Surabaya Told to Form Municipal Goverment-Owned Telecommunication Firm

Surabaya (Antara Jatim) - The Surabaya city government should set up a municipal government-owned telecommunication company to control the rapidly growing telecommunication business in the city, a local legislator said.

"It seems that the city government had found it hard to control (the telecommunication business) because it is not involved in the procurement and operation (of telecommunication facilities). As a matter of fact, telecommunication is currently very important and is part of the people's primary needs," Chief of the Commission A for Legal and Administration Affairs at the Surabaya City Legislative Council  Herlina Harsono Njoto said here on Tuesday.

In controlling the telecommunication business, the Surabaya urban development and spatial planning office which has the authority to issue licenses has often come under the spotlight, he said.

In fact, to determine zones the authority rests with the communication and information office, he said.

"The communication and information office plays an important role in controlling it. Therefore, there should be synergy between the two offices," he said.

The city government should be involved in controlling telecommunication apparatuses, ranging from arranging telecommunication towers, to microcell because the network mostly uses optic fibers.

Most of the optic fibers are planted in the land most of which belongs to the city government, he said. (*)