“We believe this figure is a realistic target if all of us join hands to tackle these challenges together,” Meutya said while leading the ceremony commemorating the 80th Postel Service Day in Bandung, West Java, on Saturday.
She added that currently 2,017 villages are living without access to 4G services. Additionally, 316 villages, mostly non-residential farming areas, also experience similar connectivity gaps.
Meutya described the challenge as a shared responsibility in increasing Indonesia’s connectivity rate beyond 80 percent. She underscored that the effort to improve connectivity is not an insurmountable task.
The minister recalled the historic role of the Young Telephone and Telegraph Company Force (AMPTT) on September 27, 1945, which, through collaboration and determination, successfully transmitted the news of Indonesia’s independence to the world by taking control of the Telephone and Telegraph Company (PTT) from Japanese rule.
“We will continue to push forward with the commitment that today’s struggle is not yet finished, carrying forward the spirit and efforts of the young post and telecommunications pioneers in 1945,” Meutya said.
In the present day, she explained that addressing this problem requires increasing fixed broadband penetration in households, which currently stands at only 27.4 percent.
Beyond improving connectivity, building sovereign telecommunications infrastructure is also part of the strategy to strengthen national defense, especially given the dynamic geopolitical developments and inter-country conflicts that have recently targeted telecommunications infrastructure as a warfare tactic.
“President Prabowo Subianto has emphasized that national economic growth must be driven to eight percent, which can only be achieved if we all contribute, especially in the field of digitalization as the main driving force,” she added.
As a demonstration of this shared commitment, several key players in the information, communication, telecommunication (ICT), and digital industries signed a joint declaration during the event. The declaration aims to accelerate digitalization in support of President Prabowo Subianto’s Asta Cita Program.
The signatories include major companies and organizations such as PT Telkom Indonesia Tbk., PT Telkomsel, PT Indosat Tbk., PT XL Axiata Tbk., Huawei Indonesia, Ericsson Indonesia, Aspimtel, Mastel, APJII, APJATEL, ASKALSI, ATSI, ASIOTI, INDOTELKO, Pos Indonesia, Bakti Komdigi, and Pandi.
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Translator: Dharma, Azis Kurmala
Editor: Primayanti
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