Tender Price Ceiling for Packet 1 7 2 USO Not Economical - Government Expected to Apply Bundling Packet

Experts and telecommunication businessmen said that the withdrawal of Telkom and Telkomsel from the participation of packet 1 & 2 universal service obligation (USO) tender was partly due to the government's fault. Mastel Chairman Setyanto P Santoso stated that the withdrawal of Telkom and Telkomsel from the tender participation was normal since the project was less profitable, and it would affect Telkom's performance at large. Gunawan Wibisono, a Telecommunication observers from University of Indonesia stated that bundling program was necessary to avoid companies such as Telkom and Telkomsel to only pick USO packet that was profitable for them. Gunawan explained that tender for less prospective area such as Papua should be bundled with that of commercial area such as Jabodetabek. With the existing pattern of tender, there should be increase in tender price ceiling for areas such as Papua. / Bisnis Indonesia, pg I7