TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Alex J. Sinaga, president director of state-owned telecommunication company PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom), said the Telkom 4 satellite will be launched ahead of the schedule.
“There’s a possibility that the [launch] schedule will be earlier,” Alex said at the Communications and Information Ministry in Jakarta today, Sept. 12.
Read: Telkom 1 Satellite Network Glitch Shuts ATMs Down
Alex revealed that the launch date was changed to August 17, 2018. The new satellite will be launched to replace Telkom 1.
Alex denied that Telkom 1 was destroyed to pieces. “Telkom 1 can still engage in telemetry communications with the Cibinong Control Center to this date,” he said.
However, he revealed Telkom will shut the satellite down. Alex added that the shutdown process is still being reviewed by the Telkom. “I can’t confirm the exact date,” he said.
Earlier, the Telkom 1 satellite malfunctioned due to a pointing antenna shift causing disruptions of transponder services. As a result, several television stations and ATMs went offline.
M JULNIS FIRMANSYAH
