PSN headquarters. Photo: PSN

Hughes Network Systems and Indonesian telecommunication and information service provider PT Pasifik Satelit Nusantara (PSN) deployed their 2,000th Community Wi-Fi Hotspot in the country. With an average of 500 people having access to each hotspot, Hughes and PSN are enabling internet access for over one million Indonesians, helping to bridge the digital divide in this nation where the internet penetration rate is 36 percent.

Hughes Community Wi-Fi employs satellite backhaul to extend internet service to users beyond the reach of terrestrial broadband. Installed at a local shop or community center, the solution includes a compact Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) and Wi-Fi equipment. The local merchant sells access to consumers on a cost-per-use basis.

“Before we began providing Community Wi-Fi service, many rural towns throughout Indonesia did not have reliable broadband internet service,” said PSN Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Adi Rahman Adiwoso. “We are proud to report that, today, we have connected 2,000 villages to the internet, and we plan to reach even more as we continue to bridge the digital divide and spur community development with the Hughes model of satellite-enabled Community Wi-Fi.”