The Indonesian Internet Service Providers Association (APJII) has signed an MoU with SpaceX’s Starlink to provide internet access in Indonesia as the LEO satellite operator awaits final regulatory approval to operate in the country.
APJII chairman Muhammad Arif said in a statement that Starlink will focus on rural areas, especially in the underdeveloped, frontmost and outermost regions of the archipelago.
According to APJII, the latest statistics show that 79.5% of the Indonesian population is connected to the internet. In urban areas, internet penetration stands at 82.2%, while rural penetration is at 74%. However, rural internet users only contributes 30.5% of total internet usage.
Arif said that integrating Starlink services with existing infrastructure will enable local ISPs to expand their reach, while Starlink can use terrestrial infrastructure to reach more users across Indonesia.
“With Starlink connected to IIX [Indonesia Internet Exchange], we look forward to accelerating local internet access and increasing the overall quality of service for internet users in the archipelago,” he said.
Earlier this month, we reported that SpaceX has formally applied for an ISP permit to operate in Indonesia, as well as a VSAT licence. Starlink also aims to supplement internet connectivity in the upcoming new capital city of Ibu Kota Nusantara (IKN), with feasability tests expected to kick off as early as next month.
According to the government's Antara news agency, Indonesia’s Communications and Informatics Minister Budi Arie Setiadi said at an event on Tuesday that Starlink has fulfilled almost all requisites to operate in Indonesia, and will be allowed to enter the market as long as it complies with local regulations and pays its spectrum fees.
Setiadi also lauded Starlink’s tie-up with APJII, saying it “will be helpful to various regions in Indonesia, for instance, the eastern Indonesia region.”