Jakarta, INTI – Indonesia's digital economic transformation continues to be a strategic priority in national development. However, for this digitalization process to run optimally, the presence of an equitable and reliable digital infrastructure is an absolute requirement. In an exclusive interview with INTI Media in the INTI Talk segment, Executive Director of ATSI - Indonesian Telecommunication Service Provider Marwan O Baasir, highlighted the importance of collaboration between various parties for equitable distribution of infrastructure which is the backbone of digital transformation.
The Foundation of Digital Transformation: Infrastructure as Backbone
Marwan explained that digital economic transformation cannot be realized without the support of strong digital infrastructure. Starting from mobile networks, fixed broadband, to WiFi, everything needs to be built comprehensively. "We cannot talk about digital economic transformation if there is no infrastructure to support it," he said.
Important elements such as the last mile (base station, backhaul, optical fiber), ships, data centers, cloud, and AI technology are part of the digital infrastructure ecosystem needed. Both passive and active infrastructure, up to the software layer, all support each other in the digitalization process.
Synergy and Adaptive Regulations: The Key to a Strong Digital Ecosystem
Marwan emphasized that cross-sector collaboration, including the involvement of academics and technology vendors, is a determining factor. "Regulations must not lag behind technology. It must be flexible and support innovation," he said. He added that a regulatory approach that is too rigid will actually hinder the pace of technology in the field.
Adaptive regulations allow the government and industry players to move together to build an inclusive, innovative and sustainable digital ecosystem.
The Challenge of Digital Infrastructure Equalization
In the medium term, Marwan said that infrastructure development must be designed by the government and regulators through a clear and directed roadmap. However, equity is still a big challenge, especially for underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost (3T) areas. "We cannot work alone. We need synergy from all parties due to limited capex (capital expenditure)," he explained.
Although internet users have reached almost 90% of the population, homes connected to fiber networks have only reached 14 million units. Therefore, collaboration between the government, industry, and technology partners is needed to accelerate connectivity evenly.
Conclusion
Building a robust digital transformation ecosystem requires a strong infrastructure foundation, multi-stakeholder collaboration, and up-to-date regulations. With cooperation between the government, industry, and academia, Indonesia can realize digital economic transformation that has a real impact, not only in urban areas, but also in remote areas of the archipelago.
Read More: Marwan O Baasir - Assessing the Landscape of Digital Infrastructure Development in Indonesia