Photo caption: PON Event Chairman Yunus Wonda (center) with Telkom Network & IT Solution Director Herlan Wijanarko (far left), Telkom Enterprise & Business Service Director Edi Witjara (second from left) in Telkom rehearsal test to serve communication and to guarantee the availability of a stable internet network during the 20th PON Papua in Jayapura, Thursday (2/9).

Jakarta, 5 September 2021 – Preparations for the 20th National Games  (PON) in Papua are underway. As one of the companies that supports the provision of telecommunications infrastructure and services during the national sporting events, PT Telkom Indonesia (Persero) Tbk (Telkom) is making sure that preparations are in order for smooth communication and internet connectivity during the event.

Telkom declares its readiness to provide communications and make a stable internet network available during PON in Papua in a rehearsal test Thursday (2/9). PON officials including Event Chairman Yunus Wonda and Secretary Drs. Elia Loupatty MM, Telkom Network & IT Solution Director Herlan Wijanarko, Telkom Enterprise & Business Service Director Edi Witjara, and representatives of a number of subsidiaries involved, namely Telkomsel, TelkomAkses, Telkomsat , and PINS were in attendance during the test.

Telkom has undertaken preparations for the 20th PON since several months ago. The preparations included rehearsal tests and checking the infrastructure that will be used as the communication backbone during PON Papua. The network tests were carried out on Telkom and Telkomsel's backbone infrastructure, access networks and services, including the Sulawesi-Maluku-Papua Cable System (SMPCS), submarine cables, satellites, IP radio, and cyber security attack (DDoS protection).

Telkom has been carrying out these telecommunications network tests for the 20th PON in the last three months since June 2021 to ensure a smooth and secure telecommunications network during the sporting weeks. During those three months, Telkom conducted 61 network tests with a variety of different disturbance scenarios to train officers and systems to be able to overcome any problems that may arise during the sporting weeks.

"We are conducting this redundancy network rehearsal test to ensure the network and telecommunications systems' resilience, readiness, and security during the PON in Papua. After conducting multiple tests in the last three months, we can confirm that the PON Papua telecommunications network is ready to be used for the contingents and society's convenience. Telkom has also set up a 99.99 percent backup system to support smooth connectivity during the PON in Papua on 2-15 October 2021," said Telkom Indonesia Network & IT Solution Director Herlan Wijanarko.

PON Event Chairman Yunus Wonda said he appreciated Telkom's infrastructure support during the sporting weeks. “In addition to the infrastructure that has international standards, we also prepare all venues with international standards. This proves that even though located on the eastern end of Indonesia, Papua can pull off such an event. Despite our shortcomings and limitations in Papua, when the state entrusted us to host the 20th PON, all Papuan people are ready to support the success of PON in Papua. Thank you to Telkom for preparing extraordinary infrastructure to support PON in Papua."

For effective communication network security during PON in Papua, Telkom has formed a task force of more than 900 special technicians, support for the regular technicians and experts in Papua and other areas in Indonesia. Those personnel are on duty every day in 49 venues in four host regencies/cities namely Jayapura City, Jayapura Regency, Mimika Regency, and Merauke Regency. In addition to ensuring network security and readiness in the four host regencies/cities, Telkom task force is also mitigating risks in the Sulawesi-Maluku-Papua Cable System (SMPCS), which includes the East Palapa Ring network, satellites, radio towers, and submarine cables.

Telkom has been rehearsing the systems and networks monitoring in a hybrid manner, relying on human and robotic labor using Robotic Process Automation technology and machine learning. The smart monitoring method is applied to speed up handling in case of disruptions, and to ensure that the entire system can run properly according to its function.

Telkom also provides a wireless internet access point (WiFi) to support smooth internet connectivity during the PON in Papua. Telkom has prepared 891 WiFi points in PON sporting venues and public spaces that the public can freely access. Hundreds of Telkom's WiFi points have a bandwidth capacity of more than 100 Gbps.

Moreover, Telkom provides 379 units of IndiHome fixed broadband internet connection facilities. The IndiHome devices are provided in several vital locations, including the athletes' village for the competing contingents to use at their convenience. 

"We have prepared various digital telecommunication services to ensure PON in Papua runs smoothly. The services we provide include mobile telecommunication services through Telkomsel, the provision of private internet networks for security and information system needs, as well as wireless internet services through hundreds of WiFi.id points in various places. We have also prepared a backup network via Satellite, IP Long Haul Radio, and a sea cable communication system specially leased via the Papua-New Guinea & American Guam Network as a backup for the existing network," Telkom Enterprise & Business Service Director Edi Witjara said.

Telkom's assistance is not only to ensure smooth connections and communications during the PON in Papua. The company also provides assistance to the sports and education sectors in Papua, for a more favorable future human resource development in the province.

The assistance that Telkom Peduli Papua charity program provided was procurement of sports equipment and a year-long IndiHome internet services for Batik Jayapura Football School (SSB) and assistance for the construction of a computer laboratory and a year-long internet services for Harapan Timika Vocational School and Yos Sudarso YPPK High School. Telkom provided Rp300 million in assistance for this program. 

"We hope that this assistance would be useful and could help accelerate human resources development  in the land of Cenderawasih. Improving human resources quality must continue in Papua and across the region, to accelerate the formation of a digital society. The existence of a digital society is an important prerequisite for establishing digital sovereignty in Indonesia," Edi said.

Telkom executives and the entire staff also had a pep meeting the following day for more preparation and to bond the working spirit and to improve discipline during the operation, in order to ensure excellent operations and maintain service level agreements. These activities have shown Telkom's pride in being part of the 20th PON in Papua, as shown in "Telkom Supports Torang Can" slogan. 

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