Jakarta, INTI - Sarwoto Atmosutarno, Chairman of Masyarakat Telematika Indonesia (Mastel), believes Indonesia needs to begin preparing the foundations for 6G cellular network development, even though domestic 5G service adoption is still relatively low compared to other countries.
According to Sarwoto, this situation presents an opportunity for Indonesia to prepare for 6G implementation early. He stated that planning for 6G needs to begin now so that Indonesia has sufficient time to prepare various supporting aspects before the technology is widely implemented globally.
"If we don't plan well, other countries will be ready first, while we are just starting to prepare," he said.
5G Development Also Must Continue
However, Sarwoto emphasized that preparing for 6G does not mean stopping or neglecting the ongoing development of 5G network.
He expressed that the most important step now is preparing the basic infrastructure, especially the availability of frequency spectrum that can be utilized for various generations of cellular technology, both 5G and 6G.
He added that telecommunications operators' decisions regarding network development will still consider market needs and business feasibility.
Currently, large-scale investment in 5G networks is considered unattractive due to the limited number of users of 5G-enabled devices. Furthermore, the use of 5G technology in various industrial sectors has not yet developed widely.
Sarwoto believes that adoption of new technologies will increase if they can provide tangible benefits and added value to businesses and society.
Conclusion
Chairman of Mastel, Sarwoto Atmosutarno, believes Indonesia needs to begin preparing the foundations for 6G network development, despite the low domestic adoption of 5G. He believes early preparation is crucial to ensure Indonesia is also ready when 6G is rolled out globally. Indonesia also should focus on providing spectrum as the basic infrastructure to support both 5G and 6G.
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