Indonesian telco Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison announced on Friday it is collaborating with ZTE to deploy extensive microwave backbone networks across Indonesia to expand coverage of its 4G network, especially in remote islands and rural areas.
Faced with the challenge of expanding national coverage across an archipegalo of 17,000 islands, Indosat and ZTE have deployed over 550 ultra-capacity backbone microwave links across Indonesia, covering nearly 80% of major cities and remote islands.
The microwave backbone technology supplied by ZTE utilises multi-frequency ultra-broadband antennas that enable flexible frequency selection, which ZTE says reduces tower load and rental costs. The solution’s customized branching units minimize hardware requirements, which enhance cost efficiency while maintaining high performance, ZTE says.
The solution design integrates 4T4R modem boards for fast deployment and supports seamless upgrades, enabling Indosat to expand capacity expansion by up to eight times and extend coverage to new areas.
Indosat director and CTO Desmond Cheung said the project is already paying off by boosting its subscriber numbers, particularly in remote areas, where backhaul capacity in regions like Sumatra and Kalimantan has surged to 2-3 Gbps, with peaks reaching 6 Gbps.
“We are committed to empowering Indonesia by bridging the digital divide,” Cheung said in a statement. “By deploying advanced technology, we are not only improving digital experience but also unlocking opportunities for economic and social progress, creating a brighter digital future for Indonesia.”
