MCI Targets 150 Million Indonesian Internet Users by 2015

A quite surprising target has just been set by the Ministry of Communication and Information (MCI) in regard to the number of Indonesian internet users. According to the Director General of Application and Information Technology Bambang Heru Tjahjono, cited from Antara, the Ministry expects that by the end of 2015 the number Internet users in Indonesia may reach 61% of the total population (around 150 million citizens).

As being reported by the same source, the MCI claimed that currently, 57% of total Indonesian population (around 137 million citizens) have been considered as Internet users. This is quite fantastic, particularly considering the fact that earlier this year, APJII noted that there were ‘only’ around 71 million Internet users in Indonesia. It also estimated that the number would be reach around 80 million users by the end of this year.

Indonesia is indeed in the course of fulfilling one of the Millennium Development Goals’ requirements stating that the internet access in developing countries should cover at least 50% of its total population. According to the standard, Indonesia is supposed to have around 107 million users by the end of this year and 139 million users by the end of next year.

The appointment of the new government must have brought a new enthusiasm to the society. Just take a look at the the decision by the new Minister of Communication and Information, Rudiantara, suggesting that local cellular operators may conduct a trial of 4G/FDD-LTE as soon as possible. The license of administering LTE indeed has yet to be implemented due to the absence of legal regulation from the government. As a mobile-first country, it’s just normal that Indonesia uses the development of cellular infrastructure as its spearhead in expanding the internet coverage all over the country. For the time being, Bolt is the only player who has already implemented the TD-LTE technology in Jabodetabek.

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