Google`s Balloon Project Trial will run seamlessly

Ilustrasi (dok)

JAKARTA (IndoTelko) – Google's trial plan to provide internet access via balloon as BTS with three Indonesian operators which known as Loon Project is expected to be run seamlessly, on the licensing side.

All the three operators involved in the trial namely Telkomsel, Indosat Ooredoo, and XL Axiata.

Head of Public Communication of the Transportation Ministry, J. A. Barata said that the ministry is preparing the trial process.

"It is being processed and coordinated by the political, legal and security affairs ministry. There are no problems from the Navigation section," Barata told IndoTelko, lately.

Separately, AirNav Director of Operations Darjono Wisnu said that if there is a green light from the Ministry of Transportation, AirNav is ready to carry out government policy.

"AirNav is not authorized for licensing, we are an operator that runs the government policy, if it is OK with the Ministry of Transportation then we will run it," he told IndoTelko.

In this trial, Google Loon's permit to fly over Indonesian airspace is in the hands of the Air Navigation (AirNav) and the Ministry of Transportation.

Standard Operating Procedure
Meanwhile, Member of Commissioner of the Indonesian Telecommunications Regulation Body (BRTI)  I Ketut Prihadi Krishna explained the procedures to conduct for both Google and operators in order to carry out the trial.

"Mobile operators submit for Google Loon's permit, covering the 900 MHz frequency LTE access and 70-80 GHz E-band backhaul frequency. After the processes of device certifying permits, satellite licenses and the most important is the permission to fly from AirNav and the Ministry of Transportation are done," he told IndoTelko, yesterday.

Krishna said that Google Loon's engineering teams will regularly coordinating every week with each mobile operator for the inter-network test in the central core or MSC of each operator.

"Currently there are locations agreed for each operator, namely Balikpapan (Telkomsel), Probolinggo and Madura (XL) and Gorontalo (Indosat)," he said.

Moreover for the device certification, Google Indonesia representative will prepare a letter to the Director of Standardization, SDPPI. Document test and technical documents have been prepared and consulted by Google Loon Project directly to the Standardization directorate.

For satellites licensing, the satellite that will be used for tracking and control (TT & C) the balloon, is the Iridium satellites.
Google's Loon Project CEO Mike Cassidy has met The Maritime Coordinating Minister Rizal Ramli in Jakarta, Tuesday (15/3).

Mike said he was happy to develop the project in Indonesia because the government's support is quite high. The internet balloon would be flown primarily in eastern Indonesia that claimed to provide many benefits to the community.

Coordinating Minister Rizal Ramli expressed that the implementation of the experimental phase of Google Loon Project should be able to begin this year.

"For the implementation phase of the trial will last one year and that definitely should begin this year. After the trial, we will discuss further with the operator's for new commercial stage," said Rizal.

Indosat Ooredoo President Director & CEO Alexander Rusli claimed to have recently asked for support to the Ministry for Political, Legal and Security (Kemenkopolhulam) for the balloon's operation.

"We just received the green light yesterday from the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Luhut Panjaitan for permission, so that the Internet balloon can be airborne sooner," he said.

Indonesia is the fourth country that will experience the loon project connection. Previously, the balloons were flown in New Zealand, Brazil, and Sri Lanka. Google also will run loon project in India, Africa, and other countries in South America.

In Indonesia, the number of balloons to be flown is more than 100 pieces. The balloons will fly at an altitude of 30 thousand feet (9,144 meters) from the surface of the earth, precisely in the stratosphere.

Amid the rush of support for the Google balloon's airborne, many parties are concerned especially regarding the fate of the state's Palapa Ring project and the country's sovereignty. (Id)