OMBUDSMAN TO STUDY GOVT'S INTERCONNECTION RATE POLICY

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 9 (Antara) - The Indonesian Ombudsman will study the government's plan to reduce the mobile communication interconnection fee.          The plan is being questioned by the country's largest mobile telecommunication operator, Telkomsel, but other operators in the country are supporting it.          The Indonesian Ombudsman will convene a plenary meeting to look into the matter following a report by the Indonesian Forum for Transparency (Fitra) on the planned reduction in the interconnection fee, or off-net tariff.          "We will hold a plenary meeting to see and decide the crucial points with regard to the government's plan," Indonesian Ombudsman Chairman Alamsyah Saragih informed in Jakarta on Wednesday (Sept 7).          Alamsyah questioned whether the government, in this case, the Ministry of Informatics and Communication (Kemenkominfo), had discussed it with the relevant parties or other cellular operators before deciding to cut the off-net rates.          As of now, subscribers pay interconnection fees, or off-net rates, when they use their phones to connect with telecommunication networks outside of the operator they subscribe to.