Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Information (known locally as KemKominfo) has commenced the process of refarming 2.3GHz spectrum in a bid to improve service quality and prepare for 5G by using airwaves more efficiently.
The country’s Minister of Communication and Information Johnny G Plate stated: “Refarming of the 2.3GHz radio frequency band is planned to take place nationally with the first step starting on Wednesday 14 July 2021 and will be completed in September 2021 at the latest.”
The ministry has agreed to conduct the process in partnership with domestic operators that obtained 2.3GHz spectrum at auction in April this year. These include Telkomsel, which obtained two 10MHz blocks with a bid of IDR176.9 billion (US$12.2 million) and Smart Telecom (Smartfren) which won the third available block with a bid of IDR176.5 billion.
Additionally, broadband wireless access (BWA) operator Berca Hardayaperkasa (branded as Hinet) will participate in the process as it also provides services using 2.3GHz spectrum. Refarming will be conducted across nine geographical ‘clusters’, beginning in the Riau Islands. Plate stated that the process “is planned to be completed no later than September 2021 in a cluster that covers the East Java area.”
