JAKARTA (TheInsiderStories) - The Indonesian Internet Service Providers Association (APJII) reported internet users in Indonesia as of the second quarter (2Q) of this year reached 73.7 percent of the national population, it said on Monday (11/09). The organization said, the amount equivalent to 196.7 million users of 226 million citizens.
Jamalul Izza, chairperson of APJII, explained that the increase of the users number supported by various factors like fast internet broadband after the operation of the Palapa Ring and digital transformation due to the COVID-19 pandemic since last March.
The results of the APJII survey in collaboration with the Indonesia Survey Center, he said, showed number of internet users grew by 8.9 percent or 25.5 million users in the middle of this year. Users in Java Island still the most around 56.4 percent. Sumatra Island with 22.1 percent followed by Sulawesi Island 7 percent, Kalimantan 6.3 percent, Bali and Nusa Tenggara 5.2 percent, and Maluku and Papua 3 percent.
The interesting part in this year’ survey, said Izza, some capitals have higher internet penetration than provincial and national penetration. For an example, Jakarta 85 percent, Bandung 82.5 percent, and Surabaya 83 percent. Even, Serang in Banten has reached 100 percent penetration.
Internet User Behavior
Apart from numbers and penetration, the APJII survey also highlight the behavior of internet users, especially the effects of the pandemic. Majority of users access the internet for more than eight hours a day. Then, there is a shift in user behavior during the pandemic. Most accessed is entertainment content is online videos (49.3 percent), online games (16.5 percent), and online music (15.3 percent).
In fact, there are five main reasons for them accessing the internet, like social media, message communication, online games, and online shopping. Fashion and beauty products, household products, and electronic products are the three products that many users buy when shopping online.
While, the user’ favorite marketplaces are Shopee, Lazada, Tokopedia, and Bukalapak. As many as 68.7 percent felt safe transacting through the internet. The user’ favorite social media platforms are Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. And 61 percent of respondents often access YouTube to watch film, music and sports content, he adds.
The WhatsApp conversation application is widely used over Line and FB Messenger, including for video calls. Fintech applications, mobile banking and internet banking are the three main financial services accessed by Indonesian internet users.
Regarding devices, smart-phones are the favorite devices of internet users in Indonesia. The number reached 95.4 percent, from laptops or tablets only 19.7 percent and personal computers 9.5 percent.
“As many as 97.1 percent access the internet by purchasing data packages from cellular operators. This is a challenge for all of us to increase the penetration of fixed broadband in the future,” he said.
The rest, access they using the internet at home or office, Wi-Fi access to restaurants, cafes, or public spaces. Indihome and Firstmedia are respondents’ favorite internet operators, followed by CBN and Biznet. The average internet speed wants 10 - 20 megabyte per hours and the cost of home internet expenses is an average of Rp400 thousand (US$28.57) per month.
US$1: Rp14,000
Written by Editorial Staff, Email: theinsiderstories@gmail.com
