Monitoring Digital Infrastructure Quality to Prevent a Connectivity Gap
Jakarta (ANTARA) – Deputy Minister of Communication and Digital Nezar Patria said monitoring the quality of digital infrastructure is vital to preventing a digital connectivity gap between urban and rural areas.
He said staff at the Radio Frequency Spectrum and Digital Infrastructure Monitoring Offices (Balmon SFRID), which operate under the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Kemkomdigi), should carry out this work to support the Indonesia Digital Vision 2045.
“Quantitatively, the networks have been deployed, but they are not yet functioning optimally. There are still infrastructure gaps that we must address,” Nezar said in a statement received and confirmed in Jakarta on Thursday.
Nezar made the remarks during a discussion with personnel at the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs’ Makassar Human Resources Training Centre in South Sulawesi.
He said telecommunications network coverage was now close to 99 per cent, but in practice network quality remained below par, particularly in areas that were not commercially attractive.
Balmon SFRID officers therefore play an important role in ensuring that telecommunications networks are properly monitored and assessed in the field.
Direct inspections make it easier for officers to identify problems, such as non-functioning network towers, and determine the causes of service disruptions.
This means Balmon SFRID’s remit extends beyond monitoring frequency use: it also assesses the quality of service provision to ensure the Government’s goal of delivering meaningful connectivity to the public is met.
“Monitoring is not just about frequencies and spectrum, but also digital infrastructure,” Nezar said.
Nezar said digital infrastructure should deliver meaningful connectivity—that is, connectivity that is available and brings tangible benefits to the public.
Networks must therefore support economic activity, education, social communication, financial services and healthcare, rather than simply being recorded as infrastructure that has been built.
Nezar added that making effective use of digital infrastructure also requires investment in human resources. This is why infrastructure monitoring and talent development must go hand in hand in supporting the country’s digital transformation.
Kemkomdigi aims to develop around nine million digital talents by 2030 so that connectivity can boost public productivity and economic growth.
“We need around nine million digital talents by 2030 to make use of connectivity in economic activity, education, financial services, healthcare and many other fields,” Nezar concluded.