{"id":41688,"date":"2021-09-20T03:17:16","date_gmt":"2021-09-20T10:17:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/get-involved\/gsma-membership\/gsma_resources\/as-indonesias-mobile-speeds-accelerate-access-remains-a-barrier-to-many\/"},"modified":"2021-09-20T03:17:16","modified_gmt":"2021-09-20T10:17:16","slug":"as-indonesias-mobile-speeds-accelerate-access-remains-a-barrier-to-many","status":"publish","type":"gsma_theme_resources","link":"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/get-involved\/gsma-membership\/cn\/gsma_resources\/as-indonesias-mobile-speeds-accelerate-access-remains-a-barrier-to-many\/","title":{"rendered":"As Indonesia\u2019s Mobile Speeds Accelerate, Access Remains a Barrier to Many"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Indonesia represents a fascinating technical challenge for mobile operators working to advance the country to 5G when parts are still only receiving 3G. With over 17,000 islands \u2014 and over half the population living on Java \u2014 this nation of over 270 million people represents stark mobile challenges of urban density and rural remoteness. We used data from\u00a0Speedtest Intelligence<\/a>\u00ae to evaluate mobile performance in Indonesia during Q1-Q2 2021. Our analysis examines mobile speeds and 4G Availability at the country-and provider-level and includes a performance snapshot of each of Indonesia\u2019s 34 provinces. We also used Ookla\u2019s\u00a0Cell Analytics<\/a>\u2122<\/sup>\u00a0to spotlight how users’ mobile experience compares between operators in a few key locations in Indonesia.<\/p>\n

Indonesia\u2019s mobile performance lags behind most trading partners, but speeds are improving<\/h2>\n

\"ookla_median_mobile_download_indonesia_0821_en-2\"<\/p>\n

Comparing Indonesia\u2019s major trading partners, including ASEAN countries and India and South Korea, mobile download speed varied widely between countries over the last year. We have excluded Myanmar from this analysis due to the political situation. South Korea had the highest median download speed during Q2 2021 at 84.12 Mbps, according to Speedtest Intelligence. Singapore was second at 57.42 Mbps, followed by Brunei (47.02 Mbps). Indonesia showed one of the slowest median download speeds on the list at 14.78 Mbps. Only Cambodia and India were slower at 13.96 Mbps and 10.56 Mbps, respectively. Indonesia saw a gain of 4.23 Mbps in median download speed from 10.55 Mbps in Q2 2020 to 14.78 Mbps Q2 2021.<\/p>\n

Indonesia\u2019s 4G Availability ranked fourth compared to major trading partners<\/h2>\n

\"ookla_speedtest_median_mobile_4g-availability_indonesia_0821_en-1\"<\/p>\n

Speedtest Intelligence shows every country we surveyed had 4G Availability \u2014\u00a0the percent of users on all devices that spend the majority of their time on 4G and above, both roaming and on-network<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 near or above 80% during Q2 2021. South Korea rose to the top at 95.7% 4G Availability during Q2 2021, followed by Singapore (93.9%) and India (91.7%). Indonesia was fourth at 89.2%.<\/p>\n

Telkomsel was the fastest and top-rated mobile provider in Indonesia during Q1-Q2 2021, SmartFren had the highest 4G Availability<\/h2>\n

\"ookla_speedtest_median_mobile_speeds_4g_nps_indonesia_0821_en-1\"<\/p>\n

Indonesia\u2019s fastest mobile operator during Q1-Q2 2021 was Telkomsel with the fastest median download speed (15.64 Mbps) and upload speed (10.55 Mbps). XL was second for both download and upload speeds, followed by IM3 Ooredoo, 3 and Smartfren.<\/p>\n

According to\u00a0Speedtest Consumer Sentiment<\/a>\u2122<\/sup>\u00a0Telkomsel also had the top-rated Net Promoter Score (NPS) at -12.52. 3 was second for this measure of customer satisfaction with their mobile operator, IM3 Ooredoo third, XL fourth and Smartfren fifth.<\/p>\n

The race for the best 4G Availability was competitive in Indonesia during Q1-Q2 2021 with every top provider achieving at least 87%. However, SmartFren \u2014 which operates exclusively on 4G LTE \u2014 achieved the highest 4G Availability at 94.5%. IM3 Ooredoo was next at 90.9%, followed by 3 (89.2%), XL (87.8%) and Telkomsel (87.3%).<\/p>\n

Mobile performance and 4G Availability varied widely across Indonesia\u2019s rural and urban provinces during Q1-Q2 2021<\/h2>\n

23 of Indonesia\u2019s 34 provinces experienced median download speeds between 12.00 Mbps and 19.00 Mbps during Q1-Q2 2021<\/h3>\n

\"ookla_mobile_performance_indonesia_map_0821-2_en-1\"<\/p>\n

Speedtest Intelligence reveals there was no statistically significant fastest province in Indonesia during Q1-Q2 2021, though four provinces had median mobile download speeds greater than 19.00 Mbps: West Papua (20.14 Mbps), Bali (19.68 Mbps), Maluku (19.43 Mbps) and Gorontalo (19.32 Mbps). East Kalimantan \u2014 home to Indonesia’s future new capital \u2014 followed at 18.48 Mbps.<\/p>\n

During Q2 2021, there was no statistically slowest province, though four provinces had median mobile download speeds less than 11.00 Mbps: Jambi (9.20 Mbps), Lampung (9.29 Mbps), Central Kalimantan (9.90 Mbps) and West Sumatra (10.64 Mbps).<\/p>\n

There was also no province with the statistically fastest median mobile upload speed, though four provinces had median upload speeds greater than 12.50 Mbps: West Papua (12.97 Mbps), East Nusa Tenggara (12.89 Mbps), Bangka Belitung Islands (12.84 Mbps) and Bali (12.55 Mbps). Every province had a median upload speed greater than 7.50 Mbps, except West Sumatra (6.92 Mbps), Central Java (7.34 Mbps) and North Maluku (7.36 Mbps).<\/p>\n

27 of Indonesia\u2019s provinces showed 4G Availability above 84% during Q1-Q2 2021<\/h3>\n

\"ookla_4g_availability_indonesia_map_0821-2_en-1\"<\/p>\n

Much like Indonesia\u2019s mobile performance, Indonesia\u2019s 4G Availability varied from province to province during Q1-Q2 2021. All but 10 provinces achieved 4G Availability between 84.0% and 89.0%, with four provinces standing out from the rest of the country by achieving 4G Availability greater than 89.0%: Riau Islands (90.5%), West Java (89.8%), Banten (89.7%) and Bali (88.7%). Provinces with higher urban density often displayed higher 4G Availability, but that wasn\u2019t always the case during Q1-Q2 2021, with less urban and less populated provinces like Aceh achieving 88.5% 4G Availability.<\/p>\n

North Kalimantan \u2014 the least populous province in Indonesia \u2014 had the lowest 4G Availability of any province during Q1-Q2 2021 at 79.7%. West Sulawesi had the second lowest 4G Availability at 80.1%. Central Kalimantan, North Maluku and West Kalimantan were the remaining provinces with 4G Availability under 83.0%.<\/p>\n

Indoor and outdoor signal strength varies widely by location and provider<\/h2>\n

We identified several key locations in Indonesia to highlight mobile performance using Cell Analytics data from Q1-Q2 2021. Each of these maps shows the best provider for indoor and outdoor 4G RSRP signal strength in a given area, as well as provider-level 4G RSRP signal strength. For indoor and outdoor 4G RSRP maps, Cell Analytics identifies the best mobile network provider for a given area or building by color if there is a statistically significant winner. Provider-level maps show the performance of individual providers for a given area, with pink and red showing a strong signal and blue indicating a weak signal.<\/p>\n

Monas \u2014 Gambir, Jakarta<\/h3>\n

Situated in the heart of Central Jakarta, Monas stands 137 meters tall and is a monument to Indonesia\u2019s struggle for independence. With nearly 11 million people in Jakarta \u2014 and over 900,000 people in the roughly 18.5 square mile Special Capital Region alone \u2014 knowing if you can rely on your mobile operator is incredibly important.<\/p>\n

The images below show the best 4G LTE RSRP signal strength by provider for a given area outdoors and indoors within a specific building. As evidenced by the colorful array throughout the map, Monas is widely covered with 4G LTE, though some providers have a bigger footprint than others in various areas.<\/p>\n

\"cell-analytics_central-jakarta_best_rsrp_0821_en-2\"<\/p>\n

The maps below show the areas of high and low signal strengths for every top provider. Telkomsel users have the most comprehensive signal, although there are areas with room for improvement. IM3 Ooredoo shows areas of strong signal strength east of the Monas monument, though a few blocks over there is an area where users experience low RSRP signal strength, which undoubtedly affects mobile performance. XL has adequate RSRP in the areas to the east and west of Monas, but also shows weak signals in the east, southeast and north areas. 3 shows areas of strong signal strength in localized areas located in red, while Smartfren\u2019s map shows areas of moderate intensity with many areas of low signal strength.<\/p>\n

\"cell-analytics_rsrp_central-jakarta_0821_en-1\"<\/p>\n

Bajra Sandhi Monument \u2014 Denpasar, Bali<\/h3>\n

With more than 900,000 people, the Balinese capital Denpasar is an important regional hub and growing tourist destination. Located in downtown Denpasar in front of the Bali Governor\u2019s Office, the Bajra Sandhi is a monument to the people of Bali and their fights throughout history. It\u2019s a prime location to show how each top mobile operator is performing in the area.<\/p>\n

As evidenced by the data below, Telkomsel had many locations with the best RSRP 4G LTE signal strength around the Bajra Sandhi Monument for both indoor and outdoor areas.<\/p>\n

\"cell-analytics_denpasar_best_rsrp_0821_en-1\"<\/p>\n

The RSRP maps for providers paint an interesting picture of Denpasar: While Telkomsel shows many strong areas, IM3 Ooredoo shows few weak RSRP areas near the Bajra Sandhi monument with a large blue cluster showing strong 4G LTE signals near the center of the map. XL shows areas of localized strength, though the major roads to the west appear to have areas of low strength. 3\u2019s strongest signals are centered around the major roads within the area, with room for improvement in the central core. Smartfren has adequate strength throughout, but much fewer samples than the rest of the providers.<\/p>\n

\"cell-analytics_rsrp_despensar_0821_en-1\"<\/p>\n

Plaza Balikpapan \u2014 Balikpapan, East Kalimantan<\/h3>\n

In the near future, Indonesia\u2019s government will be moving its capital from Jakarta to a yet-to-be-named area in East Kalimantan between the province\u2019s two largest cities, Samarinda and Balikpapan. To better determine how mobile operators are already performing in the region, we examined the busy shopping mall Plaza Balikpapan near the shoreline in Balikpapan.<\/p>\n

With many key shopping locations on the waterfront, Telkomsel has a strong presence in the east and north of the area, as well as key locations on the waterfront. XL has some of the best 4G LTE signal strength in the center of the map and eastern waterfront. IM3 Ooredoo has the best signal strength in key indoor areas north of the waterfront. 3 has the best RSRP in various locations throughout the map, including the waterfront. Smartfren samples are largely absent from the area.<\/p>\n

\"cell-analytics_balikpapan_best_rsrp_0821_en-1\"<\/p>\n

The following maps show Telkomsel coverage throughout much of the area. IM3 Ooredoo seems to be the operator of choice for boaters and has strong 4G LTE RSRP near the central waterfront and east of the map. XL has strong locations near the waterfront and north of the map. 3 has strong localized areas near the waterfront and east but has many areas that lack good strength around the map. Smartfren does not have much of a footprint in Balikpapan according to this data.<\/p>\n

\"cell-analytics_rsrp_balikpapan_0821_en-1\"<\/p>\n

The future of Indonesia\u2019s mobile experience depends on 4G and 5G expansion<\/h2>\n

With\u00a05G officially launched in Indonesia in May 2021<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Ooredo recently launching in August<\/a>, we\u2019re looking forward to seeing how speeds improve \u2014 especially as some countries have seen\u00a05G deliver speeds up to 10 times faster than 4G<\/a>. But without any C-band currently being commercially utilized or up for auction, Indonesians may not see the lightning fast 5G speeds its trading partners like Vietnam and South Korea experience. Instead, Indonesia\u2019s C-band spectrum is currently occupied by satellite operators, which play an important role in connecting remote towns and villages that are not served by terrestrial telecoms networks. With a lack of spectrum available for mobile in this key 5G band, and significant challenges in terms of coexistence, the Ministry of Communication and Information has sought to drive more efficient use of existing spectrum, most recently through:<\/p>\n