514 Regencies/Cities Connected with High Speed Internet Access: Communications Minister

Map of Palapa Ring

Minister of Communications and Information Rudiantara has ensured that the Palapa Ring Project, also known as Tol Langit (Sky Toll), is officially operational.

The inauguration of the Palapa Ring is also a proof of the Government’s commitment to transform Java-centric into Indonesia-centric development, Rudiantara said.

“Today is the inauguration of the Palapa Ring but the Palapa Ring’s western package was actually completed last year, while the central package covering Maluku province was completed at the beginning of the year,” Rudiantara told President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo in his report at the inauguration of the operation of the Palapa Ring at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Monday (14/10).

As for the Palapa Ring’s eastern package, Rudiantara explained that during the construction period, various obstacles and challenges were found due to erratic geographic conditions such as mountainous regions of Papua so that the completion target was met in August 2019.

“The Palapa Ring’s eastern package covering Papua, Maluku, East Nusa Tenggara and Rote Ndao Regency was initially set to complete at the end of the second quarter; however, geographical conditions in Papua have made us hard to complete the project on time until it was finished last August,”said Rudiantara, adding that with the inauguration of the Palapa Ring Project, as many as 514 regencies/cities are now connected with high speed internet access..

“In Papua, we have built high speed internet backbone in 30 regencies/cities. So, the Palapa Ring is like a sky toll for high speed internet,” said Rudiantara.

Rudiantara also expressed his gratitude to all parties that played their roles and are committed to completing the Palapa Ring in the last five years.

For the record, the Palapa Ring, taking on the spirit of the 14th century Javanese Majapahit empire, should stay true to Gajah Mada’s famous oath, which lends hope to its name: the program should unite Nusantara, the archipelago, through universal broadband internet. (Ministry of Communications and Information PR/ES)

Translated by: Muhardi                                                                                                                                                                          Edited by: Lulu Wuliarti