Antara News·Indonesia·Monday, October 19, 2026 at 10:44 AM UTC

Communication ministry continues efforts to expand internet access

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Hreeloita Dharma, Raka Adji

Denpasar, Bali (ANTARA) - Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Meutya Hafid stated that her ministry is continuously working to expand coverage and improve the quality of internet services across Indonesia.

"This means connectivity must be matched with better quality, particularly in terms of speed and inclusivity," she said at the Bali Tech Week (BTW) 2026 event in Sanur, Denpasar, Bali, on Monday.

She explained that internet penetration in Indonesia has reached 81.72 percent, or approximately 235 million people, while 4G mobile network coverage extends to 98.96 percent of the population, delivering an average speed of 84 Mbps.

Data transfer speeds for fixed broadband internet have reached 67.45 Mbps, with a target to boost that figure to 100 Mbps by 2029.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Angga Raka Prabowo noted earlier that 4G networks currently serve around 83,000 villages.

However, he pointed out that roughly two thousand villages and settlements still lack 4G access.

"This highlights that our national connectivity growth remains uneven. It is a task for all of us to close this gap," Angga remarked.

Meutya affirmed that the Indonesian government is striving to ensure equitable, high-quality connectivity across the country, including by allocating the 1.4 GHz radio frequency band for broadband internet services via fixed wireless access.

This effort aims to provide internet speeds of up to 100 Mbps at an affordable monthly cost of Rp100,000 (around US$5.5) to Rp150,000 (around US$8.3).

Additionally, the government is opening up the 700 MHz and 2.6 GHz frequency bands to expand coverage and boost national mobile network capacity, ensuring faster and more stable internet access for the public.

Meutya also mentioned that her ministry and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources are exploring the utilization of existing power infrastructure to support telecommunications deployment.

Expanding coverage and improving service quality, she noted, will bring economic benefits to local communities and drive national economic growth.

She added that Indonesia's digital economy, estimated at US$99 billion in 2025, is projected to climb to US$360 billion by 2030.

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