A Jakarta-based Facebook user expressed frustration after facing troubles uploading a series of photos using a USB modem. A short while later he updated that another dongle from a different operator performed better.
In a similar case, a student of the University of Indonesia who uses a wireless Internet service on a daily basis said she experienced slower and slower speed when using a USB modem from a leading cellular provider in Indonesia despite a strong signal.
The message from the two is clear: Reliable broadband and high-speed Internet access is in demand.
Nowadays, the Internet is used widely and many users, like the Facebook user and student, say their daily routines and activities would be affected if they could no longer use it.
The Internet has generally made most people’s lives better. The era when people found it hard to kill time has gone. Waiting for someone in a cafe or queuing at a bank, for example, need no longer be boring. People can use the Internet as one of the best companions to pass the time. With smartphones, notebooks or netbooks they are partaking of the pleasures of the Internet, which can provide elements of enjoyment, so they do not feel bored.
Supported with the lower costs of the related equipment and gadgets, the Internet continues to transform as more people go online. In Indonesia, low rates have also played a significant role. Based on recent research by ABI Research, Indonesia, along with Britain and France, is categorized as a country offering the lowest prices for mobile broadband plans.
Users, however, still need to hook up to reliable high-speed access, otherwise they will get frustrated. Proven broadband, high-speed access availability is indeed important as it allows users to instantly connect to the Internet with no delays, bad signals or other troubles. They want to be able to download large files, such as music, photos, video and graphics, in seconds.
Since the availability and awareness of broadband technology are on the rise and the demand for high-speed Internet service keeps on increasing, telecommunications operators and cellular providers in Indonesia are thus competing to improve their products and services.
PT Telkom is currently improving its Speedy high-speed Internet service by preparing South Jakarta and Surabaya as pilot projects of higher speed since last month.
“When the pilot projects are successfully completed, we will expand the service to other areas in Indonesia,” said Telkom’s vice president for public and marketing communication Eddy Kurnia, adding that the company would also launch other packages to meet the demand for high-speed access.
In the projects, Telkom is increasing the speed from 385kbps to 512 kbps for the Socialia package and from 512 kbps to 1 mbps for the Load package. There are currently 1.4 million Speedy users in 378 cities in the country.
PT Bakrie Connectivity (BConnect), an affiliate of PT Bakrie Telecom, recently launched in Jakarta its AHA high-speed service, which uses a USB modem for broadband wireless access based on the CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) 1X-EVDO (Evolution Data Only) Rev A. To position AHA (Affordable Hyper-speed Access) as a market leader, BConnect has installed 1,400 BTS, or more than 70 percent of its total BTS, in Jakarta. Such a network is expected to make the service the largest EVDO network in the capital and surrounding areas.
Smart Telecom of the Sinar Mas Group has introduced EVDO Rev B. The company boasts it is the first CDMA mobile broadband provider in the world to commercially launch the EVDO Rev B early this year.
In a recent soft launch, the 4G WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) technology, which holds great promise for delivering high bandwidth communications and information services to both geographically remote areas and large urban populations, was introduced by Sitra Wimax of the Lippo Group.
Cellular operators like Telkomsel, Indosat, XL Axiata, 3 and Axis are upgrading their networks and offering better services in broadband wireless access for higher data traffic and also voice and value-added messaging services. Currently, the GSM operators serve the public with 3.5G technology of mobile telephone data transmission in the High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) family. They have also embraced LTE technology to spread better broadband by 2012. The 4G LTE, or Long Term Evolution, is basically expected to bring about vastly improved cost reduction, improved customer experience and evolution to a unified platform for seamless coverage and roaming.
For many people, the use of the Internet today is no longer a luxury but a necessity or lifestyle. They would want to find that locating reliable providers is also not a luxury.
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