Govt Increases Satellite Capacity to Maintain Internet Services

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Ministry of Communication and Digital,has taken mitigation steps to ensure that telecommunications and internet services continue to operate in the Sangihe Islands Regency and the Sitaro Islands Regency, North Sulawesi. This step is being taken during the ongoing restoration process of the Palapa Ring submarine cable segment Tahuna-Melonguane.

Thru the Telecommunications and Information Accessibility Agency (BAKTI), the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (Kemkomdigi) is increasing bandwidth capacity to 50 to 150 Mbps at 154 service access points using the Republic of Indonesia Satellite (Satria) network. These efforts are aimed at maintaining the continuity of communication services, governance, education, health, and economic activities for communities in border areas.

The Director of Digital Infrastructure Control at the Directorate General of Digital Infrastructure of the Ministry, Indra Maulana, stated that the government continues to prioritize services for the community while overseeing the recovery process of telecommunications infrastructure.

"All operational maneuvers and the use of underwater equipment must be carried out in a highly measured manner. We must be careful to maintain the security and reliability of the existing telecommunications infrastructure around the work area," Indra Maulana stated in Jakarta, Tuesday, June 3, 2026.

Meanwhile, the Acting Director of Infrastructure at BAKTI, Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi), Darien Aldiano, emphasized that all technical teams continue to work at their best to expedite network recovery despite facing various challenges on the ground.

"We apologize for this schedule adjustment.Despite facing extreme weather challenges and seabed characteristics, the entire technical team continues to strive to the maximum. Work is ongoing with a focus on safety and network reliability to restore services as soon as possible," he said.

The restoration process faces several technical challenges, ranging from dynamic sea weather conditions to the work location being near the active submarine cable corridor of the Ondong Siau-Tahuna segment. Additionally, the seabed conditions dominated by rocky terrain with steep contours require careful and precise identification and handling of the cables.

Considering those operational conditions, the target completion date and the Ready For Service (RFS) schedule, originally planned for the period from May 28 to June 2, 2026, have been adjusted to June 6, 2026.

The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (Kemkomdigi) reaffirmed its commitment to continue overseeing the restoration process until completion and ensuring that the people in Sangihe and Sitaro continue to have access to reliable communication and digital services as part of efforts to equalize connectivity to Indonesia's border regions.