3.5-Hour Boat Ride for Cell Phone Service

Once a week, Julianus Sagulu, 51, goes on a 3.5-hour wooden boat ride from his village to get cell phone service in Muara Siberut.

Once a week, Julianus Sagulu, 51, goes on a 3.5-hour sampan (wooden boat) ride from his village to get cell phone service in Muara Siberut, the capital of South Siberut district, Mentawai Islands regency, West Sumatra.

Going by sampan to Muara Siberut is the only way for him to call his child, who goes to school in Padang Panjang city.

Julianus lives in Bekkeiluk sub-village, Muntei village, around 7 kilometers from Muara Sirebut. Although he has a smart device in the form of a tablet, Julianus, who is a farmer, cannot do much with it. Making a phone call or sending a text message using his device is an impossible task in Bekkeiluk.