5G Roadmap; DPR Fears Creating a 'Market Rather Than a Player'

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - House of Representatives (DPR) Commission I legislator, Sukamta, encouraged the government against hastily implementing the 5G technology in Indonesia before domestic telecommunication firms are able to adopt the technology. He believes that it should not merely open a market for foreign telecommunications operators and leave Indonesians as consumers.

His statement comes after Communication and Informatics Minister Johnny G. Plate said there are a number of aspects needed to be pushed to accelerate Indonesia’s 5G network at Thursday's virtual conference on Indonesia’s 5G roadmap.

“The 5G economy is huge. Indonesia also has the potential to develop the 5G technology but with the current condition we could possibly only be a market [rather than a player],” wrote Sukamta in Sunday’s statement.

He also mentioned about ‘a number of parties’ using the large market of the 5G development that is still limited in the United States, France, Germany, South Korea, Japan, and United Kingdom.

The DPR legislator highlighted the fact that many Indonesian rural areas are still only covered by 2G and even those that are not covered by cellular coverage at all.

“We do hope that everything could be prepared, which includes its ecosystem,” said Sukamta. “It would be useless if the infrastructures and technology are ready but fails in its application.”

The PKS House faction deputy reminded the government that developing 5G in Indonesia must be well prepared as the costs to develop one are not cheap.

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ANTARA