Many are celebrating the inauguration of the Palapa Ring network as it will ensure equitable internet access for all Indonesians.
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The Palapa Ring network must be utilized effectively to ensure equitable internet access in all regions of Indonesia.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Many are celebrating the inauguration of the Palapa Ring network as it will ensure equitable internet access for all Indonesians. Nevertheless, much work still needs to be done so that even those in remote regions will benefit from the Palapa Ring.
President Joko Widodo inaugurated the Palapa Ring internet network at the State Palace in Jakarta on Monday (14/10/2019). In a ceremony attended by House of Representatives Speaker Puan Maharani, Regional Representatives Council (DPD) Speaker La Nyalla Mattalitti and several regional heads, the President said the internet network should be utilized to improve people’s welfare.
The President said people could use the Palapa Ring network to boost trade by connecting various micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) with national and global marketplaces. “Local sources are now connected to national marketplaces, which are connected to global marketplaces,” he said.
Indonesian Telecommunication Network Providers Association (Apjatel) chairman Muhammad ArifAngga said the association appreciated the Palapa Ring’s inauguration. The project serves as the backbone of the government’s effort to ensure equitable infrastructure nationwide.
However, he stressed that even after the Palapa Ring’s completion, problems would still persist in ensuring equitable internet access. Ensuring deeper penetration of internet access is one such problem.
Indonesian Telecommunication Providers Association (ATSI) chairman Ririek Adriansyah said that various infrastructure components other than a backbone network, such as backhaul and transmitters, were necessary to ensure telecommunication access provision. “The Palapa Ring helps in providing a backbone network. Telecommunication operators still have to build other components in the infrastructure,” he said.
The President said the government would build 4,000 base transceiver stations (BTS) next year to support the Palapa Ring. Most of the BTS will be in eastern Indonesia, especially Papua.
Old project
During the Palapa Ring inauguration ceremony at the State Palace on Monday, Communications and Informatics Minister Rudiantara said the Palapa Ring was an old project. The plan to establish nationwide internet infrastructure first came up in 2005 but work began only in 2015.
The western part of the Palapa Ring was completed in 2018 and the central part in early 2019. The eastern section was only finished in August 2019.
Of 514 cities and regencies, all are connected through this infrastructure.
With the three sections, Indonesia now has internet infrastructure to connect all cities and regencies nationwide. “Of 514 cities and regencies, all are connected through this infrastructure,” Rudiantara said.
The eastern section of the Palapa Ring connects 51 regencies and cities in East Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, Papua and West Papua. The backbone network infrastructure comprises land fiber optic cables, sea fiber optic cables and microwave radios. The land and sea fiber optic cables’ total length in the region is 6,878 kilometers. Meanwhile, the total number of microwave radios is 59 hops.
In total, the West, Central and East Palapa Ring backbone network reaches 90 regencies and cities, with 57 serving as server locations and 33 as interconnection locations. The land and sea fiber optic cables’ total length is 12,148 kilometers.
Late last week, Rudiantara said the Palapa Ring backbone network should be an incentive for operators. He encouraged operators to become more involved in supporting equitable network infrastructure that would enable equal and affordable internet services for all.
Private lender PT Bank Central Asia (BCA) Tbk president director JahjaSetiaatmadja said that the more open internet access in eastern Indonesia would support better penetration for businesses like banks. This is also supported by the industry’s shift in the digital banking era. “The core of a digital industry is the internet network,” he said.
PT OCBC NISP Tbk director Hartati said she appreciated the Palapa Ring’s inauguration. “As a finance industry player, we need to maximize the utilization of this program to boost inclusion in financial solutions and products that have yet to be evenly distributed,” she said. (NTA/MED/DIM)