Telkomsel Pledges to Contribute to Acceleration of Border Area Development

Kupang, E Nusa Tenggara Antara NTT) - The country`s largest cellular phone operator Telkomsel said it would help accelerate economic development in frontier and outermost areas of Indonesia.

The subsidiary of state-owned telecommunications company PT Telkom, said it would expand its telecommunication networks to isolated areas.

"Over the past year, Telkomsel has built more than 120 new units of base transceiver station (BTS) in border areas bringing the total number to 753 units of BTS in operation in border areas," its chief executive Ririek Adriansyah said here on Friday.

Ririek said all Indonesians have equal right to the telecommunications facility. "It is our responsibility to help sustain the unity of the country by expanding and opening access to telecommunication services for all Indonesian areas including frontier areas," he said.

The expansion of telecommunications networks to cover all areas in the country is to free all Indonesian areas from isolation and backwardness, he said.

He said the 753 units of BTS are located in seven border areas -- 17 units in Batam and Bintan which share border with Singapore, 276 units in Dumai, Rokan, Karimun, Anambas, West Kalimantan, North Kalimantan, northern Sumatra , Rokan Hilir, which share borders with Malaysia; 70 units in Natuna and Anambas which shares borders with Vietnam, 210 units in East Nusa Tenggara which shares border with Timor Leste; 66 units in the island of Rote and Maluku, which share borders with Australia; 70 units in North Sulawesi, which shares border with the Philippines and 44 units in eastern Papua which shares border with Papua New Guinea.

Among the 753 units of BTS, 240 units are located in areas , previously had no access to telecommunication services, he added.

In several points, Telkomsel cooperates with the government in community development , he said, adding in some border areas, 177 units of BTS have been equipped with the technology of 3G and 4G mobile broadband to provide greater convenience for consumers.

Ririek said the facility is expected to contribute to acceleration of economic and community development in border areas.

The presence of Telkomsel in frontier areas and outermost regions is a form of contribution of the company to the government in its efforts to open all isolated areas and create greater social justice.

Improved social justice would strengthen the national integrity amid the global political and economic turbulence, the government has said.

Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world that national integrity is more vulnerable, therefore, the government is very concerned with increasing its presence in border areas, observers said.

Altogether, Telkomsel already has more than 146,000 units of all over the country covering around 95 percent of the vast archipelago. More than 96,000 units of the BTS are 4G and 3G BTS which guarantee good quality of data service.