NEW DELHI, India—Use of the ACeS satellite-based mobile-phone service in Asia Pacific is growing rapidly. Use of ACeS satellite phones increased to 3.7 million minutes in March and to 9.6 million minutes for the first quarter of 2002, up from about 1 million minutes in the first quarter of 2001.
“The increase is attributable to the launch of fixed mobile service using ACeS in Indonesia in the fall of 2001 and the subsequent launches of fixed services in the Philippines and Thailand late last year. Continued growth of mobile service—from both subscriptions and the implementation of live roaming agreements—also contributed to the increase,” the company said while announcing first quarter results on Tuesday.
Of the total 9.6 million minutes use in the first quarter of 2002, Indonesia alone accounted for 5.6 million units. Pasifik Satelit Nusantara (PSN) is the service provider in Indonesia, offering services under the brand names of BYRU (mobile cellular using satellite) and PASTI (fixed wireless using satellite). PSN’s revenues from the two services in the first quarter of 2002 were US$1.35 million.
PSN is among the key investors in ACeS, which is a satellite-based communication system providing digital voice services to and from handheld, mobile and fixed terminals in the region. Other investors are Lockheed Martin, PLDT of the Philippines and Jasmine of Thailand.
