Three Major Operators Run Technical Test on Project Loon

Indonesia Operators and Google Management (dok)

JAKARTA (IndoTelko) - Three major operators in Indonesia has signed an agreement with Google to conduct a technical test for the Project Loon.

The three operators are Telkomsel, Indosat, and XL, who posses around 85% share of the mobile market in the country.

Project Loon is an innovation to provide internet access by placing balloons in the air which is likened to the Base Transceiver Station (BTS).

"True, we have signed an agreement with Google. But this is just a technical test. Not a business deal," said Telkomsel President Director Ririek Adriansyah to IndoTelko in a brief message, Thursday (29/10).

Ririek said that the technical tests will be conducted starting next year and prioritizing on remote areas. "It will only be using the 900 MHz frequency, which a little loose in the remote area," he explained.

Technology and e-Business Infrastructure sub-directorate Chief of the Informatics Application of the Ministry of Communication and Informatics Technology Noor Iza while accompanying Minister Rudiantara in a trip to the United States recognizes the three operators have signed a technical agreement for the pilot Project Loon.

"It is true that the deal has been signed by the three operators Managing Directors," he said through an instant messaging application, on Thursday (29/10).

Loon's VP Mike Cassidy in a post on Google's official blog expect that starting next year with the internet balloon test may help some 100 million people in Indonesia to be able to enjoy internet speeds that is equivalent as LTE.

In his note Mike said that there are one of three people are connected to the internet, but in a very low speed.

"Indonesian geography of islands makes it very difficult to build the optical fiber. Loon will address those issues. these innovations is like a flying base stations," Mike explained.

Earlier, the Minister of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) Rudiantara revealed that Google will bring the Loon Project to Indonesia for technical test.

Telkom's Director of Innovation and Strategic Portfolio Indra Utoyo warned, if Google wants to get into the business of Internet network provider in Indonesia then they should follow the existing rules which have a license and pay some obligations such as the Frequency Usage Fee (BHP). (See also: Telkom and Project Loon)

"If you come with a disruptive technology that endanger the telecommunications industry in the country, because all operators have budgeted investment worth up to trillions of Rupiah, from the network to the license," he said.

In Australia, Google has tested a Project Loon by embracing local telecommunications operator, Telstra. Project Loon launched 20 air balloons in the western part Quennsland. Google did not buy or rent a frequency in Australia.

In this project, Telstra permitted the Loon Project to access the base stations network by utilizing the 2.6 GHz frequency spectrum. Later, residents will receive a Wi-Fi connection in their computer.

The air balloon developed by Google is still in the development stage of the Google X laboratory and has been running test flights in the United States and New Zealand in the past two years.

Accident was reported during the flight test in the US, where the air balloon were flying low and destroy power lines and disrupted the supply of electricity to several homes around Washington area.

In New Zealand, the balloon landed in the sea and identified as a crash incident that triggered the security officer to conduct an emergency evacuation, when there are no men on board. (es)