Not Only Infrastructure, East Indonesia Also Must Advance In Internet Network Affairs

JAKARTA - The progress of an area is not only determined by the development of infrastructure development. telecommunications matters are no less important.

Even telecommunications, especially the internet, in the last 2 decades has become vital for the progress of an area, especially in the field of education. With a good internet, access to knowledge in the field of education can increase.

And of course in Indonesia, Papua is an area that has always been in the spotlight of infrastructure development, especially telecommunications. Data from the National Statistics Agency in 2021, only 41 percent of students can use internet access in the easternmost region of Indonesia.

The process of hand in hand and awareness will introduce telecommunications networks to the world of education, which then initiates the East Palapa Ring Project Implementing Business Entity, PT Palapa Timur Telematika (PTT), which has an obligation to develop telecommunication infrastructure in Eastern Indonesia, provides training to education makers in Papua, especially Merauke. The program, which is packaged as a sharing session, is carried out at SMKN 3 Merauke and Musamus Merauke University.

"The sharing session activity is carried out by using tools on fiber optic technology. Such as the use of OTDR (Optical Time-Domain Reflectometer), OPM (Optic Power Meter) and Spliter tools. With the hope of introducing fiber optics to students," said PT PTT Operation Support, Widodo Yuli Prasetyo in a written statement, Friday, May 19.

Not only holding introductions and training. Selected students can also take part in internship programs or Field Work Practices at PTT companies so that they can later work in PTT companies.

In addition to educating about the importance of the East Palapa Ring network, this program is also one of the ways for PTT to contribute directly to community development in the education sector. PTT prioritizes regional men who are competent to be able to contribute directly to the maintenance of the East Palapa Ring network, so that there is a sense belonging to jointly maintain and develop the telecommunications infrastructure facilities that are already available.

"We PTT hope that this activity and program will be able to provide benefits for the long term, especially in terms of telecommunications, so that students and students, especially local sons, can contribute to advancing their respective areas," added Widodo.

This activity was certainly welcomed by students and teachers. They admitted that this sharing session program is very useful because so far they have never had experience and access to learn fiber optics directly.

"Honestly, I am very happy. Indeed, children have network recognition material. But the practice has never been, only known from books, youtubes, or the internet. Usually we only practice using network UTP cables. So children can see directly fiber optics to the configuration," said Herlin Febrianti as a teaching staff at SMKN 3 Merauke.

Not only in Papua, until now the sharing session activities have been carried out at 8 schools and universities in Eastern Indonesia, namely Muhammadiyah University Sorong, Papua University Manokwari, SMKN 2 Manokwari, SMKN Aloisius Ruteng NTT, SMK St Petrus Ruteng NTT, SMKN 1 Kupang, SMK 3 Merauke and Musamus University Merauke. This program will continue throughout the reach of the East Palapa Ring.