Jayapura, Jubi – The internet service in Jayapura City and its surrounding area has reportedly started to return to normal on Tuesday, June 8, 2021, after a month of blackouts.

One of the residents of Jayapura, Hari Suroto, said that the internet network in the area where he lives was normal as of Tuesday. "I saw on the social media including WhatsApp, many Jayapura residents posted status welcoming the return of the 4G connection," he said, as quoted by Tempo.

Suroto said the 4G connection started becoming stable at 14.50 local time. "However, the Indihome service is still disrupted," Suroto added.

Papua Information and Communication Agency head Jery A Yudianto confirmed the internet recovery in Jayapura. "The network was slowly but steadily running again, starting at around 14.30 local time," Yudianto told Antara News Agency on Tuesday.

He said that the internet traffic had increased to 70 percent of the available quota. Yudianto hoped that the telecommunication network would gradually return to normal in all affected areas. "Because the internet blackout has lasted more than a month," he said.

Internet services have been disrupted in the areas of Jayapura, Abepura, Sentani, and Sarmi since April 30 after the submarine cables of PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia (PT Telkom) in the Biak-Sarmi section was broken. Communication and Information Minister Johnny G Plate recently said that the cables were broken due to a natural event, namely volcanic activity underwater.

The Ministry said that two services of PT Telkom, Indihome and Telkomsel, would compensate for the internet loss experienced by PT Telkom's customers due to the disruption.

Communication and Information Ministry's spokesperson Dedy Permadi said that the Indihome would waive the bill for usage during May 2021 and as long as the service was still disrupted.

"Meanwhile, Telkomsel will provide compensation in the form of extra internet quotas and/or phone and short messaging quotas based on an analysis of the usage of affected customers," Permadi said on Wednesday, as quoted by CNN Indonesia. Permadi also confirmed that PT Telkom had recovered and connected the Biak-Sarmi submarine cables which were previously broken.

Source: https://en.jubi.co.id/internet-service-returns-in-jayapura-after-one-month-blackout