Starlink Driving Mobile Operator Innovation, According to Minister of Communication and Information Budi Arie

Jakarta, INTI – The Minister of Communication and Information of the Republic of Indonesia, Budi Arie Setiadi, welcomes the presence of Starlink service in Indonesia. According to him, Starlink's presence can trigger mobile operators to innovate and provide better services.

"This also poses a challenge for all mobile operators in Indonesia to immediately innovate and also to provide better services to the public," said Minister of Communication and Information Budi Arie during the Tech A Look Discussion on CNBC Indonesia TV online from the Ministry of Communication and Information Office in Central Jakarta on Thursday (04/18/2024).

The Minister explained that continuously evolving technology always brings disruption. One of them is Starlink, which brings new technology in the field of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity.

"The development of new technology is always disruptive, and Starlink is one of those disrupting with its LEO satellite technology," he said.

The Minister emphasized the importance of satellite connectivity in Indonesia to serve areas that cannot be reached by fiber optic infrastructure networks.

"With the uniqueness of our geographical conditions, the choice of technology cannot be uniform. In cities, we may use optics, but for rural or 3T areas, satellite technology may be more economical," he explained.

To create equal competition among telecommunications service providers, Minister of Communication and Information Budi Arie ensured that Starlink must comply with the rules and regulations in Indonesia.

According to him, the Government will not give privileges to Starlink and will provide fair treatment to all telecommunications companies.

"We do not provide favoritism, but we also provide fair treatment to all companies operating in the telecommunications sector," he asserted.

The Presence of Starlink Expected to Drive Better Innovation and Services

The presence of Starlink in Indonesia is expected to encourage mobile operators to innovate and provide better services to the public. This is important to ensure that all Indonesian people can access the internet easily and affordably.

The Government will continue to monitor the development of Starlink services in Indonesia and ensure that the services comply with applicable rules and regulations.