A Peek into the Future of 5G at EE Days' 5G Technology Seminar
BANDUNG, itb.ac.id – As time changes, communication technology continues to evolve. The world, including Indonesia, is currently using 4G technology for communication. Meanwhile, the world is developing even more advanced 5G technology. Indonesia must be fully prepared for the emergence of this new technology so that it can become not just a user but also a player in it.
Based on this, the School of Electrical Engineering (STEI) of the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) held a seminar and talk show on 5G technology at the East Hall of the ITB Campus on Jalan Ganesha, No. 10, Bandung, on Wednesday (7/8/2019). The talk show featured speakers from academia, government, and industry, with the hope of fostering collaboration and synergy in the face of the future 5G technology.
"The technology of the future is no longer 4G, but 5G, which is related to the presence of Industry 4.0. It is predicted that in the next 10 years, IoT technology will be installed with communication using 5G," said STEI ITB lecturer Ir. Adi Indrayanto M.Sc., Ph.D., as the moderator and initiator of the talk show.
He stated that advanced and rapid technological change is largely controlled by developed countries. Therefore, Indonesia must prepare for the changes that will occur in the future. This preparation means ensuring that the next generation is ready to participate in production or create added value with 5G. "Don't just be consumptive, but also productive. To achieve this, not only ITB but all parties must be involved," he said.
For this reason, several parties were invited as speakers at the seminar, namely Dr. Ir. Jumain Appe, Msi as Director General of Innovation Strengthening of the Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education, Ir. Eddy Satriya, MA as Assistant Deputy for Telematics and Utilities of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Denny Setiawan ST, MT as Director of SDPPI Resource Management, and Eko Yulianto Widodo as Head of Sub-Directorate of Office Information and Communication Technology Equipment Industry, and Professional Electronics.
The discussion also invited representatives from the industry, namely Dominikus Susanto as Senior Manager of Business Development at Qualcomm and was moderated by Ir. Adi Indrayanto M.Sc., Ph.D., with the talkshow topic "Indonesia's Readiness to Face the 5G Era."
"The goal of this event is to bring together stakeholders, especially those from the government. After all, in any developing country, the government is the one that can drive change, and this can be seen in the policies they produce," he said.
ITB's Vice Rector for Research, Innovation, and Partnership, Prof. Dr. Ir. Bambang Riyanto Trilaksono, opened the talk show directly. In his remarks, he said that 5G technology is currently being developed in various parts of the world. ITB itself has a special team that is ready to welcome the years when 5G will be present in Indonesia. "For 5G, we want to start early (in research) of course while waiting for what 5G standards are set and chosen by Indonesia," said Prof. Bambang.
*Vice Rector for Research, Innovation, and Partnerships at ITB, Prof. Dr. Ir. Bambang Riyanto Trilaksono, delivered remarks and opened the 5G Talkshow. (Photo: Ahmad Fadhil/ITB Public Relations)
ITB has coordinated with STEI regarding the development of 5G technology, both with government and industry. This coordination relates to the creation of domestic 5G-based products. "We have agreed that Indonesia wants to contribute to it, not only as a market for 5G technology. We need to conduct a 5G needs assessment, especially in terms of what savings can be achieved by contributing to several 5G products or devices. This is a 'homework' that must be reviewed by several institutions, but we will start first at ITB," he said.
EE Days 2019
The seminar was part of the 2019 Electrical Engineering Days (EE Days) series of events. The event showcased the research results of STEI students' final projects. This year, there were 28 exhibition booths on display. "Why EE Days? Because every year ITB produces innovative products that are no less sophisticated than those of developed countries, which can be explored by the public," explained Adi Indrayanto.
At the event, the devices the students have created will be demonstrated to examiners during their final project defense. The exhibition aims to require students to communicate the issues raised and their solutions using the devices they have created.
"The EE Days event is now in its eighth year. This year, 28 students' works are on display. The exhibits are diverse, ranging from lab equipment and defense equipment to assisting people with driving, healthcare, e-commerce, and various other things," added Arif Sasongko, ST., MT., Ph.D., a lecturer at STEI ITB and Head of the Electrical Engineering Undergraduate Program.