Menkominfo Target Cable Ring Optics West Papua Finish This Year

INDUSTRY.co.id - Batam - Minister of Communications and Informatics Rudiantara is targeting the construction of submarine optical cable under the West Palapa Ring is completed by the end of 2017, so that it can be used soon.

"West Palapa Ring is actually a contract in February 2018. But we say, if it can be completed by the end of 2017," said Rudiantara in Batam, Riau Islands, Sunday (06/08/2017)

He said the construction of the land side has been completed, just rolling out the ocean side by pulling the optical cable under the sea until it landed the destination station again.

Kemenkominfo deliberately took Bakamla in the project, in order to ensure the development went well.

"Because building a marine cable, by putting a sea cable, digging it in to bury the sea cable is one thing. What we have to look at is how to maintain and maintain, especially not to be scratched. There is an anchor ship, anchors, drawn. But more important to maintain and operate it," he said.

The minister explained Palapa Ring has a concept such as sea toll; the only product that is distributed is the internet.

The Palapa Ring will connect all regency / municipal capitals throughout Indonesia, especially those not yet accessed by high-speed internet.

"This is the toll of information that is the Palapa Ring concept, the Palapa Ring will enter all districts / cities in Indonesia, all of which must be completed by 2019, west, middle, east," he said.

As for the buffer or remote areas that are not covered by the Palapa Ring, the government has planned the creation of "High Throughput Satellite" (HTS).

The existing satellite, said Rudiantara, is a communications satellite that must be converted again into the internet. While the HTS later, the output is directly in the form of high-speed internet more efficient.

The HTS project is planned to begin after the Palapa Ring is completed and is targeted to be completed in 2021. Operation is submitted to a more competent business entity as an operator.

"One year or two after, nearly three hundred thousand schools, 75,000 villages, ten thousand sub-districts, Puskesmas, Polda, Polres, Polsek, Kodim, Korem, Koramil and others can enjoy high-speed internet. It must use satellite," he said.