By Qtel

The successful completion of two major telecommunications infrastructure projects by Indosat, part of the Qtel Group, will deliver major enhancements to the quality and reliability of communications in Indonesia and the wider region, it was announced today.

Indosat has successfully launched operations for its Submarine Cable Jakabare and the Satellite Palapa D, dual communication systems that will provide the network backbone to full coverage for Indonesia and ensure better interconnection with other ASEAN countries, the Asia Pacific region and Australia, as well as with the Middle East.

The launches have been fully supported by the Qtel Group, which holds an effective 65 percent stake in Indosat, as a part of the important strategic goal of enhancing network infrastructure for Indonesia. Dignitaries at the launch include the Minister of Communications and Informatics of the Republic of Indonesia, Tifatul Sembiring, and Indosat President Director and CEO, Harry Sasongko.

His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Bin Saud Al Thani, Qtel Chairman and Indosat President Commissioner, said: “The improved communication environment delivered by these twin infrastructure investments will make an important contribution to the lives of the people of Indonesia, enhancing quality and reliability at a local, regional and even global level. We share in the pride of our colleagues in Indosat at these twin technological breakthroughs, and offer our thanks to everyone who has participated in these momentous and challenging achievements.”

Submarine Cable Jakabare is a submarine cable system stretching more than 1,300 kilometres that connects Jakarta (Java island),   Pontianak (Kalimantan Island), Batam and Singapore. By deploying this submarine cable system, Indosat adds an additional bandwidth capacity of 80 Gbps to its network, providing the foundations to offer advanced IP and non-IP technology services.

The Jakabare network has four landing points at each island, Tanjung Pakis (Karawang, Jawa Barat), Sungai Kakap (Pontianak, Kalimantan Barat), Tanjung Bemban (Batam), and Changi (Singapore). It deploys an advanced fibre-optic system which ensures that it has sufficient capacity to accommodate the growing network demand within the region, and also has built-in redundancy, so that cable cuts or disconnections will have limited impact on the network.

Satellite Palapa D was launched at Xichang, China on August 31, 2009, at major ceremony attended by Qtel Chairman and Indosat President Commissioner H.E. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Bin Saud Al Thani and Dr. Nasser Marafih, CEO of Qtel. The satellite was produced by Thales Alenia Space France (TAS-F) for Indosat.

Using  Thales Alenia Space Spacebus 4000B3 platform,  the satellite provides bigger capacity and more power than the  previous facility, and is now capable of providing satellite coverage for  Indonesia,  ASEAN countries, the Asia Pacific, Middle East and Australia.

The Satellite and Cable systems have been designed to operate together as an integrated solution, providing full coverage across Indonesia for voice, data and valued-added communications.

Among the benefits planned for the Indonesian market are a series of new enterprise solutions for corporate customers, as well as enhanced services for residential customers and consumers.

Palapa D services provided by Indosat and its subsidiaries include Transponder Lease for broadcasting services and   cellular backhaul as basic service, VSAT service, DigiBouquet, Telecast Service, VSAT-IP, Internet access through satellite with DVB-RCS technology, and   Internet Broadband access through satellite. Almost all television stations in Indonesia are now using Indosat Satellite Palapa D as the basis for their services.

Ongoing support for the expansion of Indonesia's telecommunications infrastructure is a reflection of the growing fraternal links between the Middle East and East Asian region, particularly in the telecommunications sector. Qatar in particular is forging ahead, with Qtel operating as the first Middle Eastern ‘consolidator' in Asia.