Internet blackout fails to materialize<\/p>\n
Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Association of Indonesian Internet Service Providers (APJII)
\ncanceled at the last minute a planned three-day Internet blackout
\nbecause of objections from its members.<\/p>\n
The chairman of APJII, Heru Nugroho, said he regretted that
\nAPJII's members were not united enough to make the decision on
\nthe blackout.<\/p>\n
\"The decision to shut down the Indonesian Internet Exchange
\n(IIX) was canceled last night because of severe differences of
\nopinions among us,\" he said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, Heru said the members of APJII had agreed to
\nlaunch the blackout starting on Wednesday morning, in protest of
\ngovernment inaction in regulating the industry.<\/p>\n
APJII currently has 60 active members throughout Indonesia.
\nSeveral members, including four prominent Internet Service
\nProviders (ISPs) -- PT Telkom, PT Indosat, PT M-Web Indonesia and
\nPT Bolehmail -- would not consent to the planned blackout.<\/p>\n
Telecommunications expert Roy Suryo said the cancellation of
\nthe blackout proved there was friction inside the association.<\/p>\n
\"The solidity of the association is now in question. It was
\nodd that on May. 7, they hastily and definitely insisted on
\nshutting shut down the IIX, but later they canceled. I think they
\nwere just bluffing to get the government's attention,\" said Roy.<\/p>\n
If it had gone ahead, the blackout would have shutdown the
\nIndonesian Internet Exchange -- the local backbone for all ISPs
\nin Indonesia -- making local websites, portals and Internet
\nbanking services inaccessible.<\/p>\n
The association is upset about the recent raids by the police
\nand city officials on Voice over the Internet Protocol (VoIP)
\noperators and 2.4 GHz frequency band operators. Although the
\ngovernment has banned these operators, they are allowed to
\ncontinue doing business until the end of this month, according to
\na government decree. So the raids were seen as too hasty.<\/p>\n
The ISPs are also angry about the government's failure to
\nissue in a timely manner the necessary license to operate the 2.4
\nGHz frequency band, although a special regulation for the
\noperation of this frequency band is in place.<\/p>\n
The Directorate General of Post and Telecommunications plans
\nto issue a temporary permit for the use of the 2.4 GHz frequency
\nin response to protests by the ISPs.<\/p>\n
A source said the ISPs met with officials of the Directorate
\nGeneral on Wednesday.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/internet-blackout-fails-to-materialize-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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