Internet rental service taps into growing need

By Tedy Novan

YOGYAKARTA (JP): The young woman gleefully tapped away on the keyboard, her eyes dancing in unison to the developments on the screen. "I've got another friend," Tarida shouted over her shoulder to her colleague busy on an adjacent computer.

There is no shortage of customers at the eight public venues for accessing the Internet in this thriving university city. Cyber communication has opened up the business field of renting communication services, as sparsely detailed information from the print media has generated a need to obtain concrete facts from the world of net sites.

The access venues vary in type, but they are all in demand because they offer access to the net at relatively inexpensive fees. The Cafe-net is so named because it is located in a restaurant. There is also the Warnet or Warung Internet (Internet rentals), whose name is a variation on the traditional Wartel or Warung Telekomunikasi telecommunication centers.

The number of customers is growing daily, including at the Pujayo Cafe-net, where Tarida is a regular.

Tarida says she caught Internet fever in November 1996. She uses the Internet for correspondence with people and institutions helpful for her medical studies at the School of Medicine of Gadjah Mada University.

"When I have problems with my studies, I can ask other users or institutes well informed about medical sciences," she said.

She also accesses Apa Kabar, a bulletin site primarily focused on political issues, because it has information not found in the general media. "The political information on the Internet can at least add to our knowledge of the political world," said Tarida.

Erlangga, a student at Gadjah Mada's School of Law, is even more fanatical. His family home boasts three Internet providers. He visits the Cafe-net because he can better control the use of the service, instead of sitting at home for hours at home and running up the phone bill.

Although both students were initially interested in using the Internet as a pastime, it has now become a daily necessity. They are seemingly addicted to their daily log-on sessions.

Tarida puts a lot of money into the system. The native of Irian Jaya spends at least four hours a day in front of the computer and once spent Rp 300,000 (US$122) in a week.

"When I am broke, I usually borrow money from a friend," she said. Tarida plans to install the system in her rented house after Pacific Internet opens its network in Yogyakarta because she says its access speed is higher than that of other providers.

The lure of the Internet has also captivated a newly graduated military officer. "I look for information in a leisurely way," said the man, who wished to remain anonymous. In addition to accessing information from armed forces institutes, he also scans Apa Kabar to follow political developments. "A soldier is not only concerned with arms, he also needs knowledge," he said.

These are the people who crowd the Warnet venues in Yogyakarta. "On average, 35 customers use our services every day," said Bayu Sulistyo, manager of Pujayo Cafe-net. The enterprise started in September 1996 and is open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., with a per hour rental fee of Rp 6,000 ($2.4). The use of the Internet averages 40 hours daily but once soared to 60 hours. Sulistyo is convinced the investment of Rp 58 million ($23,673) will be returned in two and a half years.

Tawar Gunawan, director of Warnet Maga on Jl. Colombo, Yogyakarta, said his business could yield a monthly net profit of six to Rp 7 million. At least 500 customers use the Internet facility there in a week. "I am optimistic we will regain our investment in three years," he said.

Rates, services and requirements differ at each site. The Cafe-net requires minimum use of 10 minutes, and a mail box charge of Rp 5,000 a month. Warnet Maga is more expensive. Their rate is Rp 7,500 for the first hour and Rp 6,000 additional hourly use. The mail box charge is Rp 10,000 a month. "This higher charge includes delivery of mail to the address of customers," Gunawan said.

Warnet Maga is partitioned into cubicles for users. "We emphasize privacy for Internet users," said Gunawan. They also offer tea, coffee and softdrinks free of charge. A discount of 30 percent is given to customers using the facility for one hour.

Internet first came to Yogyakarta in mid 1995. Idola was the first provider of the Internet, although at the time there was no point-to-point protocol facility and users in Yogyakarta had to contact the provider in Jakarta. The facility was installed in the city one year later.

The three providers currently operating in Yogyakarta are Wasantaranet of PT Pos dan Giro, Idola and Yogya Global Internet, which is a branch of Indonet in Jakarta. These three providers have a total of 1,238 customers.

Telecommunication network capacity has failed to keep up with the growing use of the Internet in Yogyakarta. Users often experience difficulty in accessing Internet although Warnet centers use modems with a capacity of 28.8 kilobytes, against the available telecommunication network of 14.4 kilobytes only.

This obstacle can be overcome if the telecommunication network adopts the dedicated system which will be used by Pacific Internet. This system can technically speed up the capacity to access Internet. PT Telkom still uses the dial system for their network.

These nuisances and the high costs of installing a net provider in one's own home (including the telephone charges, use of PC, and membership and monthly subscription fees) have not stopped people's enthusiasm for the system.

The net access venues are tapping into this craving for information by providing efficient and inexpensive services. "It's so easy, you just come and play," said Wasantaranet manager Sariyono.