17 May 2026 Digital sovereignty in The Highlands of West Java, Indonesia

Gustaff H. Iskandar

The digital divide challenge remains a critical barrier to sustainable development in the Global South, with nearly one-third of the global population – approximately 2.6 billion people – remaining offline.¹ This divide is not merely a lack of infrastructure; it is a complex intersection of policy making and regulatory framework, geographic isolation, socioeconomic disparities, and gender gaps.²

Traditional top-down and centralized models often fail in rural and remote regions for many different reasons, which include technological availability, economic viability, and geographical difficulties. In regard to these complexities, rural and remote areas also have increased necessities for “Meaningful Connectivity” – access that is not only available but also affordable, reliable, and safe, enhancing essential services such as education, health, public service, and economic empowerment.

Making internet access and connectivity to become strongly relevant to local needs, challenges and complexities, Community-centred Connectivity Initiatives (CCCI) have emerged as a vital alternative and complementary access model. Connectivity solutions are built for, with, and by local communities to ensure long-term digital sovereignty, while local ownership and resilience to access and connectivity is becoming a critical tool for safety, education, access to services, and maintaining ties with family and community.³ Initiative in the Global South, including Indonesia was starkly accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced education, commerce, and governance being pushed into the digital realm. However, for many inhabitants of the Global South, particularly those in the Indonesian archipelago, this transition was met with the harsh reality of the digital divide challenges and disparities.

Despite the completion of the National Palapa Ring project in 2019 – a monumental fibre-optic backbone intended to unite Indonesia’s islands – the “last mile” connectivity gap remains persistent. While urban centres enjoy 5G speeds, rural and remote areas remain disconnected due to geographic isolation, lack of commercial viability for major ISPs, and inadequate power infrastructure. In West Java alone, at the height of the pandemic in 2020, tens of thousands of students were effectively barred from education due to a lack of signal.⁴ Against this backdrop, the Kasepuhan Ciptagelar indigenous community, nestled within the rugged terrain of the Gunung Halimun Salak National Park (TNGHS), has emerged as a beacon of digital sovereignty. By building their own infrastructure, they have proven that technology, when rooted in local wisdom and community engagement, are able to become a tool for cultural preservation rather than disruption.

Context of Kasepuhan Ciptagelar

Kasepuhan Ciptagelar is an indigenous community (Masyarakat Hukum Adat) that maintains a centuries-old way of life centered on traditional rice farming and ancestral practices. In the Sundanese language, the term “kasepuhan” comes from the word “sepuh”. In this sense, Kasepuhan can be interpreted as the elders. Despite their deep adherence to local culture and tradition, the community is remarkably open to new knowledge and digital technology. Under the leadership of their customary leader, Abah Ugi Sugriana Rakasiwi, the community has long embraced technology that serves their needs – ranging from micro-hydro power plants to their own community radio and television station (Radio Swara Ciptagelar and Ciptagelar TV).

This indigenous community is often associated with the ancient 15th-16th century Kingdom of Sunda Padjadjaran and was historically known as “Bareusan Pangawinan”, a specialized task force for the ancient kingdom. With an estimated 25,000–30,000 members, the Kasepuhan Ciptagelar indigenous community acts as a “mother village” (puseur), which consist of inhabited members with approximately 568 hamlets and 360 villages scattered across Sukabumi and Bogor in West Java Province, and Lebak regencies in Banten Province. This community also still adheres to nomadic tradition where the central village and customary institution periodically relocate based on ancestral guidance. Up until now, there have been 19 such moves and 11 changes in traditional leadership since 1368. Currently the central village just moved from Ciptagelar to Gelaralam in 2023.

The leadership is led by a customary head called Abah (father), supported by Emak (mother) and various Rorokan (ministries) that manage specific affairs like agriculture (Rorokan Pamakayaan) or water (Rorokan Manintin). Furthermore, the geographical context of Ciptagelar is both a sanctuary and a barrier. Located roughly 1,100 meters above sea level, the terrain is characterized by steep valleys and dense forests. For mainstream telecommunications companies, installing backhaul towers here is a logistical nightmare with a low return on investment. This neglect by the market necessitated a “do-it-yourself” (DIY) approach to digital connectivity.

Indigenous wisdom and tech innovation

For the Kasepuhan Ciptagelar indigenous community, paddy cultivation is a spiritual endeavor rather than an economic one. Selling rice is strictly prohibited by tradition as it is equated to selling one’s own life, while paddy cultivation is considered as a sacred cultural and spiritual practice. One of the examples is the sacred planting ceremony, held at the huma rurukan (sacred swidden land), which marks the start of the planting season for the entire community. It involves prayers, traditional angklung buhun performances (bamboo traditional music), and the planting of ancestral local paddy varieties.

Up until now, the Kasepuhan Ciptagelar indigenous community were able to preserve and plant at least 146 local paddy varieties inherited over generations, despite political pressure happening during the Green Revolution period in the 1960’s. Planting cycles are guided by astronomical observations, specifically the Orion (Bentang Kidang) and Pleiades (Bentang Ranggeuy) constellations, to harmonize with micro-climates conditions and natural cycles, as well as certain vegetation and insect reproduction cycles.

The Kasepuhan Ciptagelar indigenous community also strongly regulates forest zoning as part of their culture and tradition. Land is managed through four distinct zones: entrusted forest (leweung titipan), protected forest (leweung tutupan), production forest (leweung garapan), and sacred forest (leweung sasangetan). In regard to this, their traditional systems ensure massive paddy reserves; while other regions of Indonesia faced crop failures during the 2015 and 2023 El Niño, Ciptagelar’s yield production actually increased significantly, maintaining long-term food security. While deeply embracing their traditional roots and identity, the community also accepts modern knowledge and new technology that serves its values, such as using micro-hydro turbines for independent electricity since 1997, Radio Swara Ciptagelar and Ciga TV in 2000’s, until Community Networks deployment, which was started in around 2014 until present.

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Chronology of digital connectivity in Ciptagelar

The path to embrace digital sovereignty in the Kasepuhan Ciptagelar indigenous community region can be traced in the following steps and trajectory.

1. Early Satellite Attempts (2009-2013)

The first brushes with the internet came through government-sponsored satellite (VSAT) programs. While these provided a window to the outside world, they were plagued by high latency, limited bandwidth, and a total dependence on external maintenance. When the hardware broke and government funding was discontinued, the community remained “dark” for months.

2. The Search For Autonomy (2014-2016)

In 2014, Common Room, alongside local volunteers from Relawan TIK Sukabumi, began exploring independent alternatives after a call from the chief leader himself. The goal was to move away from satellite and toward terrestrial radio networks. In 2016, there was an attempt to conduct an experiment using OpenBTS (Open Base Transceiver Station) technology in collaboration with ICT Watch. This technology aimed to create a private cellular network, allowing community members to make calls and send SMS via local GSM frequencies. However, the regulatory environment in Indonesia regarding GSM frequencies and the high cost of maintenance led to the suspension of this particular project.

3. The Breakthrough (2018-Present)

The turning point came in 2018 when Abah Ugi forged a partnership between Common Room and Awinet, an ISP based in Rangkasbitung, Banten Province. Unlike previous top-down models, this was a collaborative infrastructure project. High-capacity microwave links were established from the nearest fiber-optic points in Banten and Sukabumi, beamed across mountain peaks into Kasepuhan Ciptagelar indigenous community region. This initiative was then also supported by the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) as part of Connecting The Unconnected: Supporting Community-led Approaches to Addressing the Digital Divide Indonesia (LocNet Project) in 2019. By then, the network was no longer a pilot; it was a functioning utility. What started as a connectivity project in one hamlet rapidly expanded. As of 2025, the infrastructure covers roughly 44 hamlets across 13 villages, spanning in the borders of West Java and Banten Province.

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Technical architecture and community networks management

The “Ciptagelar Model” rests on two pillars: Hybrid Backhaul and WiFi Mesh Distribution. In later development, the technical architecture was developed into a hybrid model with the adoption of fiber optic infrastructure with the following:

1. Hybrid Backhaul: The “main pipe” of the internet arrives via long-distance radio links, where later was enhanced with fiber optic cables, spanning from small villages around the Banten and West Java border.

2. Distribution: Within the villages, access points are installed in traditional communal houses and private homes.

3. Voucher System: To ensure sustainability, the community uses a “Prepaid Voucher” system. Local residents purchase internet vouchers for an affordable fee only when they need to access the internet. This revenue remains within the community to pay for the wholesale bandwidth, infrastructure maintenance, electricity, salaries of local technicians, and a savings account where they can allocate reinvestment funds to expand the local services in the region.

Crucially, the maintenance is performed by local youth and technicians who actively engage in regular training facilitated by Common Room. These “barefoot engineers” have been trained to climb towers, align dishes, and troubleshoot routers, ensuring that the network is resilient against the frequent lightning strikes and storms often occurring in the highlands. The training and capacity building program was run by Common Room as part of the School of Community Networks (SCN) activities in Indonesia, which was also developed in other areas.

In regard to these initiatives, Common Room deliberately integrates existing open-source tools and low-tech infrastructure (aligned with the 5L principles: Low Tech, Low Energy, Low Maintenance, Low Learning Curve, Local Support), and community-centred platforms rather than building proprietary systems. This reduces dependency, lowers costs, and increases local ownership and adaptability. The ongoing development of the CCCI model is designed to be assembled from existing, affordable components that communities can maintain independently – a composable architecture for replication.

Ciptagelar and the other Ccci initiatives In Indonesia

To understand the scale of Ciptagelar’s success, we need to look at it through the lens of the Community-centred Connectivity Initiatives (CCCI) development which was led by Common Room in some rural and remote areas in Indonesia, while comparing it to other piloting sites like Ciracap Sub-district and Taliabu Island. Comparative observations of the CCCI development in these different locations reveal distinct developmental stages and governance models tailored to their local contexts. Kasepuhan Ciptagelar, the most mature pilot project, began its current radio-based infrastructure in 2018, scaling significantly by 2019, and eventually expanding to 44 hamlets across 13 villages by 2025. It supports approximately 1,000 to 2,000 daily users and has generated a total gross revenue of $603,247.37, managed under a customary governance led by Abah Ugi in collaboration with Common Room and Awinet. In contrast, the Ciracap Sub-district initiative, which started in 2020, covers 7 villages with approximately 400 daily users and a total gross revenue of $90,922.56, operating under a legal entity PT. Internet Desa Digital (iDes) for its governance.

The most recent frontier is Taliabu Island, established in 2024, which currently serves one village as a pilot project with roughly 300 daily users and monthly revenue of around US$2,854.93. Part of the infrastructure development costs in Taliabu Island are supported by the Village Fund, while the local internet service management is carried out by the village-owned enterprise (BUMDes), with cooperation with DewataNet as the main internet service provider company. Ciptagelar model emphasizes a decentralized approach with local technician teams established in every hamlet to ensure sustainability. These variations demonstrate how the CCCI framework adapts from ancestral customary leadership in Ciptagelar to formal enterprise structures in Ciracap and government-linked village administration in Taliabu.

The observation also reveals that Ciptagelar is not just an internet provider; it is an economic engine, as well as the steward for culture and environment. The revenue generated from Community Networks services in Ciptagelar is significantly higher than in other locations, as the initiative has successfully developed the network into a regional hub for indigenous sovereignty in the region. Meanwhile, in Ciracap Sub-district, we can see it has reached exponential growth, as it not only provides internet services but also facilitates training and capacity building for the local community, as well as empowering small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Taliabu Island, by comparison, continues to show slow growth due to its geographic isolation on a remote island where bandwidth costs are relatively high compared to other areas. Nevertheless, community-centred internet services in Taliabu Island continue to thrive because they are integrated with public and health services for local communities.

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Beyond bytes: Social and ecological impact

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the CCCI piloting project in the Kasepuhan Ciptagelar indigenous community region is how it serves the community’s traditional values:

Environmental Stewardship: Abah Ugi, the chief leader of the Ciptagelar indigenous community has successfully integrated the community-centred internet business with reforestation efforts. Over the last five years, part of revenue from the Community Networks services have funded the planting of 45,000 trees in the customary forest. This creates a virtuous cycle: the modern technology that requires clear line-of-sight across the hills is used to fund the protection of the very environment it overlooks.

Cultural Preservation and Local Content Creation: The community uses the internet to document and broadcast their traditional culture and rituals (such as harvest festival or Seren Taun) to a global audience. Through the “Media Lab” established in 2020 with the support of the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and Medco Foundation, local youth are trained in video editing, photography, and digital literacy. Instead of the internet acting as a “cultural vacuum” that pulls youth away from their roots and identity, it has become a “cultural tool” that amplifies their shared heritage.

Logistical support for the nomadic tradition: In 2022-2023, the community underwent a “Kampung Gede” or central village relocation – a periodic movement based on ancestral guidance – from Ciptagelar to Gelaralam. The Community Networks infrastructure was having a pivotal role in coordinating this massive logistical feat, and the revenue helped offset the costs of building new communal infrastructures.

Challenges and the road ahead

Despite its success, the initiative still faces significant hurdles:

1. Regulatory Grey Zones: Indonesian telecommunications law and regulatory framework is often designed for large corporate entities. Small, community-run networks often operate in a legal “grey zone” regarding spectrum use, ISP licensing, business model, and taxation policy. Making an ongoing effort in providing reliable and affordable internet service becomes uncertain and challenging.

2. Sustainability vs. Modernity: There is a constant dialogue within the community about the social impact of the internet – addressing risks like online gambling, misinformation, and the potential erosion of face-to-face communal traditions, as well as larger cultural disruption impact.

3. Climate Change: Increased frequency of extreme weather poses a physical threat to the towers and radio equipment in the long run. In late 2024, a prototype of a bamboo tower for internet backhaul in Gelaralam village collapsed due to heavy rain and strong wind. A robust solution for local and sustainable infrastructure, which is also environmentally friendly is strongly needed to address this growing climate challenge. Currently, efforts to integrate local knowledge with the use of the internet and digital technology have begun, in collaboration with the APC and WACC, in order to increase climate resilience at the local level.

Conclusion: A blueprint for the future

The experience from the Kasepuhan Ciptagelar indigenous community offers a profound lesson for local and global digital development. It proves that the digital divide challenge is not an inevitable fate, but a policy choice. When indigenous communities are given the tools, training, and autonomy to build their own networks, they do not just “consume” the internet; they “author” it.

The success of the Ciptagelar/Gelaralam community networks, which now serve up to 2,000 people daily and generate hundreds of thousands of dollars in community-reinvested revenue, serves as a blueprint. It demonstrates that the most effective way to connect the unconnected is to empower them to connect themselves. In the hills and deep forests of Halimun mountain in Sukabumi, the hum of microwave radio and fibre optic cables, enhanced by the ancient rhythm of paddy cultivation, now exists in harmony with traditional sounds that pave the way to a digital future.

Notes

1. ITU/UNESCO Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development (2023). The State of Broadband 2023: Digital Connectivity. A Transformative Opportunity.

2. Report of the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation (2025). Review of Progress in Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries.

3. Internet Society (2025). What Is Community-Centered Connectivity and why should we care?

4. 42,000 Siswa Di Jabar Tak Dapat Layanan Internet (42,000 Students in West Java Can’t Get Internet Service), Harian Pikiran Rakyat, 17 July 2020.

Gustaff H. Iskandar graduated from the Fine Arts Department, Bandung Institute of Technology (West Java) in 1999. He then managed Poros Art Management, where he curated, wrote, and organized art exhibitions until 2000. Later he initiated Trolley Magazine (2000-2001), an independent local magazine focused on art, culture, music, and fashion. In late 2001, he co-founded Bandung Center for New Media Arts with Reina Wulansari, R. E. Hartanto, and T. Reza Ismail, dedicating himself to developing media arts and multidisciplinary artistic practices in Indonesia. With the later development of Bandung Center for New Media Arts, he was engaged in the formation of Common Room Networks Foundation (Common Room) in 2004. Since its inception, Common Room has been committed to provide space for freedom of expression and community empowerment.