Bali Officials Commit To Improving WiFi For Tourists In Nusa Penida

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Leaders in Bali have committed to tackling the ‘blank spot’ issues on Nusa Penida.

The remote island does have WiFi access and mobile data coverage; however, the island’s digital footprint is lagging behind the rest of the province. 

The Acting Regent of Klungkung, I Nyoman Jendrika, has confirmed to reporters that he is taking the island’s connectivity issues seriously.

Jendrika has announced that he is following up and applying pressure to the parties responsible for resolving the problem. He acknowledged that not only internet access is an issue, but mobile signal coverage too. 

Acting Regent Jendrika told reporters “I am committing to solving this problem. Because signal and internet issues are important.”

“Especially ahead of the 2024 election. I am trying to build communication with a number of related parties at the center to help us solve it.”

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Jendrika revealed that he had instructed the Klungkung Diskominfo teams to collect data on the blank spots on Nusa Penida.

Once this data is collected, the telecom companies will be bought in to conduct a site survey and outline how they will bring mobile signal coverage, mobile data coverage, and WiFi access to these areas. 

Jendrika added, “In the near future, we will invite related parties to sit down with us. Then tighten we will go to Nusa Penida. We have to act quickly because this problem has now become a basic need.”

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Speaking late last year the Head of the Ministry of Communication and Information’s Telecommunications Monitoring Center Team, Indra Apriadi, said that operators were intensifying efforts to improve telecoms infrastructure on the Nusa Islands due to the booming tourism industry.

He also said that the Ministry of Communication and Information has given telecom operators the go-ahead to switch off 3G in order to focus on the transition to 4G and 5G.

The 3G switch-off is not scheduled any time soon but will certainly be on the cards once 4G and 5G are reliable and widespread in the province. 

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Local political Komang Suantara told reporters, “In every destination, tourists cannot access the internet properly. To get that, they have to return to the hotel or lodging to get internet access. We have Regional Regulation Number 7 of 2018 Concerning the Arrangement of Telecommunication Towers.”

“Until now, the executive has not been able to make this happen. Why? We made regulations but were unable to implement them. We haven’t even talked about [the scale of the problem] in the villages, there are still many blank spots.”

Tourists planning their trips to Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nusa Ceningan should be mindful that internet access is limited in these areas, especially compared to the main island of Bali where mobile data coverage on 4G is pretty widespread. 

That’s not to say that there is no access at all, but tourists who know they will need to be online at specific times, with specific internet speeds, would be advised to contact their accommodation ahead of time to be on the safe side.

Mobile data coverage on 3G and 4G is available in some spots on the island. Local hotel staff, wait staff at cafes, and taxi drivers will all be able to point tourists in the direction of good signal spots in moments of need. 

With all this said, Nusa Penida is still a destination of choice for digital nomads and remote workers.

With all the laid-back island vibes, good affordability, breathtaking views, and reliable internet in specific locations, it’s not hard to see why foreigners are packing in the office job to be digital nomads in destinations like Nusa Penida. 

Indonesia wants to welcome more digital nomads in 2024. Immigration has made it easier than ever for digital nomads to use destinations like Bali as a base.

The new D1 and D2 visas allow foreigners to stay for up to 60 days at a time over 5 years. The new Golden Visa is also an idea for high-worth individuals who want to acquire a 10-year residency by investment or business development.