"The acceleration of digital transformation, directly and indirectly, supports the digital payment ecosystem during and after the pandemic," Dedi Permadi, special staff to the Minister of Communication and Informatics, remarked while addressing a webinar on digital payment here on Thursday.
The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered digital economic growth, as people are left with no other choice but to adapt to the digital ecosystem.
In April 2020, a month after the government announced the country's first confirmed COVID-19 cases, 4.3 million shops are applying the digital payment system, with transactions totaling Rp17.6 trillion.
Permadi expressed optimism that the country's 64 MSMEs will also conduct digital payment transformation. Currently, only 9.4 million or 14.8 percent of MSMEs utilized digital transactions and business systems.
However, several Indonesian regions do not have fourth generation of the Internet, or 4G internet networks. Hence, it called for the country to develop more information and communication technology infrastructure.
"As many as 479 thousand BTS are installed across Indonesia though deemed insufficient since Indonesia is huge," he stated.
Out of the country's 83,218 villages and sub-districts, 12,548 villages do not have 4G internet network, he noted.
Permadi is upbeat about these areas being able to enjoy the 4G facility by 2022.
Moreover, 150 thousand public service points are yet to have adequate internet facilities, including health, banking, and government services.
"Hence, we are optimistic that the development of telecommunication infrastructure would be completed and the Satria Satellite would become operational in the third quarter of 2023," he stated.
A cooperation agreement on the launch of Satria, as a multi-function satellite, was scheduled to be inked on Thursday, to reach 150 thousand public service points yet to have access to internet services.
The Satria satellite is planned for launch in 2023 by SpaceX, Elon Musk's space transportation company, as a manufacturer of the satellite.
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Translator: Dewa KSW, Fardah
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2020
