Asia Express - Data Communications
WiMAX Development in Asia August 9-15
August 12, 2010
Indonesia's MoCI (Ministry of Communication and Information Technology) had rescinded the permits held by three of eight licensed WiMAX carriers in the country, according to a Jakarta Post report on July 24, 2010. The three companies, PT Rahajasa Media Internet, PT Internux, and a business consortium of PT Comtronics Systems and PT Adiwarta Perdania, had failed to pay permit fees and frequency charges.

It is reported that the Indonesian government will open a new round of tender for the unused licenses. The new tender is projected to cover WiMAX development in seven of 15 zones: zone 4 (Banten and Greater Jakarta), zone 5 (West Java excluding Bekasi, Bogor and Depok), zone 6 (Central Java), zone 7 (East Java), zone 9 (Papua), zone 10 (Maluku and North Maluku), and zone 15 (Riau).

At present, there are four carriers developing WiMAX in Indonesia, including PT First Media, PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia, PT Indosat Mega Media, and PT Jasnita Telekomindo. The remaining company, PT Berca Hardayaperkasa, has been fined for not being able to pay permit fees and frequency charges on time.

2.3GHz and 3.3GHz spectrums have been allocated for wireless broadband services in Indonesia. The 2.3GHz spectrum, in particular, is reserved for WiMAX 802.16d technology.