GOVT TO PROVIDE FUNDS FOR BROADBAND TELECOMMUNICATION NETWORK

Jakarta, April 8 (ANTARA) - The government will allocate funds from the State Budget (APBN) for the building of a broadband telecommunication network in the country.

"The broadband telecommunication network is important so it should not be ignored because it is the foundation of all networks," Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Hatta Rajasa said here on Thursday.

Hatta admitted the government was still unable to allocate a big amount of funds to build the broadband telecommunication network.

But the allocation of State Budget funds for the purpose was something like an incentive for business players in the network.

He said the State Budget funds allocation would be continuous , although not in big amounts.

In addition, Hatta said, he would do his best to form an ICT fund to help finance telecommunication infrastructure development.

Hatta expressed hope that business players in the country would also contribute to the progress of the telecommunication sector.

According to him, business players in the telecommunication sector in the country had a tendency to focus only on wireless technological development rather than fixed wireless development.

The involvement of business players in broadband telecommunication network development was of a great importance because it was impossible for the government to build it on its own as it needed a very big investment, he said.

This was why, Hatta said, the government had asked the private sector to support the "last miles" connection in the Palapa Ring network so that the back bound development could give a significant advantage.

"Last Mile is important to be built by the providers in order that the Palapa Ring can can function well," the minister said.