On October 15, 2014 the Government of Indonesia launched the Indonesia Broadband Plan (RPI) 2014 – 2019 to address the need for affordable broadband across the country’s 18,000+ islands. The RPI was developed with support from USAID’s Global Broadband and Innovations (GBI) Program, specifically technical assistance to the National Development Planning Agency, BAPPENAS and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.

Budgeted at Rp. 278 trillion (over $22 billion), the RPI includes six flagship programs, and the institutional and regulatory reforms needed to maximize the benefits of broadband. Each flagship program will target a different element of the RPI, and includes:

• Flagship 1: Palapa Ring (expansion and financing)
• Flagship 2: E-government Networks and Data Center
• Flagship 3: Passive Infrastructure and Shared Ducts
• Flagship 4: Rural Wireless Terrestrial Broadband
• Flagship 5: Universal Service Obligation Reform, and
• Flagship 6: National Digital Literacy

Pending the implementation of these programs and associated regulatory reforms, the RPI plans to cover 49% of rural households and 70% of urban households by 2019. In addition to the involvement from several Indonesian ministries, significant contributions are expected from the telecom sector as well. In fact, the Indonesian firm PT Telkom has already committed to spending Rp. 45 trillion ($3.7 billion) within the first year.

The RPI was drafted over the course of a year, beginning with technical assistance provided by GBI’s local Indonesian team in July 2013. GBI consultants participated in several stakeholder meetings with officials from the Ministries of Communication and Information Technology; State Apparatus and Bureaucratic Reform; Education and Culture; Health; Trade; Coordinating Ministry of Economic Affairs; and the National Policy on Procurement Agency. They are also supporting the development of implementation plans and budgets for relevant line ministries, and assisted with the Plan’s formal adoption process.

Integra is very pleased to have been a part of this process, and congratulates the Government of Indonesia on the RPI launch. GBI will continue to support BAPPENAS as they develop IBP implementation plans for various line ministries, and assist with implementing the fourth and fifth Flagship programs, a Rural Wireless Terrestrial Broadband pilot and USO Reform, respectively.