Access to broadband has the potential to transform individual lives, local communities, and entire nations. The last decade has seen exponential growth in internet connectivity. Information and communication technologies, especially high-speed broadband Internet connections, have the potential to catalyze development in ways the world has never before seen.

Getting broadband to urban centers and rural villages spread across tens of thousands of islands proved challenging because of multiple challenges including technology, funding, and existing policies. This spurred a partnership between the Government of Indonesia and USAID’s Global Broadband and Innovations (GBI) Alliance implementing partners NetHope and Integra Government Systems International LLC (Integra). The partnership addressed national policies that affected broadband rollout, tested ways to increase access in rural communities, and supported applications that could improve lives once reliable and affordable Internet connectivity was established.