Indonesia, a Southeast Asian nation, spans over 18,000 islands with a population of approximately 275 million people, making it the fourth most populous country in the world. The geography is characterised by mountainous regions, abundant coastlines, and substantial rural areas, resulting in a diverse population distribution with a high urban concentration on the island of Java. This geography presents unique challenges for technology and telecommunications infrastructure, particularly in remote and rural areas. The telecommunications sector is in a developing state, with the government initiating the Palapa Ring project to improve internet connectivity across the country. This project involves undersea fibre-optic cables encircling the archipelago and connecting even the most remote regions. Despite these efforts, internet penetration remains low in rural areas compared to urban centres. In terms of renewable energy, Indonesia has significant potential due to its geothermal, solar, and hydro resources, however, the sector is still emerging and infrastructure for large-scale renewable energy generation is limited. Digital technology adoption is growing, particularly in urban areas, with Indonesia boasting a burgeoning start-up scene, particularly in e-commerce and digital finance.
Mobile Network Operators
The are 7 companies operating mobile networks in this region.
Three Indonesia, also known as Tri Indonesia, is a telecommunications company operating in Indonesia. It is operated by Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, which was previously known as Hutchison 3 Indonesia (2013-2022), Hutchison CP Telecommunications (2007-2013), Cyber Access Communication (2000-2007), and Telindo Inti Nusa (2000). The company was founded in 2000 and received a 3G license in 2004, beginning operations on 29 March 2007, initially in the Jakarta area only. The ownership structure of the company has seen changes over the years. In 2013, Charoen Pokphand divested its telecommunication...
Net1 Indonesia is a telecommunications network operator based in Indonesia. Established in the early 2000s, the company has been a significant player in the Indonesian telecommunications market. Its ownership structure comprises a mix of private and institutional investors, with a significant portion held by PT. Net1 International, a global telecommunications company. The company's focus is on providing high-quality telecommunication services to its customer base in Indonesia, without extending operations beyond this region.
Smartfren is a telecommunications company operating in Indonesia. Founded in 2011, Smartfren is a result of the merger between two telecommunications companies, PT Smart Telecom and PT Mobile-8 Telecom Tbk. The company is a subsidiary of PT Sinar Mas Group, a large Indonesian conglomerate with diverse business interests. PT Sinar Mas Group is the majority shareholder, owning a significant portion of the company's shares. The rest of the shares are publicly traded. Smartfren offers a range of telecommunications services, including mobile telephony and broadband services.
Telkomsel, formally known as PT Telekomunikasi Selular, is a leading telecommunications company in Indonesia. The company was established on 26 May 1995, the result of a collaborative effort between PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia Tbk (Telkom) and PT Indosat Tbk (Indosat). Over the years, the ownership structure underwent several changes. In 1996, KPN Netherlands and PT Setdco Megacell Asia acquired stakes in Telkomsel. By 2001, Telkom increased its ownership to 77.72% after acquiring Indosat's shares. Singtel Mobile also became a significant shareholder when it acquired KPN and Setdco's shares...
PT XL Axiata Tbk, also known as XL, is a mobile telecommunications services operator based in Indonesia. It was initially established as PT Grahametropolitan Lestari on October 6, 1989, operating as a trading and general services company. XL transitioned to telecommunications and became the country's first private mobile services operator on October 8, 1996. The company initially provided cellular mobile telephony services using GSM 900 technology, and later expanded to include data communication, broadband Internet, and 3G services over GSM 900 and GSM 1800 networks.
In 2009, XL was acquired...
Hinet is a telecommunications company that operates within Indonesia. It was founded with the aim of providing reliable and efficient telecommunication services to the Indonesian market. The company is a subsidiary of a larger telecommunications group, whose ownership is structured to maintain operational independence for Hinet in the Indonesian market.