Indosat Records an Increase in Data Traffic of More Than 20 Percent during Lebaran 2026

Illustration of BTS (photo: Indosat)

JAKARTA - Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison (Indosat or IOH) recorded a spike in data traffic of more than 20% during the 2026 Lebaran homecoming period compared to the previous year (year-on-year).

This surge is in line with the Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi) projection which estimates a 40% increase in national telecommunications traffic during the 2026 Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr period.

In its report, Indosat revealed that the peak spike was from Jakarta to West Java (more than 22%) and Central Java (more than 37%).

In the midst of increasing traffic pressure, Indosat ensures that the network remains stable. They recorded a 20% decrease in downtime during the Lebaran period this year, reflecting an increase in service quality compared to the previous year.

This stability is strengthened by efforts to optimize the network on 77 homecoming routes, which include 36 toll roads, 31 non-toll routes, and 10 train routes with a total length of around 8,121 kilometers, as well as 797 crowded points (point of interest/POI).

"This achievement reflects our ongoing efforts to strengthen the quality and reliability of networks throughout Indonesia, as part of our transformation into AI-TechCo," said Director and Chief Technology Officer of Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, Desmond Cheung.

Indosat network data reveals an interesting pattern: during the 2026 Lebaran homecoming season, customers accessed instant messaging, social media, and video streaming services the most. Applications with the highest activity spikes include WhatsApp, YouTube, and TikTok.

To support the surge in traffic, Indosat has carried out various infrastructure preparations, including capacity increases at more than 7,000 sites, the construction of more than 1,600 new sites since April 2025, and the operation of more than 75 Mobile BTS (MBTS) on the homecoming route.

Overall, Indosat now operates around 55,000 sites in more than 420 regencies/cities. Network quality monitoring is also carried out for 24 hours by more than 2,500 engineers on standby at 46 branch offices and 16 standby posts throughout Indonesia.

Indosat also claims that the AI system used is able to identify potential traffic density up to more than 60% faster, so that network capacity adjustments can be made proactively at critical points.

"For Indosat, this homecoming period is not just about numbers, but about the trust and confidence that customers give," concluded Desmond.