XL Axiata Increases Infrastructure 4G LTE in Jambi and Southeast Sulawesi

INDUSTRY.co.id - Jakarta - PT XL Axiata Tbk (EXCL) continues to expand its 4G LTE quality data service network in Jambi and Southeast Sulawesi provinces. EXCL 4G LTE data service in Jambi province until the end of August 2017 has reached 8 cities / districts.

The company to date in the province has operated 100 BTS 4G and more than 300 3G BTS which will continue to grow in line with the need to maintain quality and range extension.

Meanwhile, EXCL 4G LTE data service in Southeast Sulawesi province has reached 5 cities / districts and is able to drive significant increase of data service traffic in the area.

Yessie D. Yosetya, Director / Chief Service Management Officer of XL Axiata, said that XL Axiata 4G LTE service is now reaching more than 117 cities / regencies in all provinces in Sumatra from the previously targeted 127 cities / districts.

"We are expanding aggressively. The reason, we see, now is the most appropriate momentum to expand, given the increasingly spreading demand for quality data services in various regions. Meanwhile, for areas that have not yet enabled the entry of LTE 4G networks, we also increased the range of 3G services are also more qualified," said Yessie.

Since May 2017, the company has been serving the 4G LTE network in Jambi province, which consists of Jambi, Batang Hari, Merangin, Muarojambi, Sarolangun, Tanjung Jabung Barat and Sungai Penuh.

With the presence of this 4G LTE service, XL Axiata expects citizens in Jambi in general and especially customers to take advantage of access to fast internet network and quality data services maximally, especially for productive purposes. The highest number of BTS is in Jambi City, the provincial capital and economic center, reaching 50 units.

XL Axiata has 1.3 million subscribers in Jambi province, where about 33% of them have been using active data services, both 4G and 3G. Since the 4G LTE service entered into these 8 cities / districts, in the last three months seen an increase in data service traffic of 86%.

Data service traffic is predicted to continue to increase along with more customers are switching to using 4G smartphones. From the user side, currently the number of subscribers who already use 4G smartphone reaches 32% of the total Jambi customers.

Meanwhile, the company's data traffic in Southeast Sulawesi province over the past year has shot up to 134%. That includes the new LTE 4G service into the region in the last three months.

XL Axiata 4G LTE service has been present in Kendari, Bau-Bau, Kolaka District, Konawe District, and Muna District. XL Axiata's total customer base in Southeast Sulawesi is more than 379,000. Approximately, 100,000 customers have been actively utilizing the 4G LTE service.

To strengthen this 4G LTE service, XL Axiata continues to build infrastructure in Southeast Sulawesi. The number of 4G BTS continues to grow, now reaching 40 units in the five cities / districts that have been reached.

The highest number of BTS is in Kendari City which is the provincial capital and economic center. The addition of this 4G BTS will still continue in accordance with the increasing needs of customers.

Meanwhile, the expansion to other cities / districts in Southeast Sulawesi also continues to be pursued. For other cities / districts not reaching 4G LTE, customers can take advantage of 3G services with improved quality. In total there are about 300 units of 3G BTS in all cities / regencies in Southeast Sulawesi.

In general, across Sulawesi, the demand for Data services on telecommunication customers is also quite high. In the first half of 2017, XL Axiata's total subscribers throughout Sulawesi were around 2.7 million; the data penetration rate of smartphones (3G and 4G) reached 68%.

Especially for 4G smartphone users, the number is more than 1 million subscribers. Meanwhile, data service traffic across Sulawesi surged 269% in the past year. Meanwhile, for 4G LTE traffic even shot up to 509%.

The growth of data services across Sulawesi is driving XL Axiata to continue building data services infrastructure, including 4G LTE, in various provinces. The LTE 4G services have entered and serve the community in 37 other cities / regencies in all provinces in Sulawesi.

These cities include Makassar, Manado, Palu, Parepare, Gorontalo, and Kotamobagu. Total 4G BTS throughout Sulawesi which already operates today there are about 500 units, and will continue to be added to reach more than 560 units until the end of 2017.

Meanwhile, for 3G services, it has reached all provinces and most cities / districts throughout Sulawesi, with the total number of 3G BTS reaching more than 1,700 units, and targeted more than 1,900 units by the end of the year.

By the end of August 2017, XL Axiata 4G LTE data service has reached 338 cities / districts, including hundreds of cities / districts in Java, Bali, Lombok, Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi.

The number of Data service customers in general also continues to increase, currently reaching about 70% of total customers. By the end of June 2017, the number of customers using smartphones has also continued to increase and to about 67% of total customers.

Meanwhile, XL 4G LTE service customers also continue to grow and has reached about 20 million of total customers. The XL Axiata service is currently supported by a total of over 93,000 BTSs, including over 42,000 3G BTS and over 14,000 4G BTS. (Abraham Sihombing)