Indonesia plans to announce new regulations for the distribution of licences for third generation (3G) mobile phone services in the near future, a minister said on June 10. The licence would allow cellular operators like PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia Tbk (Telkom) and PT Indosat Tbk to use a specified frequency to provide cutting edge services such as over-the-air Internet and video phone.
"We will announce it soon. The important things are there will be legal certainties for investors, investment climate guaranteed and the mechanism will be competitive enough," Communications Minister Sofjan Djalil told Reuters by telephone.
But he declined to elaborate with further details about the distribution mechanism, or comment on whether the new mechanism would affect licences given to two telephone companies last year.
Those were granted under a different government to two small firms - regional mobile phone company PT Natrindo Telepon Seluler, and PT Cyber Access Communications, which is due to begin operations next year. In March, Djalil said those licences were not granted in a transparent way.
The top three telecommunication companies in Indonesia, Telkom, Indosat and unlisted PT Excelcomindo Pratama, have not yet obtained licences for 3G technology.