T

elecommunications company PT Indosat has completed its network-modernizing program in several regions, promising Internet speed service up to 42 Mbps.

Indosat'€™s high Internet speed is now available in Jabodetabek, Bandung (West Java), Sukabumi (also in West Java), Semarang (Central Java), Yogyakarta (also in Central Java), Surabaya (East Java) and Bali.

Indosat president director Alexander Rusli said that modernizing Internet service was part of the company'€™s endeavor to enhance the quality of data service, the demand for which continues to increase.

 '€œThe modernization can lead to Indosat'€™s network becoming more efficient so as to serve higher Internet capacity and speed,'€ Indosat told reporters recently.

Indosat started its network modernization project in 2012.

Following the completion of the project, the company is set to expand its high speed Internet in Indonesia'€™s eastern regions.

To take advantage of Indosat'€™s Internet speed of 42Mbps, customers are advised to use a smart phone that has supported DC-HSPA+ network.

Indosat provides an 8GB Internet service package starting at Rp 300,00 valid for 30 days. Meanwhile, the company also has a pre-paid card, Mentari, with a quota of 3 GB valid for three months priced at Rp 36,000.

Alexander acknowledged that the growth of telephone services and text messaging was likely to slow, kompas.com reported.

Meanwhile, Akamai Technologies, Inc. reported that the world'€™s average Internet speed has grown from 2.9 Mbps in 2012 to 3.8 Mbps in 2013.

Akamai Technologies said in its annual report that globally, Internet speed increased by 5.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2013.

According to the report, South Korea ranked as the country with the fastest Internet, with average Internet speed of 21.9 Mbps. Along with Ireland, South Korea also recorded the highest growth in Internet speed from year-to-year, more than 50 percent.

In Indonesia, the average Internet access has reportedly increased by 0.1 Mbps to 1.6 Mbps in the fourth quarter of 2013 from the previous quarter.

Despite the increase, the figure remains far too low, less than half the average global Internet speed.

'€œWe have come to a significant period in terms of average Internet speed,'€ said David Belson, editor of the Akamai report, as quoted by PC Mag.

'€œThe fact that the average Internet speed in 10 countries on the highest Internet speed list has exceeded the upper limit of broadband connection has indicated the rapid development of the Internet penetration.'€

Akamai also warned that in line with the increase in global broadband speed, DDoS (distributed denial-of-service) attacks were up by 23 percent. Total DDoS attacks reached 1,153 cases in 2013.

Earlier in January 2013, Akamai reported that Internet connection across the globe reported a decline by 5.2 percent or 17.9 Mbps. However, in the fourth quarter, the speed growth recovered to 23.2 Mbps, or an increase of 30 percent. '€œThis trend will continue until next year,'€ he said.

Developing countries

International Telecommunications Union (ITU) predicted that Internet users across the globe would reach 3 billion up to the end of 2014, two-thirds of which being in developing countries.

The 3 billion is comparable to 40 percent of the world'€™s population, according to ITU in its latest report, as quoted by The Verge.

The prediction was also based on the number of new Internet users in the last three months.

According to ITU, Internet penetration in advanced countries has reached a point of '€œboredom'€, different from in developing countries where Internet penetration is growing at a fast pace.

The use of mobile Internet is also predicted to grow at a fast pace. ITU predicted that there would be 2.3 mobile Internet customers up to the end of this year.

ITU expressed confidence that the number of Internet users would develop faster than earlier predicted.

A survey by Cisco has revealed that the number of Internet-connected devices would reach 10 billion this year, and jump up to 50 billion in the coming 2020. (JP)