“Our turnaround strategy is on track and we have managed to maintain the growth momentum for Indosat Ooredoo by delivering a solid performance for the first 9M of 2020,” said Indosat Ooredoo’s director & chief operating officer Vikram Sinha in an incidental company presentation held online by Indosat Ooredoo on Jan. 12. 

Throughout the last nine months of 2020, Indosat Ooredoo proved to provide the best service for is customers amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This is reflected in the company’s financial performance, with the company recording Rp 20.6 trillion in revenue, an increase of 9.2 percent compared to the corresponding period last year. The largest contributor to the company’s revenue came from the cellular revenue which rose 12.9 percent to Rp 17 trillion year-on-year (YoY).

On top of that, Indosat Ooredoo also saw an increase in the Average Revenue per User (ARPU) to Rp 31,700 from the previous Rp 27,800 in the third quarter of 2019, which a reflection of the increase of 55 percent in data traffic yoy.

Indosat Ooredoo offers a range of simpler and transparent products catering to the customers’ needs, which has proven effective in increasing the number of subscribers to 60.4 million as of the end of September 2020, a 2.8 percent yoy increase.

Focus on developing 4G network

Indosat Ooredoo is determined to continually increase the positive performance this year, especially with the increasing demand for telecommunication services during the pandemic period, which has prompted the management to retain its focus on developing the 4G network in areas across Indonesia, particularly beyond Java Island.

“We have seen a significant increase in the demand for telecommunication service during the pandemic, especially because more people have to work from home and children study from home. So, this year we’ll continue with various initiatives that we made earlier,” Vikram remarked.

Customers are the company’s priority focus, he added. So this year, Indosat Ooredoo will continue to invest in modernizing primary infrastructure and developing networks to enhance the best experience for customers.

“We will drive simpler and transparent service and provide more innovative services. Looking forward, we will provide better services for our customers and support the government in providing better infrastructure for Indonesia’s digital economy,” he said.

The company’s vision to become a leading digital telecommunications operator in Indonesia is realized by constantly seeking to enhance the customers’ quality of life through the digital world and becoming the strong number 2 in Indonesia by continually recording sustainable growth performance.

Apart from enhancing the telecommunication service by expanding the 4G network to allow the public to work from home well, Indosat Ooredoo also collaborates with UN Women, utilizing cellular technology as a safe and efficient medium to collect data and get new insights into the impact of COVID-19 on Indonesian women and girls.

The survey outcome is presented in a new report titled “Counting the Cost of COVID-19: Assessing the Impact on Gender and the Achievement of SDGs in Indonesia” published by UN Women in collaboration with UNICEF, WFP and the UNDP in October last year.

With regard to the new technology, 5G network, Vikram said Indosat Ooredoo realized that 5G technology was the telco future. However, the company is still focusing on developing 4G throughout Indonesia.

“We support the government's plan to implement 5G technology after 4G coverage has been evenly distributed and its use has been maximized. In the last six quarters, you will see the investment that we made also covered the preparatory phase for 5G technology. For us, timing is very crucial because the ecosystem must be in place first. That’s why we continue to work and communicate with regulators related to the road map so that the entire ecosystem can reap benefits from 5G technology,” Vikram remarked.

Vikram added that looking ahead, Indosat Ooredoo will continue to set a strategy to provide better service for customers and support the government in providing better infrastructure for the country’s digital economy.

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