“Largest cellular telecommunication carrier.” That’s what comes to mind as we approach Telkomsel here in Jakarta. Let’s delve into the story of this telecommunications giant.
Telkomsel was founded on May 26, 1995, in Jakarta. It emerged from a joint venture between Telkom Indonesia and Indosat. Initially, other companies held stakes but today, Telkom Indonesia holds 69.9% and Singtel owns 30.1%.
Did you know that Telkomsel pioneered rechargeable GSM pre-paid services in Asia? This happened in November 1997 under the brand name simPATI. Also, Telkomsel was the first in Indonesia to launch 3G services in September 2006.
In 2009, Telkomsel partnered with Apple South Asia to launch the iPhone 3G in Indonesia. By 2012, Telkomsel had grown to serve over 100 million active customers. This rapid growth underscores its significance in connecting Indonesians.
Telkomsel phased out its CDMA services in 2014. About 11 million subscribers of Telkom Flexi, its parent company’s fixed wireless service, were migrated to either kartuAs or kartuHALO.
In April 2017, Telkomsel faced an unusual challenge. Its website was hacked and a message protesting high charges appeared. The message contained strong language. Interestingly, the hacker received widespread support on social media.
Telkomsel achieved another milestone in June 2021. It became the first carrier in Indonesia to launch 5G services. The initial rollout was limited to certain areas in Jakarta, Bandung, South Tangerang, and Batam. That same month, Telkomsel unveiled a new logo. This replaced the one used for 26 years since its founding.
In an interesting move, Telkomsel announced plans to merge with Telkom’s broadband arm IndiHome. This merger, valued at 58.3 trillion rupiah, signals Telkomsel’s expansion into fixed broadband markets.
As of 2018, Telkomsel operated a massive network. It included 160,705 Base Transceiver Stations of which 68.7% supported 3G or 4G. Telkomsel’s network uses GSM Dual Band, GPRS, EDGE, 3G, 4G, and 5G technologies.
Telkomsel’s success can be attributed to its wide coverage and consistent investment in infrastructure. Despite higher prices compared to competitors, Telkomsel provides superior service quality. It also offers quick internet speeds. Telkomsel remains the top choice for many Indonesians seeking reliable mobile connectivity. As you explore Jakarta and beyond, remember Telkomsel’s role in keeping you connected.