Indonesia’s mobile network performance has improved significantly between Q2 2022 and Q2 2025, according to Ookla’s latest report.
Nationwide download speeds climbed from 17.54 Mbps to 30.5 Mbps, while upload speeds rose from 10.32 Mbps to 13.93 Mbps. Even the lower 10th percentile — representing the worst connections — saw download speeds more than double from 2.66 Mbps to 5.69 Mbps, reflecting network upgrades that are reaching rural and remote communities, which account for 41 percent of the population.
Every region reported faster speeds, with Jakarta and Bali topping 41 Mbps. Lower-performing provinces like North Maluku, as well as remote areas such as Gorontalo and Bangka Belitung Islands, recorded notable gains, underscoring efforts to close the digital divide, Ookla report indicated.
4G availability has surpassed 90 percent across all major islands as of 1H 2025, led by Java at 96.4 percent and Bali & Nusa Tenggara at 95.2 percent. Regions that historically lagged, including Sulawesi, Sumatra, Kalimantan, and Maluku & North Maluku, have all crossed the 90 percent mark.
This milestone stems from coordinated government action, particularly through the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs’ (KOMDIGI) Digital Indonesia Roadmap 2021–2024, and public-private partnerships, Affandy Johan, Industry Analyst at Ookla, said.
The Universal Service Obligation fund, managed by BAKTI, has played a pivotal role in financing projects such as the Palapa Ring fiber network, the SATRIA-1 satellite, and the construction of 6,672 new Base Transceiver Stations to extend coverage in underserved “3T” regions. Major operators like Telkomsel have complemented these efforts with targeted network expansion in commercially challenging areas.
In contrast, 5G deployment remains limited and highly urban-focused. Bali & Nusa Tenggara lead with availability jumping from 4.4 percent in 1H 2024 to 17 percent in 1H 2025, driven by rollouts in tourism and business hubs. Java and Sumatra have more modest coverage at 6.5 percent and 4.8 percent respectively, while Kalimantan, Maluku & North Maluku, and Papua & Western New Guinea remain in the low single digits.
Progress is constrained by limited mid-band spectrum — currently confined to the 1.8 GHz, 2.1 GHz, and 2.3 GHz bands — high infrastructure costs, and the robustness of existing 4G networks. Operators are adopting a phased, demand-driven strategy, focusing on dense urban and industrial zones.
Telkomsel leads with over 2,100 5G sites in 56 cities, while Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison is expanding through network sharing. This measured approach is laying the groundwork for broader adoption as more spectrum becomes available and demand grows.
Baburajan Kizhakedath
