North Sumatra Governor invites providers to extend access to remote areas

Medan (ANTARA) - North Sumatra Governor Bobby Nasution is inviting telecommunication operators to collaborate with the North Sumatra Provincial Government to extend telecommunication and internet access to remote areas. “Overcoming blank spot areas and realising equitable communication access, particularly the internet in remote areas,” said Bobby after receiving PT Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison at the Tengku Rizal Nurdin Hall, the Governor’s official residence, on Thursday. According to Bobby, expanding telecommunication access is an essential need in supporting regional development whilst improving the community’s quality of life, especially in areas still facing network limitations. Therefore, the North Sumatra Provincial Government is inviting telecommunication operators to synergise to overcome blank spot areas, starting from the Nias Islands region. “Regarding digital literacy, we can also collaborate starting from the school level, be it primary, junior high, or senior high school,” he said. He considers that digital literacy needs to be instilled from an early age through the educational environment in line with rapid technological developments. Bobby also invited telecommunication operators to support various national and international scale activities that will be held in North Sumatra. “One of the nearest agendas is the organisation of the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) 2026 taking place in Samosir, North Sumatra,” he said. Meanwhile, Head of Circle Sumatera PT Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison Agus Sulistio said the company’s vision and mission are aligned with the development programmes run by the North Sumatra Provincial Government. “The Governor’s programme is aligned with Indosat’s mission. We remain committed to expanding network coverage to connect all Indonesian people, especially in North Sumatra,” said Agus. He explained that currently Indosat’s network has reached around 93 per cent of North Sumatra, including beginning to expand services in the Nias Islands. Besides expanding connectivity, Indosat is also running digital literacy strengthening programmes through cooperation with several higher education institutions. “To build digital literacy, we have cooperated with several campuses in digital learning programmes,” said Agus.