Jakarta, INTI - Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Kemkomdigi) believes that increasingly affordable internet access can be a lever for new economic growth while opening up more opportunities for people to access education, jobs, and digital services.
Deputy Minister of Kemkomdigi, Nezar Patria, stated that lower internet costs will expand the use of digital technology across all levels of society and accelerate the growth of the national digital economy.
Internet Costs in Indonesia
"Internet costs in Indonesia are still above the ITU (International Telecommunication Union)'s affordability standard. They set the internet basket at below 2 percent of total GDP per capita," he said during a forum in Yogyakarta, Sunday, June 7.
According to Nezar, internet affordability is a crucial factor in expanding public digital access. The lower the costs, the greater the opportunity for people to use the internet for learning, working, entrepreneurship, and accessing various digital-based public services.
Therefore, Kemkomdigi continues to encourage improvements in network quality while lowering internet access costs so that the benefits of the digital economy can be felt more widely.
"If the internet is affordable and penetrates well into all sectors of society, the digital economy will have even more powerful results," said Nezar.
In addition to expanding internet access, the government also continues to address the digital divide in various regions through the development of telecommunications infrastructure, including fiber optic networks, Base Transceiver Stations (BTS), and the use of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites to reach areas difficult to reach by terrestrial networks.
Digital Talent Development
However, Nezar expressed that the success of digital development is not solely measured by the availability of an internet network. What is more important is ensuring that connectivity can provide tangible benefits to people's lives.
"Meaningful connectivity impacts social, economic, and cultural activities. That's why Kemkomdigi is currently focusing on talent development," he said.
Kemkomdigi is not only building digital infrastructure but also strengthening the development of digital talent so that people can utilize technology productively and create new economic value.
Nezar said that the combination of increasingly affordable internet, equitable connectivity, and competent digital talent will be a crucial foundation for Indonesia's economic growth in the digital era, moving towards Indonesia Emas 2045.
Conclusion
Nezar Patria emphasized that more affordable internet can accelerate the growth of the digital economy by expanding public access to education, jobs, businesses, and digital services. The government continues to strive to reduce internet costs, which are currently still above the affordability standards set by the ITU. Efforts to decrease the digital divide are also being made by expanding telecommunications infrastructure through fiber optic networks, base stations, and LEO satellites. The government is also focusing on developing digital talent so that people can utilize technology productively.
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