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Two of the country’s biggest telecommunications companies, PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia and PT Indosat, are set to go head-to-head in the new market for mobile digital television, which arrived on Monday in some parts of Jakarta.

Fredy Tulung, the Communication and Information Technology Ministry’s director general of mobile and digital communications, said the government had issued two interim mobile digital TV licenses. “These are for the Tren mobile TV consortium and the Telkom consortium.”

Tren Mobile TV is a consortium formed by MNC group, RCTI, TPI, Globaltv, and Indovision — all of which are subsidiaries of media mogul Hari Tanoesuibyo’s company, PT Global Mediacom — with Indosat as its strategic partner.

Two Telkom subsidiaries — the country’s biggest cellular provider, PT Telkomsel, and itspay-TV operator, Telkomvision ­— will as part of the trial provide eight channels, including CNN and National Geographic.

Fredy said the era of mobile digital TV had finally arrived in Indonesia, and he added that the two operators were obliged to familiarize the public with the service by providing it free of charge before definitive licenses for its commercial rollout were issued.

“It’s government policy to encourage Indonesians to migrate from analog to digital,” Communication and Information Technology Minister Muhammad Nuh said during a ceremony to mark the launch.

Starting on Monday, residents of Central and South Jakarta will have access to mobile digital TV provided by both consortiums for free. A high-end cellphone equipped with DHV technology is required for viewing.

By mid-August, people in Greater Jakarta should also have access to mobile digital TV provided by Tren.

“Telkom has invested about $1 million to get to the trial stage,” said Ermady Dahlan, Telkom’s network director. “To cover the Greater Jakarta area and the commercial rollout of mobile digital TV in the first half next year, the company will invest between $6 million and $7 million on infrastructure and equipment.”