Manado, July 20, 2022 – PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia International (Telin), the subsidiary of PT Telkom Indonesia (Persero) Tbk (Telkom) has launched yet another international communication gateway (gateway), this time in Manado, North Sulawesi. On Wednesday (20/7), Telin, inaugurated the Manado Second Gateway at the Telkom Witel Office Manado in North Sulawesi. The inauguration was attended by Manado Mayor Andrei Angouw, Telkom President Commissioner Bambang Brodjonegoro, Telkom Independent Commissioner Wawan Iriawan, Telkom Wholesale & International Service Director Bogi Witjaksono, Network & IT Solution Director Herlan Wijanarko, Telin President Director Budi Satria Dharma Purba, along with Senior Leaders TelkomGroup.
The Manado Gateway is the second international communication gateway owned by TelkomGroup. This digital toll gate is part of the effort to equalize access to telecommunications and information throughout Indonesia. This Manado route serves an alternative route for the international communication traffic, which was previously concentrated in Batam. If all communication routes to and from Indonesia are concentrated in Batam, this poses a potential service risk in the event of disruption caused by natural disasters or other marine activities.
Manado Mayor Andrei Angouw expressed his appreciation for the inauguration of the Manado international communication gateway by Telkom and Telin. “With the Manado gateway, it’s as if a digital toll road is now passing us, this will certainly lift the economy of Manado city and its surroundings. We hope that with this infrastructure, Manado's economy will grow more rapidly and big companies will be interested in investing in the city of Manado. Hopefully this infrastructure network can support economic growth and help the community to prosper.”
In 2017, TelkomGroup initiated the construction of the SEA-US and IGG Sea Cable Communication System (SKKL), which connects Indonesia to America. This route passes through Indonesian waters and the Pacific sea, offering an alternative route to secure cable routes to America, rather than passing through the Luzon Strait and the South China Sea, where cables often break due to underwater earthquakes. In 2021, Telin also joined the Bifrost Cable System consortium with Meta/Facebook and Keppel to strengthen the position of Manado's gateway infrastructure. In the future, this gate will be connected to a number of international submarine cable communication systems, so the amount of telecommunication traffic passing through Manado will equal that of Batam.
With the presence of Manado as a second gateway for international communication, it is hoped that by 2025, equitable access to information can be achieved across Indonesia. Previously, the connectivity in Indonesian waters was solely focused on western Indonesia.
In addition, the quality of telecommunications services to and from Indonesia will become increasingly reliable.
Director of Wholesale & International Service Telkom Bogi Witjaksono said, "Manado as a communication traffic gateway for global connectivity in Indonesia will serve as a diversified route from Batam, as well as encourage economic growth in eastern Indonesia. The connectivity route in Manado will open up opportunities for digital businesses such as Data Centers, emerging start-ups, as well as cable landing infrastructure business that will contribute to local revenue.”
Telin CEO Budi Satria Dharma Purba said, "In addition to encouraging equitable distribution of economic infrastructure throughout Indonesia, Manado's international communication gateway also opens up good opportunities to make Manado a connectivity hub for surrounding countries and strengthen Telin's position as a leading regional operator. Currently, TelkomGroup through Telin is also undertaking an initiative with regional operators to build a submarine cable communication system that connects Manado with intra-Asian countries such as Hong Kong, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore. The Manado initiative, as a second gateway for international communication, is in line with Telin's vision, namely to be Digital Infrastructure and Platform Partner of Choice for Enterprise and Hyperscaler Growth in Asia-Pacific."
The existence of the Manado international communication gateway is expected to accelerate the growth of the digital ecosystem in Indonesia towards the realization of national digital sovereignty, especially in Eastern Indonesia, and to support the successful development of Indonesia’s new capital city.
For further information, please contact:
Melani Moechtar
Corporate Communication Telin