XL Axiata Adds 1,100 4G BTS In Kalimantan In 2022

JAKARTA - PT XL Axiata Tbk (XL Axiata) added 1,100 base transceiver station (BTS) 4G in the Kalimantan region throughout 2022 or grew 42 percent on an annual basis with 50 percent of the total BTS being fiberned.

XL Director & Chief Technology Officer Axiata I Gede Darmayusa said that his party will continue to be committed to supporting government programs in efforts to equalize internet access to remote areas.

"In the last three years, XL Axiata has focused on expanding networks outside Java, including expanding its data network massively on the island of Kalimantan," Gede said in a visit site to BTS XL in Entikong, Sanggau, West Kalimantan, quoted from Antara, Friday, February 10.

Currently, the XL Axiata network infrastructure throughout Kalimantan is reinforced by fiber optic cables whose lines span more than 9,300 kilometers.

The cable, which reaches five provinces in Kalimantan, is the focus of the XL Axiata infrastructure network and connects it with the islands of Sumatra, Java, Bali, Lombok, and Sulawesi.

"This strategic step needs to be taken considering the demand of the people of Kalimantan for the XL Axiata data service continues to increase. Within a year, XL Axiata traffic throughout Kalimantan increased to 29 percent year on year," he added.

XL Axiata has also built a network of international fiber optics cables from Batam-Serawak that connects Malaysia-Indonesia through Entikong-Pontianak for 120 km.

This infrastructure will strengthen the internet connection between Batam, Sumatra, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi with faster and higher quality performance and latency that has been operating since June 1, 2022.

This optical cable network is also a new international gateway alternative for Indonesia to Kuching, Sarawak, and Hong Kong, as well as adding diversity and reliability of connections to several POP/HUB in Asia, which will also support telecommunications networks for the nation's capital city in Kalimantan.

"For XL Axiata, this new infrastructure is important to be able to overcome future data traffic improvements and provide quality networks so that they can provide the best service to customers," he said.

Currently, the XL Axiata data network in Kalimantan has reached more than 1,800 villages/kelurahan, 466 sub-districts in 55 cities/districts spread across five provinces, or more than 75 percent of Kalimantan's population.

"The XL Axiata network throughout Kalimantan is supported by a total of more than 5,800 4G BTS," he said.