Marking the development of USO network in NTT and other KTI regions, on Monday (28/10), XL Axiata management and the Communication and Informatics (Kominfo) Ministry officially inaugurated one of the USO Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) in Aewora Village, Maurole District, Ende Regency, NTT. The ceremony was attended by, among others, East Nusa Tenggara Province Communication & Information Department Head, Drs. Aba Maulaka, Kominfo Telecommunications and Information Accessibility Agency (Bakti) Director of Telecommunications and Information Services for Business Dhia Anugrah Febriansa, East Nusa Tenggara Province Monitoring Office Head Moh. Syarif Helmi, SE, SH, MM, and East Nusa Tenggara Regional Police Information Technology and Communications Department Head Sr. Police Commissioner Wahyu Prihatmaka, SH. XL Axiata was represented by Technology Director Yessie D. Yosetya and East Region Group Head Bambang Parikesit.
XL Axiata Technology Director Yessie D. Yosetya said, “We are proud for the chance given by the government to continue participating in telecommunication infrastructure development through this USO program. XL Axiata’s spirit is in line with the government’s vision of providing telecommunication and data/ internet services for residents in rural areas, so that they could benefit from digital technology in catching up with other regions and advancing their progress. This will also help accelerate national development being carried out by the government.”
Yessie added that XL Axiata is planning to build USO BTS points in 51 regencies this year. Most are located in the Central and Eastern regions of Indonesia, including Sulawesi, NTT, Maluku (Moluccas), and Papua. Constructions of USO network in these points began in October and are expected to be complete before the end of the year. XL Axiata is the first telecommunications operator to run its USO network on-air in 2019. All of the planned 289 USO BTS has 4G capabilities.
Efforts by XL Axiata to build USO network will continue beyond this year. The company hopes to carry development in more areas in 2020. XL Axiata, according to Yessie, will be managing
and developing all of its established USO networks in order to provide maximum service for local residents, so that they could take advantage of the added economy and business values. To reach that goal, in addition to the USO network construction, a supporting ecosystem will also be established to provide locals with benefits from easier access to all of XL Axiata services.
“Regions outside Java are potential for network expansion due to very high usage of internet data. According to data from APJII, there has been a 500% growth of internet users in Indonesia, from 29 million to 171 million, 44% of whom resides outside Java, and this will continue to increase. With such potential, we are very optimistic in expanding our business, particularly data services, in areas outside Java, including USO network regions,” said Yessie.
Previously, in 2017 and 2018, XL Axiata had established USO networks in a number of regions, including, among others, West Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, South Sumatra, East Java, and West Nusa Tenggara. Response from local residents in all BTS points has been very positive. Traffic data from every BTS shows significant increase of between 11% to 15 % from when they first started operating until now. The number of local residents benefitting from the USO network is also increasing, including local administrations who can now use the network in providing services to citizens. XL Axiata, therefore, is planning to improve the quality of these network to 3G standards.
Aside from the USO network, XL Axiata has been operating in NTT since 2017 by providing quality data network in 22 municipalities/ regencies across East Nusa Tenggara, supported by a total of around 1.000 BTS. Its 4G network is present in 19 municipalities/ regencies, through more than 200 BTS. Municipalities/ regencies covered by XL Axiata data network are Alor, Belu, Ende, East Flores, Kupang City, Kupang, Lembata, Manggarai, West Manggarai, East Manggarai, Nagekeo Ngada, Rote Ndao, Sikka, West Sumba, East Sumba, Southern Central Timor, Northern Central Timor , Sabu Raijua, Southwest Sumba, Malaka, and Central Sumba. Total number of customers in the region is more than 65 thousand, 90% of whom are actively using XL Axiata data services.
XL Axiata currently has 56,6 million customers supported by more than 127.000 BTS, including more than 53.000 3G BTS and more than 37.000 4G BTS. XL Axiata continues to invest in fiber optics network, transmission, backhaul, network modernization, and other network upgrades to improve the stability and capacity of networks and the quality of data service as data traffic increases.
Socialization of data services utilization
During official inauguration of XL Axiata USO network on the Day of Sumpah Pemuda (Youth Pledge) commemoration, Bambang Parikesit, representing XL Axiata, was interviewed live from Aewora by PPI Dunia Radio via Skype through 4G network. This live broadcast was part
of the cooperation between XL Axiata and the National Resilience Council (Wantannas) in supporting the Bela Negara (State Defense) program. PPI Radio is an internet radio station initiated and operated by Indonesian student and college student communities in various countries.
XL Axiata also organizes socialization and education efforts on the productive utilization of data services for residents of Aewora Village and its surrounding areas. These activities include socialization of Laut Nusantara app for local fishermen. More than 40 fishermen participated in the socialization, who would later transfer what they have learned to each of their own groups. Using a digital application that helps pinpoint the location of fish at sea is very new to them. XL Axiata will continue socializing the program to regions with fishermen communities in NTT.
Furthermore, the XL Axiata team also delivered education on digital services utilization for local residents, particularly women, through the Sisternet education programs. This included, among others, training on how parents could be friends with their children in the Digital Era, when to allow children to use gadgets, and how to deal with children who are addicted to gadgets (either by using them online or offline). The training course was attended by 40 participants, including fishermen’s wives and housewives in Aewora and its surrounding areas. Through them, locals could hopefully learn tips on how to educate their children in the digital era, as well as positive uses of gadgets by children, and how to respond to changes resulting from technological advances in order to direct them to achieve a positive impact, which would ultimately help the effort to improve the quality of life for families and the local community.
Related to education, XL Axiata channeled the Quota Donation Movement (GDK) program to SMPN Aewora junior high school in Aewora Village. This donation was accompanied by another donation of an LCD projector, school books, and learning equipments from XL Axiata employees. With the data quota donation, students and teachers of the school can now access high-speed internet to support their teaching and learning activities. Alongside the program in Aewora Village, XL Axiata organized the XL Berbagi (XL Sharing) program in Maumere city, where XL Axiata employees volunteered to teach students of SMU 2, Maumere high school. Moving forward, XL Axiata prepares to deliver more Quota Donation Movement to 4 high schools in Maumere.