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Big three telcos gear-up for data traffic surge during Idul Fitri holiday
XL is set to strengthen its coverage by installing 10,000 new base transceiver stations.
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A technician for telecommunications operator XL Axiata checks a 4G base transceiver station (BTS) in Ciawi, West Java. (The Jakarta Post/Wendra Ajistyatama)
I
ndonesia’s three largest telecommunications providers, Indosat Ooredoo, Telkomsel and XL, are augmenting their networks in anticipation of data traffic surges during Ramadan and Idul Fitri.
The providers have made several announcements over the past month that outline how they plan to allow the world’s largest Muslim population to watch more videos, send more messages and upload more photos while traveling throughout the fasting month.
XL head of customer experience Ahmad Hamzah told reporters early last month that his company expected data traffic to increase 30 percent compared to regular days. Most of the traffic, he said, would come from customers streaming music and videos, such as YouTube clips and soap opera series.
Company records show that the four online activities that consume the most data are watching videos (64.1 percent of an average user’s data), messaging (16.8 percent), browsing social media (14.6 percent) and playing mobile games (2.4 percent). Other activities consume less than 1 percent.
Thus, the company is set to strengthen its coverage by installing 10,000 new base transceiver stations along highways mainly in Java and Sumatra, the two most-populous islands.
“We will also digitally optimize and rebalance our network [to stabilize connections] at certain Idul Fitri hotspots such as traveler departure and arrival points and tourist destinations,” said Hamzah.
Despite the preparations, XL’s financial statements for last year show that Ramadan and Idul Fitri failed to generate more sales in the second quarter (Q2) compared to the first quarter (Q1). Company revenue even dropped 10 percent from Rp 5.5 trillion (US$386.6 million) in Q1 to Rp 5 trillion in Q2.
