Local manufacturer ready to produce LTE smartphone

The terms 4G and long-term evolution (LTE) become big buzzwords in early 2014, especially in a world driven by gadget-minded people. Demand for faster data speed throughout the country is higher than ever.

Even in Indonesia, where regulations for a 4G network are still in progress, some people are already able to enjoy 4G speed through an Internet service provider that has provided an LTE time-division duplex (TDD) network since last year. The blazing fast speed could only be enjoyed through an LTE-TDD-supported modem.

However, since last August, there are also two LTE-TDD-enabled smartphones available for purchase. One of them is proudly made by PT. Tata Sarana Mandiri (TSM), also known as TSM Technologies.

The phone by TSM Technologies, rebranded as IVO-V5, was the first ever 4G-enabled smartphone designed and made in Indonesia.

TSM Technologies is an original design manufacturer (ODM) that designs and manufactures specified products to be rebranded by another company. In the case of IVO-V5, it was manufactured for PT. Internux, which is known for its 4G network-providing service Bolt!.

To be able to make the IVO-V5 and have it released on the market was not an easy task. Indonesian regulation for 4G LTE devices '€“ specifically LTE-TDD '€“ require such products to have at least 30 percent local content and the certification needs to be carried out for each product specification line. TSM is able to produce devices that comply with these regulations.

By combining independent design house (IDH) and electronics manufacturing services (EMS) capabilities, the production of IVO-V5 has been a success. Sold at Rp 2 million (US$162.60) at launch, the price is competitive and TSM can maintain its high quality.

This December, TSM made another announcement; it is ready to design and manufacture a 4G phone using another technology, LTE frequency-division duplex (FDD), for local or international brands. This means that TSM will be able to integrate it into their design and products, whichever technology picked by the regulators '€“ FDD or TDD.

To do this, TSM is also working together with Qualcomm as a chipset supplier that supports both FDD and TDD technologies in their products. The chipset is able to utilize a flexible range of 4G bands chosen by the regulators, whether it is 850MHz, 900MHz, 1800MHz, 2100MHz or the 2300MHz currently operated by Bolt!.

TSM Technologies has been operating since 2012. It has received support from the Trade Ministry, Industry Ministry and especially the Communication and Information Ministry, which will play an important role in choosing the technology and band used for LTE in Indonesia.

Local-based design and production could improve the empowerment of quality human resources in Indonesia. While fulfilling the domestic demand, it could also improve the country'€™s competitiveness in the global market.

'€œOur efforts to manufacture cellphones in Indonesia will strengthen the supply chain management. We hope to encourage national telecommunications industries,'€ said Benson E Kawengian, the managing director of TSM Technologies last Thursday in Jakarta.

Right now, TSM is ready to get down to the designing process needed to make a 4G-enabled smartphone, from the software, interface, product design and even the mainboard layout. All is done by utilizing local talents, and working together with students and professionals from the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) and University of Indonesia (UI).

TSM Technologies has an office in Jakarta and research and development labs in Jakarta and Bandung, while the production facility is located in Batam.

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