Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison and Nokia completed a network integration covering more than 40,000 radio sites within 12 months. The achievement established a new global benchmark for telecom modernization, automation-led deployment, and AI-driven operational transformation following the merger of Indosat Ooredoo and Hutchison 3 Indonesia.
Accelerating One of the World’s Fastest Telecom Integrations
Large-scale telecom mergers usually require several years to fully integrate networks because operators must align spectrum assets, optimize infrastructure, consolidate software systems, and maintain service continuity during the transition. Indosat dramatically accelerated this process through a digital-first strategy focused on automation, intelligent orchestration, and rapid operational execution.
The company consolidated over 40,000 radio sites while minimizing disruption for approximately 94 million subscribers. The integration enabled Indosat to unlock merger synergies, reduce duplication across network assets, and improve overall operational efficiency, Nokia said in a case study.
The deployment also strengthened spectrum utilization and optimized coverage quality across urban and rural regions, supporting Indonesia’s rapidly expanding digital economy where mobile connectivity plays a critical role in commerce, entertainment, financial services, and enterprise transformation.
Strong Revenue Growth and Improved Profitability
The modernization initiative delivered significant financial benefits alongside operational improvements. During Q1 2026, Indosat reported revenue of IDR 15.2 trillion, representing 12 percent year-over-year growth. EBITDA reached IDR 7.2 trillion, increasing 13 percent compared to the previous year, while net profit climbed to IDR 1.5 trillion, reflecting strong 26 percent annual growth.
One of the company’s most important commercial achievements was its sharp increase in Average Revenue Per User. ARPU rose 15 percent year-over-year to IDR 45,000 as customers consumed more digital services, mobile broadband applications, streaming content, and cloud-based platforms.
The operator also recorded 25.1 percent year-over-year growth in mobile data traffic, highlighting rising demand for high-capacity connectivity across Indonesia. Improved network quality and stronger customer engagement helped drive both subscriber retention and digital service monetization.
Consumer Benefits Through Faster and More Reliable Connectivity
Consumers across Indonesia are already experiencing the direct benefits of the large-scale network integration. By optimizing radio infrastructure and improving spectrum efficiency, Indosat significantly enhanced mobile broadband speeds, voice quality, and network consistency.
The upgraded network reduced congestion in high-traffic regions while improving service reliability in underserved areas. Customers now benefit from smoother HD video streaming, lower gaming latency, better video conferencing performance, and stronger support for cloud applications and digital services.
The rapid integration strategy also ensured that millions of subscribers experienced minimal disruption during the merger process. Maintaining customer experience stability while consolidating 40,000 radio sites demonstrated strong operational coordination between technology, engineering, and deployment teams.
AI-Native Strategy Supporting Long-Term Digital Growth
Indosat is positioning itself as an “AI Native Telco” through major investments in artificial intelligence, automation, cloud-native infrastructure, and advanced analytics. The operator believes AI-driven operations and customer personalization will become central to future telecom growth and service innovation.
The company’s NeoCloud platform has already secured approximately USD 170 million in contracted AI cloud revenue over a three-year period. Indosat continues investing in AI-powered customer analytics, cloud infrastructure, digital orchestration systems, and intelligent network automation to strengthen both operational efficiency and enterprise service capabilities.
The operator is also expanding investments in 5G infrastructure, fiber deployment, and next-generation digital platforms to support future growth opportunities across consumer and enterprise markets.
Technology Leadership Team Driving Transformation
Indosat’s leadership team played a critical role in executing the integration and modernization strategy. President Director and CEO Vikram Sinha led the company’s long-term digital transformation roadmap focused on AI innovation, operational efficiency, and customer-centric growth.
Chief Technology Officer Desmond Cheung oversaw large-scale network modernization, infrastructure integration, and deployment coordination across the nationwide project. Technology and operations teams worked closely with Nokia experts to manage thousands of simultaneous integration activities while ensuring network performance stability.
The company’s broader strategy prioritized rapid realization of merger synergies while preparing infrastructure for long-term 5G expansion and AI-enabled service delivery.
Nokia’s Automation and Digital Orchestration Expertise
Nokia’s advanced automation platforms and digital orchestration technologies proved critical to the project’s success. Instead of relying on traditional manual deployment processes, the vendor implemented intelligent orchestration systems capable of coordinating planning, optimization, and configuration activities across more than 40,000 sites in real time.
The automation-driven approach significantly reduced operational complexity and accelerated deployment timelines while improving integration precision. Nokia’s expertise in AI-driven analytics, cloud-native networking, and autonomous operations enabled Indosat to complete one of the telecom industry’s fastest large-scale integrations.
By combining automation, AI innovation, and strategic infrastructure investment, Indosat and Nokia created a global benchmark for next-generation telecom transformation, operational efficiency, and customer-focused digital growth.
SHAFANA FAZAL
