Syahrial Ali’s Blog

Hi, for all of you who are careful enough to monitor Indonesian telecommunication cellular business may feel strange with the released of Hepi, a fixed wireless access services from Mobile-8. As you know, Mobile-8 has launched a Fren since a few years ago. Why this company requests another type of CDMA license, FWA?

Actually, there are two kinds of CDMA licenses in Indonesia. First, the mobile CDMA or Cellular CDMA and the second one is Fixed Wireless Access CDMA. The latter is commonly known as limited mobility (FWA-LIMO).

There are several differences between two licenses as below.

In terms of services, the subscriber of cellular CDMA can be served in countrywide, while FWA subscriber is for one area code only. You can see it from its MDN (Mobile Directory Number). Cellular CDMA has first digit 0 in his/her phone number, while the FWA CDMA numbers like the home phone number. Thus, any caller needs to dial 0 (zero) if he/she wants to call the cellular subs. For instance, 089xxxxxxx, 08811xxxxxx. Meanwhile someone from local fixed line just dials directly the FWA subs number if he/she wants to make a call.

What’s the effect of this numbering scheme? In cellular CDMA, you can go anywhere in the country and you can be called as long as your network operator coverage covers that area. On the other hand, the FWA subs does not have this facility. They have to change their number if they move to different area code, and its keep changing you go through different area code. The number will be back your original number if you are back in your home location. That’s very confusing for the user.

However, the main differences with regards to business case is the spectrum levy. This is why a cellular CDMA operator requests another type of license (FWA) to the regulator. The spectrum levy for cellular CDMA is six times of the FWA. Hence, the FWA tariff can be very low.

So, which one do you choose? Cellular CDMA with the easiness of making a call but higher tariff or the fixed wireless access CDMA with complicated numbering scheme but with cheaper tariff? I believe that the telecommunication customers in Indonesia will always choose the best operator that can provide excellent services without considering the licensing type.

Long time ago we had an address of our house as our identity. Anyone who wants to send any news, letter will send it to our house address. Next come a social security number, where people are distinguished by their SSN. When the phone invented, then we also had a new identity, namely our house phone number.

In the era of information technology, new identity was introduced i.e email address. Anyone who wants to send some information to you, the will send it through email address. The process of sending information through email is straight forward. Distance becomes blur.

In mobility era, mobile phone plays a great role. Almost all VIPs have a mobile phone with them. They will use this apparatus to communicate with or to be contacted by other. Hence most people will be known by his mobile number.

Mobile number become an important number and no VIP person who want to change them. There are lots of disadvantages when some one change his mobile numbers. Firstly, they have top change their name card. Secondly, they have to inform every business partners in order to keep contact with them. Besides that, their friends and colleagues will have difficulties in reaching them as the contact number has been changed. The only advantage that someone change his/her phone number is when he/she wants to hide from others. In shorts, keeping mobile number is beneficial than changing it.

In the long run, mobile number will become everyone identity. When mobile lifestyle go through low economic level, then everyone will be known by his/her phone number.

Have you ever made a test case when you forgot to bring your mobile phone? How do you feel? VIP person will be back home to take their mobile because it has become an important equipment that should always with you all the time. That’s a mobile lifestyle.

In conclusion, mobile phone along with its number is becoming an important identity for all.