Pt Telekomunikasi To Build Digital Sme Villages In Se Sulawesi

Palu, SE.Sulawesi, (antarasulteng.com) - Telecommunication services company, PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia, plans to build 10 digital Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) villages in Southeast Sulawesi by end of 2016.

"There are now six digital SME villages," the Deputy Executive Vice President (EVP) Marketing of PT. Telkom Division Region VII of Makassar (South Sulawesi), Aris Dwi Tjahjono, said here on Thursday.

The program, he added, is part of a commitment made by Telkom to realize 1,000 digital SME villages across the country.

In region VII covering Sulawesi, Maluku, Papua, Bali and Nusa Tenggara, Telkom has built 97 digital SME villages. It is expected that by the end of 2016, there will be at least 150 villages.

Of these villages, 42 will specifically serve fishermen and their partners. In Southeast Sulawesi alone, there will be four digital villages for fishermen, Aris said.

He added that PT Telkom considers SMEs as the national economic pillar.

The digital SME villages will help businesses in promoting and selling their products via online services to customers in the country and abroad.

The Head of Maritime and Fisheries Office of Southeast Sulawesi province, Atjo Hasanuddin, said digital SME villages in fishing ports will have a huge economic impact on the fishermen because it would speed up the sale of their catch.

"Quick sales mean the fish has good quality. Digital communication used at fishing ports will provide greater value to the fishermen," he explained.

A digital village in the fishing port of Donggala in Central Sulawesi province has been operating since March 2016, and another one in Pagimana, Banggai district is under construction.

At these villages, Telkom is building a communication facility with a big capacity.

"Fishermen at sea can elaborate on their catch, in terms of the amount and type, and also the time for picking it up at the port," Atjo stated, adding that such information would make promotion and sales much more effective.