Heaptalk, Jakarta — Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan warmly welcomed the arrival of Elon Musk’s Starlink. This internet service will enable the public to access education, health services, and other needs.
According to Luhut, the presence of this satellite-based internet service makes Base Transceiver Station (BTS) towers unnecessary. “We don’t need BTS as we already have Starlink,” Luhut said in a recent press release. He explained the advantages of Starlink in Indonesia, including low telecommunication costs and the opening of access to education and health services in the least developed, frontier, and outermost areas (3T). People in those areas can directly consult with experienced doctors in Jakarta.
Responding to this statement, State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir discussed the fate of PT Telkom Indonesia (Persero) Tbk and its counterparts if BTS is no longer needed. He welcomed competition but reminded the government that regulatory frameworks must benefit Indonesia. “Competition must happen, but taxes must be paid here, job creation must be here, technology transfer must occur, and consumer protection must be ensured,” Erick said at the House of Representatives building in Central Jakarta recently.
According to him, foreign investments such as Starlink are indeed needed for Indonesia. However, regulations should not be detrimental. He said, “Starlink is very necessary for remote areas, but if Starlink is later used for social media and even includes pornography, that means our people in the villages will have access to pornography. We must not open the door to smuggling or pornography. This must be a focus. I am open to competition.”
BTS to improve existing connectivity
Meanwhile, Telkom’s representative stated that BTS plays an essential role in providing telecommunication services, especially the Internet. This infrastructure sends and receives radio signals to communication devices such as mobile phones. “BTS acts like a repeater, a signal booster. Our country (Indonesia) is very challenging, with its rich natural landscape, many mountains, and islands. To improve existing connectivity, BTS devices are needed,” said SVP of Corporate Communication & Investor Relations Telkom, Ahmad Reza.
Building BTS towers incurs significant costs. Telecommunication players might spend billions of rupiah to erect a single tower. With the presence of Starlink, a satellite-based internet service provider, the function of BTS is still necessary. Reza explained, “Briefly, BTS functions to send and receive signals/frequencies between mobile devices. With current cellular technology, BTS is still needed and is an active device that enables communication between mobile devices.”
Moreover, satellites like Starlink have weather-related weaknesses, such as solar storms that recently disrupted its services. On the other hand, BTS promises stable connectivity. “This does not mean that BTS cannot be used in the future since BTS has many functions, including spreading cellular signals,” Reza said.
Reza further added that a thorough study is needed if future telecommunication services rely solely on satellites. “A comprehensive study is necessary; there hasn’t been user experience in remote areas, like people in the mountains or coastal regions, which are very sensitive to natural and weather conditions. Fiber optics are still faster and very much needed today. If not, what else will we use for phone calls?” he concluded.
