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First Media stops sale of Bolt internet service amid uncertainty
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A model poses near a screen displaying the First Media logo. (kontan.co.id/Cheppy A Muchlis)
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T First Media, the parent company of mobile internet provider Bolt PT Internux, has stopped the sale of the 4G LTE Bolt internet device amid uncertainty over the future of the service after the Communications and Information Ministry revoked the frequency permits used for the service.
“For the time being, the corporations will not conduct any sales, neither for top-up nor post-paid services, until we get clear guidance from the ministry,” said Internux president director Dicky Moechtar, as reported by kontan.co.id on Wednesday.
The ministry has revoked the permits of First Media and Internux, which have been using the 2.3 GHz frequency after winning an auction for the frequency. Unpaid frequency fees reportedly amounted to Rp 364.84 billion (US$24.93 million) for First Media and Rp 343.57 billion for Internux.
The revocation was based on Article 21 of Communications and Information Ministry Regulation No. 9/2018, which states that permits will be revoked if the holders do not pay the frequency fees for two years.
The ministry, however, announced on Monday that it had suspended its plan to prohibit the company from using then frequency, as the companies promised to pay the fees through installments.
“We see that both companies are committed […] to start paying the fees beginning this year. All unpaid fees would be paid by 2020,” said ministry spokesman Fernandus Setu, referring to First Media and Internuk, which are under the control of Lippo Group. (bbn)
