BAKTI Integrates Satellite and Terrestrial Tech to Close Digital Divide
- 18 Jun 2026 19:46 WIB
- Voice of Indonesia
Key Points
- Communication and Digital Ministry's BAKTI Program uses a hybrid model combining the SATRIA-1 satellite with terrestrial infrastructure to close the digital divide in Indonesia's remote, frontier, and outer (3T) regions.
- BAKTI CEO Fadhillah Mathar described the integration of BTS towers, internet access services, and the Palapa Ring network as a key pillar of Indonesia’s national digital ecosystem.
RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - As Indonesia pushes to close its digital divide, the government’s BAKTI agency says satellite SATRIA-1 is only one piece of a wider connectivity strategy. This strategy relies heavily on terrestrial infrastructure to serve the nation’s most remote, frontier, and outer islands (3T) communities.
“Overall, the integration between Base Transceiver Station (BTS), internet access, and the Palapa Ring backbone network is a main pillar of the national digital ecosystem besides the capacity provided by the SATRIA 1 satellite,” said BAKTI CEO, Fadhillah Mathar, on Thursday, June 18, 2026.
Agency for Telecommunications and Information Accessibility, at the Ministry of Communication and Digital or BAKTI’s data to 5 June 2026 show the agency directly manages 6,747 BTS sites to extend mobile coverage into 3T areas.
Of those, 5,514 are 4G BTS units built and already on air under BAKTI’s programs. Meanwhile, the remaining 1,233 sites were established under the Universal Service Obligation (USO) funded by commercial operators.
Beyond BTS, BAKTI runs non‑SATRIA internet access services in 61 locations. When combined with SATRIA‑powered sites, the agency manages connectivity for a total of 31,864 public service points, such as schools, community health centers, and government offices.
“Besides utilizing SATRIA 1, which serves 31,803 sites, BAKTI also provides non‑SATRIA Internet Access in 61 locations. The Internet Access program in total has reached 31,864 public service locations,” said Fadhillah, as quoted by Antara.
BAKTI also leverages the Palapa Ring backbone , a national network of fiber‑optic and microwave links connecting 131 locations across the archipelago. The backbone is divided into three regional packages, which are the Western package with 216 Gbps capacity and 72 percent utilization, the Central package with 290 Gbps capacity at 48.33 percent utilization, and the Eastern package, which combines a 338 Gbps fiber network (42.3 percent utilization) with a 5.05 Gbps microwave segment currently at 95.45 percent utilization.
With that mix of satellite, mobile towers, internet access points, and backbone capacity, BAKTI says its approach is designed to extend basic connectivity. Additionally, this strategy aims to improve service quality for areas that commercial operators do not adequately serve.
The agency frames the hybrid model as essential for sustaining reliable digital services in locations where terrain, distance, and economics make traditional commercial rollouts unviable.
Going forward, BAKTI plans to continue optimizing the combined infrastructure to raise the quality and reach of public connectivity. Meanwhile, it will monitor utilization patterns across the Palapa Ring and scale interventions where demand or technical constraints require it. ***
Source: https://www.antaranews.com/berita/5612993/ragam-cara-bakti-selain-satria-1-beri-konektivitas-bagi-masyarakat-3t
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