Beginning in 1986-1987, a few Indonesian amateur radio buffscommunicated on a slow 1200bps TCP/IP radio network (similar to the technology currently beingimplemented in rural schools). Similar technology was used in 1992-1993, to build Indonesian earlyInternet led by the University of Indonesia & Ministry of Technology. In 1994, IndoNet was the firstcommercial ISP established. Currently, 160+ ISP licenses have been granted with about 60+ ISPoperational. In reality, 60-70% Indonesian Internet users are served by various form of Internet cafes(known as warnet), but none of these activities were driven by the Indonesian government; they weremostly private & community driven. Thus, Internet is actually accessible to a much wider range of peoplethan simply those who can afford a personal computer. It costs US$0.5/hour in most warnets. Warnettechnology at schools reduces the cost to US$0.5/month/student. Having 25.000 high schools with 2-3million students, it would be a strategic move to increase the Internet penetration by Interneting schools(currently only 1200+ schools & 200+ universities are on the Internet). The use of Linux Terminal ServerProgram (LTSP) enables us to use old 486 machines as high speed Internet terminals. The warnets arevirtually organized at asosiasi-warnet@yahoogroups.com. Instead of Telco, wireless infrastructure at2.4GHz (soon on 5 & 5.8GHz) is used by the good Internet Cafés. Bottom up processes were possiblethrough technical literature publications in various printed media and books, as well as many Internetmailing lists, mostly hosted by yahoogroups.com. In the end, the whole infrastructure was a self-financedself & driven by the people with no World Bank, ADB, IMF assistance, especially not the government.Onno W. Purbo; Bekas Dosen Institut Teknologi Bandung
