Telkom launches Mojopia as platform for web services

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 11/06/2009 2:36 PM

Indonesia's largest telecommunication company, PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom), launched on Thursday a web portal called Mojopia that would serve as a platform for online shopping, content and communication.

Mojopia aims to revolutionize the domestic e-commerce industry through providing various web applications that can be used for online transactions between customers and vendors.

The web portal will also serve as a content aggregator and communication platform for internet users. The web portal is currently under construction. The beta version is expected to be available by the end of the year under the address of www.mojopia.com.

"Telkom as an infrastructure provider and Mojopia as an e-commerce portal and content aggregator will open access to various types of communication that can be used by anyone, wherever and whenever," Telkom president director Rinaldi Firmansyah said.

Mojopia CEO Shinta Dhanuwardoyo said the web portal would ease the process of business transactions between customers and businesses, particularly those classified as small and medium enterprises.

""As the content industry and the e-commerce industry in Indonesia are growing, the launch of an integrated service provided by Mojopia and Telkom, would allow business players and Internet users to create an ecosystem that is based on trust and commitment," Shinta said.

Mojopia is operated by Telkom's subsidiary, PT Metranet, and part of the company's new approach.

Telkom's strategy to expand its operation in non core business is its latest move in efforts to maintain its position as the number one company in the industry despite a current downturn and an expected flattening out in the telecoms business.

Non core businesses include media operations, entertainment, software applications development and various Internet services.

The shift to non core businesses supporting telecommunication services is encapsulated in a new logo.

To support its new ambitions, the company is currently in the process of divesting several companies where Telkom was not the majority shareholder and to acquire firms in the core business areas, information and communication technology.

Rinaldi refused to disclose the names of the firms to be acquired, but said it had set aside a budget of Rp 1 trillion (US$106 million) for the acquisitions.