By: Sabby Kosay )*
The Ministry of Communication and Information said the East Palapa Ring project in Papua will be completed in 2019. The East Palapa Ring project has many benefits for the community because it is supported by the best optical fiber, so that the internet will be faster and easier.
The development of technology today is increasing. Not only in large urban circles, technological improvements, especially the internet world, has now penetrated remote areas, one of which is in Papua. Reportedly, there will be built a project nicknamed the East Palapa Ring. It is said that it will boost the economic sector in Bumi Cendrawasih. However, to what extent is this project going?
The project is predicted to support the rise of the digital economy in Indonesia, its use to access and connect internet services throughout the archipelago. Rudiantara, as the Minister of Communication and Information stated his optimism to make the area of the city or regency in Eastern Indonesia soon be independent. Given the West Palapa Ring Project and Also the Central Palapa Ring has reached 100 percent.
He added that in 2020, the projected digital economy in Indonesia will reach 11 to 13 percent of the total economy in Indonesia. Or commensurate with US $ 130 billion. This figure is suspected to be quite large and is the largest in the regional area.
The East Palapa Ring project will be targeted to be completed and integrated in mid-2019. The project will cover telecommunications networks in the regions of Papua and West Papua, the West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) region, and East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). While the Maluku region is estimated to have reached construction of up to 90 percent and is ready to be integrated into the West and Central Palapa Ring.
By connecting between Palapa Ring West, Central and East, it is certain that in 2019, around 514 districts and cities will be connected to telecommunications services, including data services or 4G internet connections. In this regard, he also invited all parties to take advantage of this project for the purpose of good communication and other productive activities. Particularly increasing the development of the digital economy in Indonesia, especially Papua.
The resilience of the Central Palapa Ring project based on the results of a special trial capacity of the Central Palapa Ring reaches 100 gigabytes per second (Gbps), while access speeds at Morotai Terminal Station are up to 40 mega bytes per second (Mbps). Not to forget the access speed around the Morotai City Park area reaches 30 Mbps. Reportedly this speed shot significantly from before which was only about 2 Mbps.
Meanwhile, the East Palapa Ring project is reported to be continuing to be completed soon. Given the two other projects have been completed and can be enjoyed. Rudiantara stated that if the East Palapa Ring Project was completed, it would require at least 28 days of testing. For example, the Puncak Jaya backbone must be connected to Natuna or other areas, of course it must be configured. So this test requires time.
It also said one of the obstacles experienced by his party to complete the construction of the East Palapa Ring in Papua is that there are up to 28 locations that have difficult terrain to reach. He also asked the Accessibility and Information Agency (BAKTI) to deploy a helicopter to transport a number of materials so that the building could be completed quickly.
As previously reported, it continues to make efforts to compete to complete the construction of the Palapa Ring optical cable infrastructure. Because, of the three high-speed internet project packages, only the eastern package is the only development that is not yet complete. Previously it was also predicted that the East Palapa Ring project would be completed by mid-2019. However, due to difficult terrain, the process was slowing down.
He also said that when compared to the western and central projects, the East Palapa Ring Project was thought to be the most severe when viewed from the total network length which reached up to 8,500 kilometers. And because it makes it the longest of all Palapa Ring projects.
In connection with this matter, HR Support by the Minister of Communication and Information has also been reaffirmed related to the government’s commitment to strengthen the digital economy in the country as more and more rapid penetration of the internet world. And the Government will continue to facilitate and educate Indonesia’s human resources (HR) to be able to take advantage of the digital economy to achieve total transactions valued at US $ 130 billion in 2020.
Hopefully the East Palapa Ring Project can be completed soon. So that the region will be able to enjoy signal and internet independence like other regions. Bearing in mind, today’s internet connection provides an important role in life. Including developing the economy and access to education digitally.
)* Papuan student writer lives in Yogyakarta