Ministry Of Communication And Informatics Strives To Restore Telephone And Internet Networks In NTT Which Have Disconnected Due To Floods

Flash floods in Flores, NTT (doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Communication and Information together with service providers and cellular operators are trying to restore telecommunications infrastructure in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). Following the flash floods and landslides that hit East Flores Regency, NTT, since Sunday, April 4.

The Minister of Communication and Information, Johnny G. Plate, said that his party continues to monitor infrastructure affected by flash floods and landslides. One of them is to revive the Base Transceiver Station (BTS) in transmitting telecommunication access, which died due to flooding.

"We continue to monitor telecommunication networks and ask cellular operators to exert all efforts to restore service to cellular sites that are still down so that they can function again normally even though the electricity network is not yet available", said Johnny, Monday, April 5.

Johnny monitors telecommunication infrastructure and services in several areas affected by the disaster, including in Malacca Regency, East Flores Regency, Lembata Regency, Manggarai Regency, Kupang Regency, and Kupang City in NTT Province, as well as Bima Regency in NTB Province.

The results of monitoring by cellular operators show that 98 sites have been affected (down) from 2,638 existing sites in East Flores Regency, Malacca Regency, Manggarai Regency, Kupang Regency, and Kupang City, NTT Province. Meanwhile, in Bima District, NTB Province, there are about 4 sites affected from 663 existing sites.

"Meanwhile, the 6 BTS Universal Service Obligation (USO) sites in Lembata Regency were not affected by the disaster and we hope it will continue to do so", said Johnny.

The Minister of Communication and Information added that currently, cellular operators have provided Mobile Backup Power (MBP) or generators to reconnect the affected BTS sites. This step was taken as an alternative so that customer service can be maintained.

"Several areas affected by the disaster also experienced fiber-optic cut (FO Cut). However, the service has returned to normal because it has been reconnected", he explained.