Jakarta. First Media, Indonesia's first provider of integrated telecommunications and multimedia services, has introduced 4K ultra-high definition on Friday (24/06). It is the latest technology in the pay-television industry that offers life-like images on screen.

"For First Media, the launch of 4K UHD is really important, because it not shows that First Media offers the best quality, but also it also reflects the spirit of '#AlwaysFirst,'" said Desmond Poon, chief technology officer at Link Net, the pay-TV and broadband Internet subsidiary of First Media.

During the "First Media NeXt Gen Experience" at Lippo Mal Puri in West Jakarta on June 24-25, First Media introduced several breakthroughs and innovations to make its services easier and more comfortable to use.

All First Media customers who attended the event received Free All Channels and Free Speed Upgrade gimmicks, apart from hundreds of millions of rupiah worth of vouchers in total. An estimated 75,500 visitors flocked to the event.

X1 4K Box

During the event, First Media also introduced its NeXt Generation X1 4K Box, which is a new Google-certified, Android-based set-top box, designed to provide a better viewing experience.

Apart from offering a 4K ultra-high-definition resolution and Dolby 5.1 certified sound quality, the X1 4K Box is equipped with new features such as video-on-demand, mirror casting, personal video recorder and gaming.

"We always offer the best all-out services to customers so they can experience the difference in the quality of First Media's services. Now, First Media is on the same level with other operators, including those from Singapore and the United States," said Desmond of Link Net.

Link Net president director Irwan Djaja said: "Television technology advances so fast. After the HD-format, now there is UHD, which offers even higher resolutions. In line with the technological advancement, First Media presents X1 4K Box, which gives choices in enjoying entertainment in UHD-format."

He added that First Media would continue innovating to provide more comfort to its customers.

X1 4K Box runs on the Google Android 5.0 (Lollipop) platform. It is the first Google-certified set-top box that also comes with a simple user interface. Control of the device can be done through an Android-based device, or even one running on the Apple operating system, iOS.

Superfast Internet

First Media also introduced Mach 1, a superfast Internet technology offering connection speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second (1,000 megabits per second).

Offered as part of the First Media Fiber-to-the-Home package, Mach 1 provides the fastest broadband commercially available in Indonesia.

First Media said it expects the new superfast Internet service to enable customers to benefit from the so-called Internet-of-Things, real-time virtual reality and the world of connected devices.

"We released the 1 Gbps for customers who need extremely fast speeds, especially for those using cloud storage, working from home and using teleconferencing internationally. For sure, this will also be useful for die-hard gamers. Mach 1 is a package that offers unlimited quotas," Irwan said.

Mach 1 is the latest innovation from First Media to improve the speed of its Internet service, having offered maximum connection speeds of 100 Mbps in 2013 and 200 Mbps in 2015.

"For the future, First Media is committed to providing faster Internet access, so that Indonesia will be on par with developed nations," the Link Net president director said.

Desmond, Link Net's chief technology officer, said he believes 1 Gbps Internet connection speeds would also benefit customers who frequently stream videos, download huge files or play high-spec games online.

"With 1 Gbps, customers can enjoy streaming of 4K Ultra HD video without buffering," he said.

During the "First Media NeXt Gen Experience" event, First Media also introduced FirstMedia X, an enhancement of First Media Go, the first "'TV Anywhere' service with Internet Live Streaming and Catch-Up TV" in Indonesia.

The Jakarta Globe and First Net are both affiliated with the Lippo Group.