Options in getting hooked into Internet

Options in getting hooked into Internet

By Joe Mudnich

JAKARTA (JP): The much hailed Information Superhighway has
finally extended an on-ramp into Indonesia. With a modem and a PC
or Macintosh, would-be cyberspace travelers in Indonesia can
choose from several different Internet services to traverse
computer systems world-wide.

The information one can find on the Internet itself is almost
unlimited. The on-ramp, though, is not without its tolls and
potholes.

The cheapest option is the Jakarta-based Indo Internet, also
called Indonet. The first Internet provider in Indonesia, Indonet
provides all the basic Internet services. These include
electronic mail, local and international chat groups, and
programs with names such as Gopher, Archie, and Finger that serve
as your guides through the world's vast web of computers.

Although Indonet offers most of the basic Internet functions,
these services are sometimes unreliable. During weekends it can
be difficult to get technical support and service is frequently
delayed due to system maintenance.

Indonet is also slow -- painfully slow. Internet systems in
Singapore and the U.S. are at least eight times faster than
Indonet. This means waits of several minutes every time you want
to move within the network or download any information.

Most of Indonet's drawbacks, however, can be chalked up to
inexperience and youthful growing pains. Begun only last
September, Indonet still has a lot of work to make the system
comparable to its counterparts in the U.S. and Europe.

They are currently doing tests to accelerate the system to a
more comfortable speed.

"We're working on it," said Harywyrasma, marketing director
for Indo Internet, "We should be up to speed within a month or
so."

The startup fee for basic service is Rp 50,000 with a monthly
charge of Rp 40,000 for 15 hours of connect time. Every hour
after that costs Rp 2,000.

Indonet also offers a premium service called SLIP, which
allows members to use windows-driven Internet software. With this
free software users can type e-mail off-line as well as keep
track of frequently traveled Internet pathways. These more
advanced accounts run Rp 75,000 as a startup fee and Rp 60,000
per month for 20 hours. Subsequent hours cost Rp 2,500 per hour.

Although 60 percent of Indonet's subscribers are expatriates
Indonesians are catching on to the Internet, according to
Harywyrasma. "It is spreading by word of mouth. Many of the
people joining now heard about us from other subscribers," said
Harywyrasma.

Jakarta's university students may soon have access to Internet
accounts as well. There are currently four Jakarta universities
that have Internet accounts: University of Indonesia, University
of Trisakti, University Atmajaya, and Universitas Terbuka. These
universities still need to install the networks on campus which
will enable all students to have their own accounts.

Other major subscribers include ARCO and the Ministry of
Industry.

Indonet already has plans to open offices in Bali, Surabaya,
Bandung and Yogyakarta.

Options

The other option for would-be cyberspace travelers are the
U.S. custom services Compuserve, America Online and Prodigy.
These services are the equivalent of having your own private toll
road.

With their Windows-style formats, these services are easy and
fun to use. Though each company varies, they all offer very
similar services.

Prodigy is directed at casual users. But Prodigy and
Compuserve don't have full Internet access as does America
Online. With over two million members worldwide, it is the most
successful online service. In September 1994, PC Computing
Magazine rated America Online the most usable online service.

Pick a topic and you can probably find it on one of these
services. You can make airline arrangements, join a chat about
the O.J. Simpson murder trial or U.S.-China trade disputes, check
the latest stock quotes from New York, or research topics such as
entertainment, sports, or, of course, computers. Through
Compuserve you can even shop in an Electronic Mall.

But the best part of these special services are the newspapers
and magazines that you can download right into your computer.
America Online offers about 60 magazines and newspapers such as
Business Week, The New York Times, Boating, Wired, Premiere, and
The Atlantic Monthly. Most articles can be downloaded in less
than a minute.

And unlike Indo Internet these services offer excellent
technical support in case you have problems with any of the
services.

But for international subscribers these luxuries come with big
price tags. Basic services costs US$10 for five hours each month.
The first month is usually free. However, because all three of
these services connect to the U.S. through the Sprintnet
satellite system, there are per minute charges which make
leisurely browsing quite costly. At $12 per hour, these extra
charges can easily bring a monthly bill of up to $75. It is best
to know exactly what you want, get it as fast as you can, and
then get out. To cut costs, America Online offers a function
called Flashsessions which can shorten online time by half.

The special software needed to connect to these services is
always free and can often be found inside major computer
magazines. If you cannot find a copy of the software, most
magazines have tear-out postcards to send away for it. Also, each
of the major services have phone numbers to order by phone.

From e-mailing a colleague in England or Australia to
accessing a database 5,000 km away, the Internet has a lot to
offer. Whatever service a person chooses, getting hooked into the
Internet definitely means getting hooked.

How to get connected
Indo Internet 470-2889
America Online 1-800-827-6364, 1-800-827-4595
Prodigy 1-800-PRODIGY ext. 364
Compuserve 614-529-1349 (Especially for international
callers)