Jakarta, April 17, 2024. PT XL Axiata Tbk (XL Axiata) observed a rise in data usage during the Ramadan and Idul Fitri 1445 H holidays, spanning from April 4, 2024, to April 14, 2024. Data sourced from the Customer Experience & Service Operation Center at XL Axiata Tower, Jakarta, indicates a 16% increase in data service usage compared to regular days preceding Ramadan. This surge is closely linked to individuals' enthusiasm to return to their hometowns and enjoy the holiday festivities during Eid.
I Gede Darmayusa, Director & Chief Technology Officer of XL Axiata, stated, "We, at XL Axiata, expressed our gratitude for being able to deliver optimal service to our customers during this extended Eid holiday. We meticulously prepared our network well in advance, implementing various precautionary measures to ensure seamless operations. Our dedicated network team, including field personnel, remained on high alert throughout the critical period, poised to address any issues promptly. As we predicted, there was a notable surge in data traffic during this holiday period, particularly in accessing video streaming services via social media, underscoring people's enthusiasm for sharing joyous moments. The overall traffic increase exceeded 16%. Furthermore, we observed dynamic patterns of people's movements between different regions, reflecting the vibrant nature of holiday travel."
Gede pointed out that the utilization pattern of diverse data services among XL Axiata customers during the Eid holiday reflects the growing reliance of Indonesians on digital platforms for their daily needs. Throughout the Ramadan and Eid periods, streaming services dominated the service traffic, comprising 59%, followed by web browsing at 18% and social media at 15%. Within the streaming category, several applications witnessed substantial spikes in usage, with gaming services experiencing an average traffic surge of up to 135%, YouTube seeing a 17% increase, TikTok experiencing a 14% rise, Netflix witnessing a 42% uptick, and Spotify observing a 23% boost.
For messaging applications, the utilization of WhatsApp services witnessed a 59% surge in traffic. Concurrently, on social networking platforms, X experienced a 25% increase, while Meta (Facebook) saw a 15% rise. Moreover, web browsing activities escalated by 20%, and online shopping via e-commerce platforms surged by a staggering 650%. Map services and navigation tools like Google Maps and Waze were extensively accessed by travelers, marking an approximately 154% increase compared to regular days.
Analyzing the regional distribution, the nationwide surge in service traffic during Ramadan and Eid, in comparison to typical days, unfolded as follows:
At the municipal level across Indonesia, the most notable increases in traffic were observed in the following areas:
Regarding service traffic in the Jabodetabek area, there was a decrease during Eid compared to regular days, with a decline of 7%. This reduction aligns with the significant level of customer relocation during the Eid period. XL Axiata's monitoring data reflects a customer movement rate from the Jabodetabek area to other provinces at around 30%.
Throughout the Eid holiday period, XL Satu convergence service traffic remained relatively steady compared to regular days, as some customers chose not to travel back home. Meanwhile, the most frequently accessed services by XL SATU customers were as follows:
Currently, the total number of XL SATU customers has exceeded 235 thousand home connects.
In order to ensure network readiness and meet customer demands for comfort during this year's Eid period, XL Axiata has doubled its network capacity compared to regular days. Continuous network monitoring procedures are in place, with 94 mobile BTS deployed to enhance network quality in areas requiring additional support.
Currently, XL Axiata serves over 57 million customers and is backed by a network of more than 160 thousand BTS, predominantly 4G-enabled. Additionally, a fiber optic backbone network spanning over 159 thousand kilometers supports data connectivity across much of the expansive Indonesian archipelago. XL Axiata remains committed to investing in fiber networks, transmission, backhaul, and network modernization to bolster stability, enhance network capacity, and elevate the quality of data services amidst escalating data traffic.