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BRI to launch satellite to reach remote areas
People take advantage of a BRI mobile cash service visiting the Lanang market in Semarang, Central Java
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People take advantage of a BRI mobile cash service visiting the Lanang market in Semarang, Central Java. The service helps provide education for residents to save and simplify a variety of transactions. (Kompas) (Kompas)
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span class="inline inline-center">People take advantage of a BRI mobile cash service visiting the Lanang market in Semarang, Central Java. The service helps provide education for residents to save and simplify a variety of transactions. (Kompas)
Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) is developing a special unit to operate its satellite, to be launched in June 2016, to increase its network of ATM machines, especially to remote islands.
Randi Anto, BRI director of compliance, said that the information and technology (IT) center for operating the satellite would be located in Ragunan, South Jakarta. A team of 12 technicians, who are currently in a training program in the US, will lead the IT center.
'We're working with San Francisco-based Space Systems Loral in developing the satellite,' Randi told the press in London on Wednesday.
The most profitable bank in Indonesia, which currently has 21,000 ATM machines nationwide, was spending US$200 million to build the satellite, Randi said.
It would serve the bank for 17 years, meaning that Bank BRI would be spending US$11.8 million a year for the network, a lower figure than if the bank rented a satellite for US$37.2 million annually, he added.
According to Randi, BRI had obtained a special permit from the government to own and operate the satellite. French company Ariane has been chosen to arrange the launching.
'With the new satellite we are confident about providing more ATM machines and branch offices across remote regions in Indonesia,' he asserted, adding that BRI was no longer depending on satellite providers owned by external parties, where technological problems were not under the BRI's control. (dan)(+)
