The Telecommunication and Information Accessibility Agency (BAKTI) of the Communication and Informatics Ministry (Kominfo) has ratified cooperation agreement with two cellular service providers for providing 4G services in the 3T (outermost, remote, and underdeveloped) regions.
During the signing of the cooperation agreement here on Tuesday, Communication and Informatics Minister Johnny G. Plate said that BAKTI’s step is aimed at providing uniform 4G services for all Indonesians.
“We collectively want equality in telecommunication services, and for the people to be served well in the digital transformation era, in the technology disruption era, and pandemic and post-pandemic era,” he added.
“No one will be left behind,” he emphasized.
PT Telekomunikasi Seluler and PT XL Axiata will be tasked with providing 4G services in 3T regions, the minister informed. The two companies will serve 7,904 BTS (Base Transceiver Station) points built by BAKTI, he added.
The cooperation is being financed through blended finance comprising Universal Service Obligation (USO), pure rupiah from the state’s spending, and non-tax revenue from the Communication and Informatics sector, Plate informed.
Meanwhile, BAKTI director Anang Latief said that, within the cooperation, it has been agreed that BAKTI will prepare the physical or passive infrastructure.
In addition, BAKTI will maintain infrastructure assets so that they can be used for a long time, he added.
Meanwhile, the two cellular service providers will provide 4G services so that villages can obtain faster and more optimal Internet services that match those in the cities.
“Let us hope that the event today marks a solid cooperation between BAKTI and stakeholders comprehensively,” Latief remarked.
During the 10 years’ cooperation, 7,904 BTS locations in 3T regions will receive 4G services, based on the agreement, he said.
As part of the cooperation, XL Axiata will provide 4G Internet in one area: Sumatra, he disclosed.
Meanwhile, Telkomsel, a subsidiary of state-owned telecommunication company Telkom, will provide 4G services in eight work areas, he said.
The eight work areas comprise Nusa Tenggara, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku, West Papua, west-central Papua, north-central Papua, and southeast Papua, he expounded.
Source: Antara News