In addition to the 5G launch, Indosat Ooredoo said that it is establishing a smart information hub
Indosat Ooredoo launched its first commercial 5G services in the Indonesian city of Solo. The launch is part of a partnership with the Surakarta (“Solo”) Municipality and includes a focus on micro and small-medium-sized enterprise (MSME) empowerment, digital talent education and smart city development. Future plans involve extending 5G to other major cities in Indonesia, including Jakarta, Surabaya and Makassar.
According to the operator, its 5G offering will provide higher internet speed for consumer and business customers and create new opportunities for innovation that will “enrich the quality of life for the people of Solo and stimulate the economy.”
More specifically, Indosat Ooredoo will provide tools and training for 10,000 of the city’s micro-businesses on how to digitalize their operations, as well as content creator training and coaching to 2,000 of Solo’s youth and main youth-leading communities and Augmented Reality (AR) training for 500 young developers in Solo.
In addition, the operator is establishing a smart information hub at the City Hall that connects the city’s command center to more than 2,700 RT community residents to provide real-time information across the entire city.
“We believe 5G technology will help accelerate the digital transformation of Indonesian society and stimulate innovation in businesses across all industries,” said the President Director and CEO Indosat Ooredoo Ahmad Al-Neama. “Today’s launch marks the beginning of our journey in powering the 5G revolution in Indonesia, helping to move the nation towards a 5G-enabled future.”
Notably, Huawei Indonesia CEO Jacky Chen attended the launch event, making clear that Indosat Ooredoo is using the Chinese vendor’s 5G equipment. Chen confirmed this later in a press release, commenting simply that Huawei is “glad to become part of the historic milestone, together with […] partner Indosat Ooredoo and the people of Solo, to build a more intelligent and connected Indonesia.”
Competitor Telkomsel beat Indosat Ooredoo to the punch, launching its own 5G services in May in six residential locations in Jakarta and in parts of eight other cities, making it the first in the country to do so.
