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10-Fold Increase: Indonesia's Internet Speed Transformation in the Digital Era

  Editorial INTI     29 hari yang lalu
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Jakarta, INTI - In the last decade, Indonesia has made significant progress in building its information and communication technology infrastructure. These efforts aim to reduce the digital divide across the country, especially between urban and rural areas. Minister of Communication and Informatics, Budi Arie Setiadi, stated that internet speed in Indonesia has drastically increased since 2014, from 2.5 Mbps to 25 Mbps in 2024.

"This is a 10-fold increase, and we hope to reach the target of 100 Mbps in the next five years," said Budi Arie during the live program "Obrolan Newsroom" by Kompas.com at Menara Kompas, Central Jakarta, on Monday (October 7, 2024).

Despite the increase in internet speed, the biggest challenge faced today is the unequal distribution of internet connectivity between urban centers and rural areas. This issue is primarily caused by the halted construction of 4G Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) in several regions. Budi Arie added that one of the main factors holding back progress is the stalled BTS project.

Quick Action by the Minister: Unraveling the 4G BTS Issue

Since taking office as Minister of Communication and Informatics on July 17, 2023, Budi Arie has worked swiftly to expedite the completion of the delayed 4G BTS construction project. According to him, one of the top priorities is resolving the legal and technical issues hindering the project's continuation.

"President Jokowi has given me direct instructions to resolve the legal and technical aspects of the 4G BTS construction. We need to act quickly to prevent this project from stalling because the public deserves internet access," he explained.

Budi Arie also formed a Task Force under the Telecommunications and Information Accessibility Agency (BAKTI), which works across sectors involving various parties, such as the Ministry of Finance, the Attorney General's Office for Civil and Administrative Affairs (Jamdatun), the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP), and the National Public Procurement Agency (LKPP). Intense coordination with regional government leaders (Forkopimda), particularly the military and police, is also being conducted to speed up the BTS construction in Papua.

Challenges in Papua's Remote Areas

The construction of 4G BTS in Papua, known for its remote and difficult-to-access areas, faces significant geographic challenges. One example is the shooting incident in 2022 that killed eight telecom workers in Puncak Regency, Papua, which delayed the maintenance of Palapa Ring infrastructure.

Additionally, in 2023, workers building a BAKTI BTS in Papua were taken hostage and some were assaulted. Acts of vandalism also frequently occur on newly built infrastructure.

"These incidents are very concerning because this infrastructure is built for the welfare of the public. Therefore, we urge the entire community to help protect the infrastructure built for mutual advancement," he added.

Progress of 4G BTS Construction and Internet Access

Despite ongoing challenges, the Ministry of Communication and Informatics, through BAKTI, has successfully constructed 6,663 operational 4G BTS towers as of June 2024. Additionally, 18,697 internet access points have been provided to serve public needs, including schools, government offices, healthcare facilities, and community centers.

Statistics show that these access points are distributed across:

  • 8,836 schools
  • 5,182 government offices
  • 2,606 healthcare facilities
  • 743 community centers
  • 674 places of worship

The Future of Internet Access in Indonesia

Looking at these achievements, the Minister is optimistic that Indonesia can achieve the target of 100 Mbps internet speed in the next five years. However, he emphasized that the effort to equalize internet access across the nation remains a major task to be addressed.

In a world that is becoming increasingly digital, equitable and fast internet access is one of the keys to driving economic growth and connecting people in remote areas of Indonesia to the rest of the world. Successfully completing the 4G BTS project is expected to bring Indonesia one step closer to achieving a digital transformation.

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