Jakarta, INTI - PT Telekomunikasi Selular (Telkomsel) is accelerating its 5G network expansion to 107 cities in Indonesia by 2026 to improve operational efficiency and anticipate the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI). Telkomsel’s Director of Network, Indra Mardiatna, stated that this target builds on the 2025 target of reaching 80 cities.
"There will be approximately 27 new cities added throughout this year. The city selection strategy remains focused on areas with high populations and major cities throughout Indonesia," he said.
The expansion includes several strategic cities such as Medan, Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, Makassar, Balikpapan, and Bali. Although coverage is starting to expand beyond Java, the primary focus remains on Java Island, home to nearly 60% of the national population.
5G Network has More Advanced Spectral Efficiency
Currently, data traffic is still dominated by video content, with TikTok being the largest contributor. However, Telkomsel sees AI as an opportunity that will change data consumption patterns through various new use cases that require faster connections and greater capacity.
In terms of efficiency, Indra believes 5G is superior to 4G due to its higher spectral efficiency, which can be around a third more technically efficient. This impacts data production costs.
"With greater bandwidth and throughput, even though operational costs are similar, the results are much better than 4G. Overall, the cost per gigabyte will decrease," he said.
This cost-per-bit efficiency is crucial amid pressure from decreasing data rates and surging traffic. With 5G, Telkomsel can support the high data demands of future applications like AI without significantly burdening operational costs.
By expanding its network in 27 new cities, Telkomsel also aims to create a more resilient digital ecosystem. The reduced cost per gigabyte is expected to maintain the company's margins while providing high-quality data services in centers of national economic growth.
Conclusion
Telkomsel is targeting 5G network expansion to 107 cities by 2026, up from 80 cities in 2025, with the addition of 27 new cities. The focus remains on large cities and highly populated areas, particularly on the island of Java. According to Indra Mardiatna, this step aims to increase efficiency while anticipating the surge in data demand, including from AI. With higher efficiency than 4G, 5G is expected to maintain the company's margins while supporting quality data services amid growing traffic.
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