Students are using internet in the van. Image courtesy of Kompas.com
The Indonesian government’s efforts to increase Internet penetration throughout the country has been taken to the next level. To provide facilities in remote areas, the government – through the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology – is sending out vans that provide affordable Internet service to the community, according to a report from Kompas. Yes, you read that right. They’re using vans!
This awesome Internet van program is called the District Mobile Internet Service Center (M-PLIK) and it has now begun operation. There are as many as 1907 specially-equipped vans distributed across 32 provinces in Indonesia.
Each mobile computing van is equipped with audio visual devices, a controller computer, a server, and six laptops. Anything more, and it would border on being a Decepticon. The van is also manned by a driver and an IT officer. If you still don’t know what the heck this is, think of this as a sort of mobile Internet cafe. It is also pretty affordable too – anyone can use this facility at a cost of IDR1000 (US$0.11) per hour.
Some of the cars are now operating across Java, including the Cilacap, Sidareja, Kroya and Majenang districts. The cars will serve the community for a good four years, and hopefully by then, the government will have established a solid Internet network in those areas. Until then, these ‘net cars’ are very useful and should prove quite popular.
By providing these mobile internet facilities, I would say it’s a good step forward to introducing the Internet to people in rural areas. With a proper education in computers and Internet, people in rural areas could gain access to more information. It would not be an easy task for the government, though. Providing Internet access and teaching people how to use it are two different stories and challenges. But at least it gives hope for people in rural areas to get more information that can aid their education, which they then need to use properly, thanks to the Internet mobile vans!
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