The construction of the Central Information and Communication Technology Equipment Testing Center is an effort by the Ministry of Communication and Informatics to integrate Indonesia into a global digital transformation. The Minister of Communication and Information, Johnny G. Plate, encouraged the Center for Telecommunication Equipment Testing (BBPPT) of the Directorate General of Resources and Equipment of Post and Information Technology to maximise the Domestic Component Level (TKDN) and local resources.
This hall is very important for the device gate. Even though people are consumers of ICT technology, they must maximise the role of TKDN and local content as much as possible. And one of the test tools is in BBPPT. The Minister stated that BBPPT should integrate digital device standards in accordance with international references. After obtaining certification from Indonesia, it must meet global standards and meet the needs of standards in technology user countries.
Cooperation in the global laboratory network also needs to be done with various countries in the world. People don’t live alone, they work in networks so the relationship is important. Nevertheless, Minister Johnny reminded that APBN expenditures should always use domestic products and creations. By maximising the utilisation of local networks, products and experts to build the local economy.
At this time, President Joko Widodo also asked millennials in the digital field to be great, both at the digital upstream and downstream digital levels. This is a specific skill, not a general skill, therefore we must have talent scouting to find out where our millennial children who are experts are, don’t let a brain drain occur that makes our experts move and work in a place or country another.
The Ministry invites the entire community to oversee this development so that it runs smoothly, on time and meets quality standards, as well as the specifications of the technical drawings that have been prepared. On the other hand, Minister Johnny encouraged BBPPT to always establish communication with various parties so that the results of the building are in accordance with the needs and optimally.
The Ministry will carry out a lot of activities. President Joko Widodo reminded people that it cannot be done alone, it’s time to work collaboratively, work together so that the Central Laboratory or Central Laboratory for Testing Information and Communication Technology Devices becomes a large hall or global scale laboratory.
In addition, according to Minister Johnny, Indonesia’s digital transformation focuses on ten priority sectors to accelerate the realisation of digital infrastructure, government, economy, and society. He claimed during an online discussion on “Safe Transactions in the Digital Era” and as quoted from a press announcement last month that the government has compiled a Digital Indonesia Roadmap for 2021-2024 as a strategic guide to lead the nation’s digital transformation process. In Indonesia’s ten priority sectors, the roadmap contains 100 essential projects to be implemented in collaboration with all ministries, central and regional authorities, corporate actors, and the public.
As reported by OpenGov Asia, Indonesia has one of the world’s highest percentages of internet users. Nonetheless, when compared to other Asian countries, it has a low internet penetration rate. In 2021, mobile internet penetration in Indonesia is expected to be 68%. Its reach is expected to increase to 79% by 2025. The penetration rate is the proportion of the total population that has internet access via a mobile broadband connection.
With increasing mobile internet penetration in the country, there has been an increase in demand for lower data prices, greater coverage, and better service quality. As a key strategy to attract more customers, Indonesian internet providers have proposed attractive data pricing plans as well as optimised data-oriented mobile services. Moreover, on the popularity of mobile internet, fixed broadband subscriptions in Indonesia have been increasing in recent years. As a result, broadband penetration rates among households in the country have increased.