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Small town gets on the Net
An operator monitors the Kusir Angkringan Internet service while operating its radio station
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An operator monitors the Kusir Angkringan Internet service while operating its radio station. (JP/Slamet Susanto)
Timbulharjo is a good 18 kilometers from Yogyakarta, but it has Internet access as fast as that in major cities -- or even faster.
Residents now have an Internet Service Provider (ISP), called Kusir Angkringan, which is managed by young residents. Kusir has a double meaning: The word means "coachman", but it is also an Indonesian acronym for Computer for Information System. Angkringan is the Javanese word for a push cart used as a food stall.
Through the use of a wireless communication information technology system, every house in the area will, in time, have access to the Internet network.
During its trial period in April, Kusir Angkringan set up 15 houses with Internet access, choosing for the trial houses both nearest and farthest from the provider's antenna.
As the trial revealed no problem in the distribution and the access, 20 more houses will get Internet access in January 2009.
"Many people are interested in having Internet access in their houses but our capacity is still very limited," Kusir Angkringan coordinator Sarjiman said. "The demand can only be met in stages."
It is hoped that having Internet access will help boost the livelihoods of the 6,000 families (about 17,000 people) living in the area.
Timbulharjo is made up of 148 neighborhood communities. As it is close to Yogyakarta, residents still retain their traditions even as their lifestyles become increasingly modern.
The Internet access, although still limited, has already proved useful in supporting local businesses in marketing their products.
Heru Tri Yuwanda, owner of Door Studio, whose services include advertising and printing, said that in the three months since he started using the Internet provided by Kusir Angkringan, his sales volume had grown fivefold, from Rp 10 million (US$909) per month to Rp 50 million.
"This rise in the amount of sales is from the service," the 29-year-old said.
Before, Heru said, he had to use telephones or meet with his customers directly.
"But at that time I did already go to the warnet (Internet cafe) to get the latest information on developments in fashion and design," he said.
Today, he can communicate more effectively with his clients through emails -- and even receive orders.
"I can promote my products through the Internet everyday. Now I have more buyers from outside Java," he said.
Artisan Djoko Utomo praised Kusir Angkringan for making his business more efficient. As 95 percent of his products are for export, the 36-year-old can now easily communicate with his buyers through the Internet.
"Previously, I had to spend a lot of money to access the Internet from the warnet or by subscribing to an Internet connection at home. It costs me millions of rupiah," he said.
"Now, I only need to pay Rp 70,000 per month for unlimited access. So I can freely promote my craft at any time without any additional expenses."
Sales from his business, Nias Craft, have increased steadily to Rp 70 million per month from Rp 50 million.
Both Djoko and Heru believe Internet access in the village will have a greater impact on the local economy. There are now 20 businesspeople or artisans (employing more than five people) and more than 100 families running small-scale handicraft businesses in Timbulharjo.
A wajanholic, made from a frying pan, is used as a signal receiver for the Internet connection. (JP/Slamet Susanto)
Residents can also use their own self-assembled gadget to increase Internet access distribution. The device is called wajanholic -- derived from the word wajan, or frying pan.
To make this device, they need a wireless USB or a wireless radio. A hole is drilled in the frying pan (diameter as needed) and then a pipe, wrapped in aluminum foil, is inserted into the hole. A wireless radio or a wireless USB is installed on this pipe and is then connected with a cable to a computer or a laptop. Then residents are ready to surf the virtual world.
Sarjiman said making a set of wajanholic cost between Rp 350,000 and Rp 700,000.
To broaden the radius of the signal, Kusir Angkringan's antenna is installed 50 meters above the ground, perched in the tower of a nearby cellular telephone operator.
Currently, the ISP signal can be accessed by villagers within a maximum radius of 3 kilometers.
Sarjiman said villagers were committed to paying the monthly subscription fee of Rp 70,000 to get unlimited Internet access. The fees will go to covering the operational costs of Kusir Angkringan, which may reach up to Rp 1 million a month.
The fee is set at Rp 70,000 as right now there are only 15 Internet subscribers, but with more subscribers, the fee can be reduced.
"In short, our Internet access is the cheapest. Our principle is from the villagers, by the villagers and for the villagers," Sarjiman said.
To maintain the speed of the Internet access, Kusir Angkringan increases the bandwidth in accordance with the number of subscribers. For every 20 new subscribers, it will increase the bandwidth by 56 kilobytes per second (kbps).
Sarjiman said he believed there were lots of people wanting to get Internet access. "The problem is how to install the connections. Because of the global economic crisis, the prices of wireless radios and wireless USBs have increased. They are still imported and are therefore influenced by the fluctuating U.S. dollar."
