Metaverse And NFT Need Fast Internet, This Is The Cause Of The Uneven 5G Network In Indonesia!

5G can also drive the need for metaverse and NFT. (photo: Sigmund / Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The fifth-generation network aka 5G is not only needed for telecommunications, but according to Smartfren President Director Merza Fachys, 5G can also encourage metaverse and NFT needs.

"(Currently the focus should be) how to provide an internet network that is really suitable for future business that is not playing. This metaverse is a clear example, if crypto I don't really understand but definitely need fast internet, NFT is like that too, not yet again an autonomous car, imagine if it was in Jakarta, the internet speed was slow, so all of that collided," said Merza in the Cellular Congress 2022 session held by the Selular Media Network.

Therefore, Merza said that currently, Indonesia needs "the real 5G". Although he did not mention other operators, he emphasized that this technological innovation really requires 5G.

"It's not that Smartfren hasn't rolled out 5G yet, but the 5G that exists today is still not real 5G. Only 5G has been accessed, the microwave is limited in speed with satellites that are not yet high throughput satellites. How do you want to play metaverse, you just keep shooting online games," said Merza.

Merza stated that cellular operators currently still need to have a sufficient frequency spectrum. This is because the current frequency spectrum is still being held back because it is used for other purposes, one of which is analog TV.

"The existing spectrum needs to be rearranged. For example, by turning off analog TV so that the frequency spectrum can be used for 5G," said Merza.

On the other hand, Merza understands that rearranging the frequency spectrum does take time. But this needs to be done immediately in order to meet the needs of 5G internet access which is faster, with large capacity, and low latency.

In addition, 5G networks also require fiber optic support to bring greater capacity. Unfortunately, this fiber optic requires an investment that is not kidding.

"Deploying fiber optics is a permit and a long process, and it's also not cheap," Merza concluded.

Merza emphasized that it is difficult to deploy fiber optics, especially at the regional level. For example, there is a local government (Pemda) when a cellular operator wants to plant cable at the side of the road, they have to rent the land.

"We have to pay rent to the regional government, the rent is the same as the price of residential land there, because we use the NJOP of the area we pass through. This all doesn't make sense, how do we want to accelerate digitization. It is hoped that the government will not withdraw upfront income, when operators are trying to build networks," explained Merza.