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)