President Jokowi Inaugurates 4G BTS And SATRIA-1 Earth Station Tomorrow

SATRIA-1 launch on June 19, 2023 in Cape Canaveral, Florida, United States witnessed from Jakarta. (ANTARA/HO-Kemenkominfo)

Minister of Communication and Information Budi Arie Setiadi said President Joko Widodo would inaugurate two digital infrastructures, namely the earth station for the Republic of Indonesia-1 Satellite (SATRIA-1) and the Base Transceiver Station (BTS) 4G tower on Thursday, December 28.

"Mr. President Joko Widodo tomorrow inaugurates the operation of the SATRIA-1 earth station and 4,988 4G BTS which has been completed by BAKTI Kominfo in disadvantaged, frontier, outermost areas," Budi said in Surabaya, East Java, as reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, December 27.

SATRIA-1 and BTS4G earth stations were inaugurated in North Sulawesi Province. SATRIA-1 earth station occupies a position in Matungkas Village, North Minahasa Regency, while the inauguration of 4G BTS is located in North Bowomobaru Village, Talaud Islands Regency.

Minister of Communication and Information Budi Arie said the inauguration of 4G BTS is planned to take place simultaneously throughout Indonesia by conducting video conferences remotely from various points connected to the President from the Talaud Islands.

In the 4G BTS development plan for remote, frontier and outermost (3T) areas, the Ministry of Communication and Information Telecommunications Accessibility Agency (BAKTI) divided the infrastructure development into two stages.

The first phase has been completed in 2020 with the achievement of 1,682 built services and all telecommunications services migrated to the 4G network in the same year. Meanwhile, for the second stage, the work on BTS is divided into two phases, namely in 2021 and 2022 for 5,618 locations.

In the second stage, legal cases occurred and made the 4G BTS digital infrastructure project for the community in 3T had been delayed. The Ministry of Communication and Information made structural changes to the BAKTI of the Ministry of Communication and Informatics and attempted to complete the project in 2023.

The financing for the construction of BTS 4G was accelerated with funding sources from the State Budget and Non-Tax State Revenue (PNBP) managed by BAKTI, Ministry of Communications and Informatics.

Regarding SATRIA-1, the President Director of BAKTI Ministry of Communications and Informatics Fadhilah Mathar explained that 11 earth stations for SATRIA-1 are ready to operate to support the satellite's performance.

SATRIA-1 juga mulai beroperasi dan menjangkai fasilitas layanan publik mulai akhir tahun ini, ujar Fadhilah.

SATRIA-1 successfully launched from the United States in mid-2023 and has reached its orbit in November 2023.

A total of 11 earth stations are spread across Manado, Manokwari, Timika, Jayapura, Pontianak, Kupang, Ambon, Banjarmasin, Tarakan, Cikarang, and Batam. The earth station will support SATRIA-1 operations and make digital connectivity more integrated.

"With the operation of 4G BTS in various regions and the existence of SATRIA-1 supported by a number of earth stations, we hope that our brothers and sisters in the 3T area will get optimal digital access," said Fadhilah.