Broadband, solution for faster and cheaper downloads

By Vishnu K. Mahmud

JAKARTA (JP): First it was the Internet, then cable modems, and now, the latest of high-tech Internet access, broadband, has arrived for the average consumer. Well, sort of.

What is broadband? Basically, broadband is a link that can deliver voice, data and multimedia at extremely high speeds. With a broadband link, you no longer need to wait two minutes to load a home page, 20 minutes for that RealAudio video file or three days to download the latest game demonstration. OK, maybe you need only two days. With broadband, you can do the same things at a fraction of the time. You also get faster downloads at a fraction of the current costs.

Usually, people access the net via standard telephone lines using modems. Now, there are other options to consider, such as using cable modems, leased lines, packet radio and even satellite technology. Each have their strengths and weaknesses to consider but they all offer one thing in common: fast downloads when accessing the net.

Cable modems are perhaps the easiest to install for the average consumer. Indonesia's cable TV provider, KabelVision, (www.kabelvision.com), in conjunction with Indosat and LinkNet, (www.link.net.id), now provides Internet access via their cable infrastructure. In areas where KabelVision is in service, the subscriber only needs a cable modem to connect to the Internet. The cable modem retails in the US$350 price range but can also be leased.

KabelVision has wired many parts of Jakarta as well as Surabaya and Bali. For the moment though, the Internet service is available only in Jakarta but will expand to other cities by early 2001.

Integrated Service Digital Network (ISDN) and Digital Subscriber Lines (DSL) are basically leased digital communication lines to your Internet provider through a third party. With ISDN or DSL, you can connect to the net at high speeds without tying up your telephone lines. The installation cost for digital lines varies but there is a rate charged per minute for whenever the link is in progress in addition to all the hardware requirements. Usually ideal for businesses and offices, you can find more information on the Telkom (www.telkom.co.id) or Lintas Arta (www.lintasarta.co.id) websites.

The cellular network may be another option although it may not have the speed of a cable connection. Dataplus, (www.dataplus.net.id), a division of the Ratelindo telephone company, provides wireless Internet service in the Jakarta, Bekasi and Tangerang areas. Using a special modem, users can access the net within the Ratelindo network, allowing complete independence and portability.

Unfortunately at the moment, this option may be on the expensive side since the modem is about $500. Also, the connection speed is about 19.2 kbps, a far cry from the standard 56 Kbps modems using standard telephone lines. However, judging by the progress of technology, cellular networks may be an inexpensive and fast solution in the near future.

Finally, the Internet via satellite is available in Indonesia. Melesat, (www.melesat.net), offers a "direct PC" type of service where you can download all your files using high-speed satellite access but upload using a regular modem. Such concepts may be annoying for heavy users of the Internet, such as Web Programmers or gamers, but are satisfactory for the average user. When a user goes to a web page, his computer will upload a small file or make a request to the server and receive in return a massive download that can include text, graphics, audio and video. High upstream is only required for sharing data or uploading a massive file to a faraway server.

Webs88, (www.webs88.com), will also be offering a similar service. In partnership with Indovision, (www.indovision.tv), subscribers to the satellite TV company can obtain high speed Internet downloads as well as watch the X-Files or Friends on television. Upstream again will be by telephone lines using webs88's connection. This fully national service is expected to be launched in the first quarter of 2001 if not sooner.

Rainbow2U (www.rainbow2u.com) goes one step further. In conjunction with Pan Asia Sat Media, the company offers both an uplink and downlink using fast satellite technology. With a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) dish, users can completely bypass telephone lines when accessing the Internet. These fast connection speeds, however, are not without a price. At the moment, VSAT is ideal for office or apartment buildings with a minimum of 20 users. Single or personal users are out of luck at the moment.

Apartment dwellers can perhaps petition their building administrators to get fast net access sooner. Many companies are willing to install Internet infrastructure in buildings with a high occupancy. HomeNetPlus (www.homenetplus.net) for example has wired Taman Rasuna Apartments in South Jakarta with high-speed microwave access to a nearby Internet service provider. Other buildings would have an easier time in getting the broadband companies to come to them.

What about the single user who lives far from the center of town? You can always get the satellite/telephone solution or plead with KabelVision. When using the satellite option, however, be aware of any additional costs per download that may be charged if you go over a certain megabyte limit. When pleading with KabelVision, make sure you have more then one household in your area to petition the company. It may not work but it never hurts to try.

Small and medium enterprises (SME) and Internet cafes, known locally as warnets, can also benefit from the use of broadband. Of course, the costs will be different compared to the single user but the usage of bandwidth for businesses tends to be much more higher compared to individual use. Most broadband companies have special packages for SMEs or warnets and it is up to each owner to choose which infrastructure is ideal for them.

Depending on usage, getting broadband may be an ideal solution for the current "double charging" system where the user pays for Internet access in addition to telephone charges. If you seldom go online and use your e-mail sparingly, a modem and dial up is sufficient. If you are an Internet, games and information junkie, broadband is the way to go. (vmahmud@yahoo.com)