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LIPPO
GROUP Invests |
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LIPPO
GROUP Invests US$650 Millions in Multimedia
Jakarta, August 30, 2007 –
As the global chase for connectivity accelerates, Lippo Group
is pumping US$650 million into First Media, the group’s
broadband multimedia service provider. This announcement was
made today at a press conference held in South Jakarta.
The significant investment over the
next four years underlines the Group’s commitment to
building and developing an integrated information, communications,
and entertainment company. With its existing Hybrid Fiber
Coaxial network, which is by far the largest and most diversed
broadband network in Indonesia, the Group is continuously
and rapidly expanding its connectivity to reach Indonesians
at home, in their community, and at work.
The global entertainment and media
industries will grow up to US$1.8 trillion in the next couple
of years, and broadband will be the principal driver of access
spending, reported the Global Entertainment Media Outlook
2005-2009 issued by an international consulting firm.
“It is a very exciting industry
and First Media is building on this opportunity. We are positioning
ourselves to capitalize on what we all familiarly call the
“convergence” of different platforms for delivering
information and new experiences to the people,” said
First Media Chief Executive Officer Roberto F. Feliciano.
“Our company’s gateway and entertainment infrastructure
enables Indonesians to access and connect to global information
and entertainment wherever and whenever they need or want
it,” Feliciano added.
The company is aggressively expanding
and upgrading its network to deliver reliable, unlimited access,
and “always on” high speed internet services,
as well as exciting yet informative and educational pay TV
programs to over 1,000,000 homes by early 2009. Investments
in content for both internet and cable TV, high definition
TV (HDTV), bandwidth access solutions, shopping formats through
media, wireless, data communications storage, and telephony
systems are areas the company is working on. “We will
either develop these services ourselves or together with global
partners to provide the reliability and service quality levels
demanded by today’s market to remain competitive and
relevant. Indonesia’s huge, fast-growing yet untapped
market for broadband access underscores First Media’s
high potential value, particularly its digital Triple Play
ready network,” Feliciano explained.
PT First Media Tbk is a public company
listed on the Surabaya Stock Exchange and is Indonesia’s
major provider of broadband internet and cable TV programs
. Its current network covers Greater Jakarta, Surabaya, and
Bali.
The company operates under the brand
name “First Media,” which creates a total brand
experience for its residential customers, beginning with communications
and entertainment. It sets the stage for a vibrant LIFESTYLE
– globally connected, highly informed, and fast paced.
First Media defines the 21st Century urbanite at home with
technology – a branded vitality.
It is an idealistic step that a company
is willing to give its commitment in developing Internet access
and content or widely known as multimedia field. The US$650
million investment from First Media is hoped to immediately
break through the underdevelopment of Indonesians into becoming
advanced and prosperous people. Especially with the availability
of Internet in every house in Indonesia. Our hope as the Indonesian
Internet Provider Association is for the government’s
support with policies that are conducive to support Internet
development and also computer penetration throughout Indonesia.
We would like to congratulate First Media and wish you all
the best of luck, “said Sylvia Sumarlin, President of
the Internet Association of Indonesia.
Economic observer Didik J. Rachbini
said, “Investment on multimedia facilities and infrastructure
is needed in Indonesia because they are very useful for everyone.
This development is both instrumental and an opening to gain
information on education and knowledge, including other social
and political information. Entrepreneurs who invest in this
sector have actually given large contributions to this nation.”
First Media will launch its new products
on September 8. For product inquiries, please call our Call
Center at 55 77 77 88 or visit www.firstmedia.com
About PT First
Media Tbk
PT First Media Tbk (“The Company”) was established
in 1994. The Company changed its name several times, lastly,
from PT Broadband Multimedia Tbk before the present name PT
First Media Tbk. With the current network of 2,597 kilometers
of 2-way 750 MHz Hybrid Fiber Coaxial cable (HFC), the Company
is the largest provider of high speed broadband internet,
cable pay tv, and high-speed data communication services.
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