A technician carries out maintenance work at one of Indosat Ooredoo's base transceiver stations (BTS) in Jakarta. (Source: Jakarta Post) Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesia-basedtelecom company Indosat Ooredoo plans to invest about 140 million USD to expandits nationwide 4G network coverage from 81 percent to 90 percent of thecountry’s 264 million population by the end of the year.
The company would add 18,000base transceiver stations (BTS), mostly in areas outside of Java, to supportthe expansion plan, said the firm’s chief operating officer Vikram Sinha.
The firm’s priority is to grow and accelerate 4G services and Indosat woulddevelop 5G network only when the 5G frequency is ready in Indonesia, accordingto CEO Ahmad Abdulaziz Al-Neama.
Meanwhile, the IndonesianCommunications and Information Ministry has stated that it plans to hold a 5G frequency auction in 2022.
The 5G communication technology isexpected to provide a seamless internet experience and reduced devicecommunication latency to users.
Indosat Ooredoo operates 22,015 4G BTS in 422 cities. The companyserved 53.3 million subscribers during the first quarter of 2019, a year-on-year decline of 44.6percent due to government regulations on mobile phone number registration.
The company is 65 percent owned by Ooredoo Asia headquartered in Singapore, which is part of OoredooQSC, a Qatari international telecommunications company that operates in 10countries across the Middle East, North Africa, and SoutheastAsia. –VNA
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