PORTALJABAR, BANDUNG CITY - Bandung Mayor Muhammad Farhan emphasized that the overhead cable arrangement in Bandung City will continue to prioritize the stability of public services. Therefore, the cable cutting on Jalan Asia Afrika has been postponed until the entire network backup system is confirmed ready for operation.

Farhan explained that this step was taken to avoid disruption to various services that depend on internet connections, ranging from banking services to the New Student Admissions System (SPMB).

"This cable cutting will not disrupt public services and will not result in a blackout. Once the backup network is ready, we will cut it," said Farhan while inspecting the overhead cable installation on Jalan Merdeka, Bandung City, Tuesday (June 2, 2026).

According to him, the Bandung City Government remains committed to regulating overhead cables that disrupt the city's aesthetics and violate regulations. However, this process must be carried out without compromising the public's interests.

The evaluation results indicate that a number of operators have not yet completed their network migration to underground cables. Of the 39 networks targeted for inspection, 13 have been declared ready, while the remainder still need time to prepare backup systems.

Farhan asked telecommunications operators, internet service providers, and the Association of Telecommunications Network Providers (Apjatel) to immediately agree on a schedule for their respective network readiness.

"The government is ready to enforce the law. What we're waiting for now is when they're ready. We don't want to cut public services and disrupt them," he said.

He admitted he had planned to expedite the cleanup process. However, a technical report revealed that several backup networks were not functioning optimally, so the cuts on the Asia-Africa route were temporarily postponed.

"I was going to cut it right away. But after checking, the backup wasn't 100 percent. If the internet connection is disrupted now, the impact could be far-reaching," he said.

Farhan believes the continuity of digital services is a crucial aspect that must be maintained. In addition to the banking sector, various government and educational services are also currently highly dependent on a stable internet network.

However, overhead cable maintenance will continue at locations that meet technical requirements. Once the backup system is confirmed to be active and ready for use, cable cutting can be carried out without disrupting public services.

"The most important thing is to back it up first. Once it's safe, cut it off immediately and keep the service running. There must be no interruption," he said.

(Bandung City Communications and Information Service/bhf)