ULM Supports Internet Accessibility Equality in 3T Areas by Kominfo

Banjarmasin – The Indonesia Business Group, in collaboration with Bakti Kominfo, hosted a Digital Literacy Festival on Wednesday (August 28, 2024) at the Universitas Lambung Mangkurat (ULM) Multipurpose Building. This event was supported by ULM Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmad, SE, M.Si and attended by approximately 1,000 ULM students from various departments.

The Digital Literacy Festival, themed “Empowerment: Embrace the Digital Age Lead the Change,” aimed to assess the impact of Bakti Kominfo’s efforts in meeting internet accessibility needs, which will also affect economic and social improvements in the Frontier, Outermost, and Disadvantaged (3T) regions for future well-being.

During the event, Bakti Kominfo Director Fadhilah Mathar emphasized Bakti’s crucial role as an enabler of digital transformation in Indonesia, especially in areas lacking adequate telecommunications infrastructure.

“We are committed to driving the digital economy and accelerating internet penetration across Indonesia. While internet penetration in urban areas reaches 88 percent with a 65 percent contribution, in rural areas, it remains at 80 percent with only a 35 percent contribution,” he stated.

Bakti Kominfo is also advancing the Multi SATRIA-2 project, focusing on new locations not yet served by fiber optic or microwave technology. With a capacity of up to 300 Gbps, SATRIA-2 is expected to provide significant service improvements compared to SATRIA-1, which has a capacity of 150 Gbps. This initiative is anticipated to address the limitations of internet accessibility in 3T areas and bridge the digital divide.

Similarly, ULM Rector highlighted that digital accessibility remains a serious issue, particularly in 3T areas. This also affects educational equity due to limited internet access in remote areas, as all student admissions at ULM heavily rely on internet accessibility.

“Limited access in 3T areas makes it difficult for children to apply to higher education institutions, which are now almost entirely online. This is an important opportunity that must be seized,” said the ULM Rector.

The festival featured various activities, including inspirational talk shows, workshops, and entertainment, with the hope that it would also serve as a platform for students to spread education and information to others.