No, not pollution: Jakarta abuzz with Wifi waves
Tantri Yuliandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
There is something in air in Jakarta these days and it is more than the usual pollution. The buzz is about Wireless Fidelity (WiFi), the latest in technological trends that has recently made its entrance in the capital's lounges and trendy cafes.
WiFi liberates Internet users from wire constraints, allowing them to surf the net from cafes, restaurants, and airport lounges.
After touring the world over, WiFi has decided to stop over in Jakarta. U.S. coffee chain Starbucks recently launched it's WiFi "menu" in Indonesia, using provider Biznet's pre-paid service or its subscription based fee.
For a pre-paid voucher of 30 minutes, 60 minutes, and 300 minutes worth of connection, users pay Rp 25,000 (about US$3), Rp 45,000, and Rp 150,000 respectively, for Internet connection of up to 22 mega bytes per second (Mbps). The vouchers are available in all hotspots.
Just open up an Internet browser on your WiFi-enabled laptop or personal digital assistant (PDA) near a wireless network, called a hotspot, and it should connect to the network automatically.
In this case, Biznet's login page should appear on your browser. Just login with the name and password that comes with your pre-paid voucher and you are ready to surf.
In Jakarta, Biznet's hotspots can be found at the InterContinental MidPlaza and in 10 Starbucks outlets.
"We plan to provide this service in all of our outlets in Jakarta, Surabaya, and Bali," Anthony Cottan, general manager PT Sari Coffee, holder of the Starbucks license in Indonesia, said during the launch recently.
He added however that Starbucks does not intend to turn its establishment into an Internet cafe, but to provide the service for those who needs it. "We'd like to see executives move their meetings from their offices to here," Cottan said.
Besides Biznet, CBN and Surfzone -- a collaboration between Telkom and its cellular subsidiary Telkomsel -- also claims to have set up hotspots in several public places in the capital.
WiFi, also known as Wireless LAN (WLAN), is a radio frequency standard of the U.S.-based Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11b. It operates at the public 2,4 Giga Hertz band of spectrum also shared by microwave ovens and cordless phones.
It's popularity these days are partly attributed to Microsoft's decision to adopt the standard and build it into Windows XP, enabling Windows users to effortlessly connect to the network.
Another reason is that because WiFi's open specification allows manufacturers to use the technology without having to worry about developing the core technology or making royalty payments, the price of WiFi equipment are continually going down.
A WiFi access point, or base station, was sold for around US$1,900 in 1997, according to H. Asher Bolande in an article published in the February 2003 edition of the Far Eastern Economics Review. In 2000 it sold for $900 and in 2003 for as little as $70.
Meanwhile, the IEEE 802.11b or IEEE 802.11b+ PCMCIA card needed for laptops and PDAs to connect to a WiFi access point costs between $100 to $150 in Indonesia, although newer PDA and laptop models such as Acer's n20w and Toshiba's e740 now come WiFi ready.
WiFi's major drawback is that you cannot use the network while on the move, you have to be sitting down and within 100 to 300 meters to the nearest access point. Which makes it difficult to compete with cellular companies' GPRS (general packet radio service) offering the same service for the mobile phone. Particularly since in Indonesia GPRS is more widespread than the little-known WiFi.
"After Satelindo Matrix introduced its cheap GPRS access, and in addition to Mobile-8 Fren's free internet access promotion, hotspots is no longer attractive. Why go to cafes when we can access the Internet at all places of Jabotabek (Greater Jakarta)!" Sentot Adiprasena, a businessman in Jakarta, said. Sentot has used WiFi since early 2003 when there was still very few places with the service in the capital.
Other WiFi users and technology enthusiasts, such as Leo Indrawan and Raditya Mahendra, complain that there were not enough technical support available at hotspots for such a new, and little known service.
"When I tried (the service) the waiter at the cafe didn't understand anything about how to set up the system," Raditya said.
Ibox:
WiFi Hotspots in Jakarta
Location Provider
InterContinental MidPlaza Biznet Starbucks Plaza Indonesia Biznet Starbucks Setiabudi Building Biznet Starbucks Taman Anggrek Mall Biznet Starbucks Cilandak Town Square Biznet Starbucks Wisma 46 Kota BNI Biznet Starbucks Pondok Indah Mall Biznet Starbucks Kemang Square Biznet Starbucks Skyline Building 24 Hour Store Biznet Starbucks Jakarta Stock Exchange Biznet Starbucks Soekarno-Hatta Airport Biznet Coffee Club Plaza Senayan CBN Mister Bean Coffee Cilandak Town Square CBN Lamoda Cafe Plaza Indonesia CBN Hotel Mulia Senayan CBN California Pizza Kitchen Plaza Indonesia CBN Lobby Graha Surya Internusa (Telkomsel) Surfzone Lobby Graha Citra Caraka (Telkom) Surfzone Starbucks Cafe Plaza Senayan Surfzone Executive Lounge Soekarno-Hatta Airport Surfzone Marche Restaurant, Graha Surya Internusa Surfzone Lobby and meeting room Hotel Grand Melia Surfzone State Palace Press Room Surfzone Fashion Cafe, Java Bay, Food Court, Bakmi Keriting, Wisma 46 Kota BNI Surfzone Lobby Taman Anggrek Mall Surfzone