Starlink Present In Bali: Elon Musk Internet Service Trial At Denpasar Assistant Health Center

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk officially started a trial of Starlink internet services at the Sumerta Klod Assistance Health Center, Denpasar, Bali on Sunday, May 19, 2024. This event was also attended by Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Minister of Communication and Information Budi Arie Setiadi, and Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono.

Musk arrived at the location at around 16.40 WITA, wearing a Balinese green short shirt. Upon arrival, he immediately entered the Sumerta Klod Assistant Health Center to see firsthand the use of Starlink internet services at the puskesmas.

During his visit, Musk expressed his views on Starlink's potential in supporting the health and education sector in Indonesia. "This (Starlink) is for health and I think it can be transformed for education as well. If you can access the internet, you can learn everything," he said.

After walking around and listening to the results of the Starlink trial at the Sumerta Klod Assistant Health Center, Musk signed a collaboration accompanied by Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Minister of Communications and Informatics Budi Arie Setiadi, and Minister of KKP Sakti Wahyu Trenggono.

In addition to taking part in direct trials, Musk also listened to the explanation of the use of the Starlink satellite internet network at the Bungbungan Assistant Health Center in Klungkung Regency and Tabarfane Assistance Health Center in the Aru Islands online.

Doctor Aris, Head of the Bungbungan Assistant Health Center, said that before using the Starlink internet service, they had difficulty accessing the internet. "This Bungbungan Assistant Health Center serves 3,600 families through posyandu as well. Posyandu uses applications to record data, before using Starlink the speed is only up to 17 Mbps, now it has reached 113 Mbps," he explained.

He gave an example of using Starlink's signal when uploading data on notes on the condition of babies, where a network that quickly shows success that helps the Ministry of Health in collecting data through the Healthy Application of IndonesiaKu (ASIK).

Through online, Musk and his ranks of ministers were also connected with the Head of the Tabarfane Assistance Health Center in the Aru Islands, Maluku, called Doctor Kristian. "Our health center is in a small archipelago with a population of 2,450 people and previously it was very difficult to input data because the internet here is very slow, it has to go to a city that takes 2-3 hours," said Kristian.

With the installation of Starlink services, he hopes that other auxiliary health centers will also get the same program and be assisted by the government for free. It is known, at the Assistant Health Center of Sumerta Klod Denpasar, a good internet network is very useful for ultrasound use and immunization, data uploading at ASIK, and connecting with WhatsApp because health workers will submit notifications to health service users.

At the Bungbungan Assistant Health Center, Klungkung Regency, stable networks are needed for the needs of posyandu, ASIK, and WhatsApp messages. Meanwhile, at the Tabarfane Sub-district Health Center, Aru Islands Regency, the internet network quickly assists the process of screening for Non-Infectious Diseases (PTM).

With the presence of Starlink internet services, it is hoped that more auxiliary health centers throughout Indonesia can get fast internet access. This will support improving health services and easy access to information, providing significant benefits to the wider community, especially in remote areas.