IOH targets Eastern Indonesia build-out in 2023; partners ZTE for 5G transport network

Having successfully completed its merger in 2022, mobile operator Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison (IOH) has revealed it intends to focus on building a network in Eastern Indonesia, especially Nusa Tenggara, including West Nusa Tenggara Province (NTB) in 2023. The company’s VP-Head of Sales Bali & Nusa Tenggara IM3, Ketut Wiryawan, noted that it hopes ‘to connect all of Indonesia quickly’ and that work had already been undertaken to improve signal coverage in Lombok. ‘Our signal has actually been in Lombok, Sumbawa to the tip of Sape for a long time, but when compared to other operators we still lost at that time, so that in 2023 our commitment to increase the network and the addition of base transceiver stations (BTS) can accommodate all areas in West Nusa Tenggara,’ Ketut explained. ‘Since the merger, we have carried out network integration so that IM3 customers can use the Tri network and Tri customers can also use the IM3 network so that it becomes more convenient,’ he added.

In a separate announcement, meanwhile, IOH has selected ZTE of China to support its deployment of a 5G transport network in Indonesia. Under the deal, the two companies will explore 5G transport network construction and speed up the pace of the former’s fibre-optic and network transformation across Indonesia.