadband and WiMAX communication systems from its base in British Columbia.

Tagged with: 3.5G • 3G • ASIA • Canada • Indonesia • operator • PT Telekom • PT Telekomunikasi • PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia • WiMAX

Qatar Telecom reports increase in turnover

On 03.09.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Consolidated group financial and operational results for 2009 has been posted by Qatar Telecom in which 20.5% increase in the net profit attributable to shareholders has been revealed, going up from up from QAR2.3 billion in 2008 to QAR2.8 billion (USD765 million) in the full-year. The company showed 15.1 percent increase in the EBITDA going up to QAR 11.3 billion.

The consolidated customer base of the group stood at 60.5 million at December 31, 2009. Entry of Qtel’s first mobile competitor, Vodafone Qatar affected the domestic EBITDA which fell to QAR3.3 billion.

The Indonesian unit of the company, Indosat’s subscriber base at end-December 2009 stood at 33.7 million, down from 37.0 million a year earlier. Removal of a significant proportion of the lower-value, calling card type behavior subscribers’ from its base over the twelve-month period has been cited as reason behind this decrease.

The total active subscribers of Asiacell increased by 20.4% during 2009 as a result of which the year closed at 7.35 million, revenue increased by 40.4% to QAR4.0 billion and EBITDA increased by 43.9% to QAR2.2 billion.

Tagged with: ASIA • Asiacell • EBITDA • Indonesia • Indosat • Middle East • Net Profit • Qatar • Qatar Telecom • Qtel • Vodafone

Hutchison Telecom’s customer base reaches 12.8m

On 03.05.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: With an annual growth of approximately 98% on a like-for-like basis, 6.3 million customers has been added by Hong Kong based Hutchison Telecom, taking its customer base to approximately 12.8 million. The relaunch of the operators business in Vietnam and ongoing expansion of the network coverage in Indonesia paved the way for this massive expansion in the subscribers’ numbers.

Larger Indonesia operation and the revenue generated by the newly launched GSM services in Vietnam led to the rise in the revenue by 2.7% year-on-year to US$239 million. With the disposal of the Group’s entire indirect stake in Israel’s Partner Communications, ¬the net profit for the year increased from US$239 million to US$817 million.

According to Dennis Lui, Chief Executive Officer of Hutchison Telecom, 2009 saw the Group unlock significant shareholder value again and the company has created, maximized and delivered value for its shareholders over the five years since listing – an achievement that has been based on pursuing carefully chosen opportunities with a measured approach. Mr. Lui also revealed that Hutchison will continue to work on building out its principal growth markets to a fully competitive state.

Hutchison Whampoa, a majority shareholder in the company is currently in the process of being taken off the stock market.

Tagged with: ASIA • GSM • Hong Kong • Hutchison • Hutchison Telecom • Hutchison Whampoa • Indonesia • Israel • operator • Partner Communications • Vietnam

Mobile-8, Smart join hands to form SmartFren (Indonesia)

On 03.05.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Indonesian telcos Mobile-8 Telecom and Smart Telecom have joined hands to work under a new brand name SmartFren. Mobile-8 Telecom currently markets its services under the banner Fren. The signing of the agreement between the two companies has been confirmed by Mobile-8 corporate secretary Chris Taufik in an Indonesia Stock Exchange transparency report.

Cost efficiency in each entity in several joint activities including promotions has been one of the considerations for the cooperation agreement between the two firms and both the companies are hopeful that their subscribers’ base will double by the end of this year as a result of this tie-up.

Mobile-8 had three million subscribers as at December 31, 2010, compared to 2.5 million subscribers for Smart Telecom.

Tagged with: ASIA • Indonesia • Smart Telecom • SmartFren

SingTel to invest in Telkom’s infrastructure unit (Indonesia)

On 02.22.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel) has expressed its interest in making investments an infrastructure unit of Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom) if foreign investments in telecommunications infrastructure sector are allowed by the government. Dayamitra Telekomunikasi (Mitratel) has been eyed by SingTel.

Five sectors including telecommunications infrastructure sector has been opened for foreign investments from March. 54 telecommunications towers are operated by Mitratel in West Java, Riau, Kalimantan and Batam. SingTel and Telkom are currently in talks about transferring ownership of 30,000 towers from Telkom’s mobile unit Telkomsel to Mitratel.

35 percent stake in Telkomsel is held by SingTel with Telkom holding the remainder. Transfer some 2,000 towers has also been planned by Telkom. However, the Indonesian Telecommunication Society (Mastel) has called on the government to cancel the plan to open the telecommunications sector to foreign investment.

Tagged with: ASIA • Indonesia • Riau • Singapore • Singapore Telecommunications • SingTel • Telekom • Telekomunikasi Indonesia • Telkomsel • West Java

Indosat might be acquired by XL Axiata (Indonesia)

On 02.19.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Indonesia’s second largest mobile operator, Indosat might be acquired by XL Axiata by the end of 2010. Strong subscriber and revenue growth has been aimed by XL Axiata this year and it has also been confirmed by the company that dividend payments were likely to resume this year following a return to profit in 2009.

86.5% of XL Axiata is owned by Malaysia’s Axiata Group and 13.3% is owned by Etisalat of the UAE while the remaining 0.2% is publicly held.

Tagged with: Acquire • ASIA • Axiata group • Etisalat • Indonesia • Indosat • Malaysia • operator • UAE • XL Axiata

Qtel signs framework agreement with NSN

On 02.10.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: A global purchasing agreement has been signed between Qatar based Qtel and Nokia Siemens Networks covering its various international networks. Indonesia, Kuwait, Maldives, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Algeria and Palestine have the subsidiaries of the company. The initial term of the agreement is one year and may be extended at Qtel International’s option for up to two additional years.

According to Dr. Nasser Marafih, chief executive officer of The Qtel Group, partnership for the future will ensure the highest quality of network development supporting the firms strategy for business growth and the support of Nokia Siemens Networks will provide essential resources as they continue to enhance their operations.

Standard terms and volume-based discounted pricing for network equipment will be available to companies under the agreement.

Tagged with: Africa • Algeria • Indonesia • Kuwait • LG • Maldives • Nokia • Nokia Siemens • Palestine • Qatar • Saudi Arabia • Tunisia

Subscriber base of mobile operators in Asia grew rapidly in 2009

On 02.09.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: With an increase of 23%, a combined regional mobile customer base of 285 million has been reported by Singapore’s SingTel by December 31, 2009 which is 52 million more than a year ago. 8.4 million mobile customers has been added by Bharti India which is again 8.1 million a more than a quarter ago.

Indonesia’s Telkomsel’s mobile customer base grew by 25 per cent, or 16.3 million from a year ago, to 81.6 million. Philippines based Globe added 117,000 customers in the quarter and AIS’ mobile customer base grew 4.7 per cent, or 1.3 million, to 28.8 million.

Even Bangladesh based Warid’s total mobile customer base rose to 18.8 million as at December 31, 2009. Optus’ postpaid customer base grew a record 164,000 during the quarter, resulting in the postpaid customer base exceeding 4 million as at 31 December 2009.

Tagged with: ASIA • Bangladesh • Bharti • India • Indonesia • operator • Optus • Philippines • Singapore • SingTel • Telkomsel

Internux’s BWA service garners Telkom interest

On 01.28.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: PTInternux’s won operated zone, broadband wireless access (BWA), has garnered the interest of Indonesian operator Telkom which has expressed its desire to acquire the service zone. According to Telkom marketing and communication vice president Eddy Kurnia, the zone has prospects but the company must study it first.

Service zone, covering Banten, Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi was won by PT Internux but it failed to make payment for the rights to use of 2.3GHz BWA frequency band. However, the government has extended the deadline for the payment until 20 February 2010.

Tagged with: 3G • ASIA • BWA • Indonesia • Jakarta • operator • PTInternux

Satellite product portfolio to be developed by Telkom (Indonesia)

On 01.28.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom), Indonesia’s largest telecoms group by subscribers and revenue, has expressed its aspiration to develop a suite of satellite-delivered products.

To materialize this goal, a delegation of officials including five Telkom employees and two from the National Flight and Space Agency has been sent to study in the Telecom-3 orbiter factory in Russia for 18 months.

According to company president Rinaldi Firmansyah, the cooperation includes the usage of satellite image data provided by the space agency to fulfill Telkom’s needs in planning, operating, maintaining and marketing.

Tagged with: ASIA • Indonesia • North America • PT Telekomunikasi • Russia • Telkom • USA