Wamenkomdigi Nezar Emphasizes Promoting Internet Price Reduction in Indonesia

JAKARTA - Deputy Minister of Communication and Digital, Nezar Patria, assessed that increasingly affordable internet access can be a lever for new economic growth as well as opening up more opportunities for the community.

Nezar stated that the price of the internet in Indonesia is currently still above the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) standard, which sets the internet basket below 2 percent of total GDP per capita.

According to him, lower internet costs will expand the use of digital technology in various layers of society, ranging from accessing education, employment, and other digital services.

The Ministry of Communication and Digital is now continuing to encourage the improvement of network quality while reducing internet access costs so that the benefits of digital economy can be felt more widely.

"If the internet can be cheap, its penetration can be good for all sectors of society, then the digital economy will have more powerful results," Nezar said in his statement quoted on Monday, June 8.

In addition to expanding internet access, the government is also continuing to address the digital divide in various regions through the development of telecommunications infrastructure, including optical fiber networks, Base Transceiver Stations (BTS), and the use of low-orbit satellites or Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to reach areas that are difficult to serve terrestrial networks.

However, according to him, the success of digital development is not only measured by the availability of internet networks. More importantly is to ensure that connectivity is able to provide real benefits for people's lives.

"Meaningful connectivity has an impact on social, economic, and cultural activities. That is why today the Ministry of Komdigi is trying to focus on talent development," he said.

For this reason, the Ministry of Komdigi not only builds digital infrastructure, but also strengthens the development of digital talent so that the community is able to use technology productively and create new economic value.

According to Nezar, the combination of increasingly affordable internet, equitable connectivity, and competent digital talent will be an important foundation for Indonesia's economic growth in the digital era towards Indonesia's Gold 2045.