Indonesia's communications giant PT Indonesian Satellite Corporation (Indosat) on Wednesday reported a 21.4 percent profit rise to 1.389 trillion rupiah (186 million dollars).
The company said sales rose to a value of 2.731 trillion rupiah in 1999 from 2.108 trillion rupiah in 1998, boosted by a 44.2 percent rise in cellular telephone users and tariff hikes.
It said its telephone traffic fell to 644.7 million minutes compared to 710.4 million minutes the previous year, a decline of 9.2 percent, with incoming traffic at 359.6 million minutes as against 366.5 million.
"The contraction of 9.2 percent in total telephone traffic is mainly due to the ongoing economic crisis in Indonesia although in some cases we can see recovery is on the way as signalled by a stronger rupiah exchange rate against the dollar," company president Indra Setiawan said.
He added that, in line with the growing global demand for data communication, high speed leased line services grew to 756 lines from 613.
The company also said its Internet service provider IndosatNet reported 41,231 retail subscribers, giving it a third, and leading, market share.
In addition, Indosat claimed 86.4 percent market share in the international market.
But operating costs were also up year on year, by 20.1 percent to 1.202 trillion rupiah.
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