Teleconference Apps See 443 Percent Surge in Demand

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Communication and Informatics Ministry (Kominfo) on Sunday announced that users of teleconference applications saw a 443 percent surge as the COVID-19 pandemic hit Indonesia. The staggering percentage is predominantly contributed by the government’s call for remote-work and remote-studying. 

“People are able to utilize technology for social, economic, and educational needs during the pandemic,” said the Ministry’s legal affairs special staff, Henri Subiakto, on Sunday, June 22. 

Apart from teleconference apps, the ministry also saw a significant rise in the use of telemedicine or remote health consultation during the pandemic. This was evident in the total number of users that were initially 4 million users prior to the pandemic and grew to 15 million after COVID-19 quarantines. 

This has pushed the ministry to quickly complete its goal to broaden the 4G network nationwide, as the ministry’s records state that there are 12,548 villages yet to utilize 4G technology with 9,113 of them categorized as outermost and underdeveloped (3T) regions. 

While non-3T regions are the responsibility of cellular operators, the Communication and Informatics Ministry is responsible for the development of underdeveloped regions, that still rely on the 2G network and is eyeing to complete it by 2022.

Read also: Telkomsel Plans Building 23,000 4G BTS Towers in 2020

ANTARA