The Ministry of Communication and Information has officially refarmed 800 MHz and 900 MHz radio frequency bands today, Wednesday (01/23/2019). The frequency band is currently used for the purposes of carrying out cellular mobile networks, including PT Telekomunikasi Selular (TELKOMSEL) and PT Indosat, Tbk. (INDOSAT).
The rearrangement will begin in part of the Riau Islands cluster . Furthermore, it will be gradually continued to completion for all TELKOMSEL and INDOSAT networks throughout Indonesia.
In accordance with the data from the Directorate of Resources Planning, Directorate General of Resources and Equipment of Post and Information Technology, this rearrangement of the 800 MHz and 900 MHz radio frequency bands will involve no less than 42,000 points of Network Element or Base Station. The rearrangement is targeted to be completed no later than Thursday 21 March 2019.
More Quality Network
At present, of all radio frequency bands used by cellular cellular network operators, there is still a not contiguous determination of radio frequency bands , specifically the 800 MHz and 900 MHz radio frequency bands used by TELKOMSEL.
Rearrangement is intended to improve efficiency and optimize the use of radio frequency bands. The expected result is obtaining contiguous radio frequency bands for all cellular operators.
The benefit of establishing an adjoining 900 MHz radio frequency band is that each cellular operator can more freely choose and be flexible in improving the cellular technology it implements. In addition, cellular operators can also choose the type of network shipping that is best suited to the conditions of their cellular service traffic in an area.
In the end, the community of cellular service users will be able to enjoy better and more stable quality, especially in the areas of big cities that experience network density ( congestion ).
In addition, the benefits of rearrangement for cellular operators are able to implement Mobile Broadband technology more flexibly. That flexibility will open up greater possibilities for cellular operators to improve the technology currently in use, from the original 2G to 3G or 4G so that it can accelerate the expansion of 4G (LTE) service area coverage to areas that currently do not enjoy 4G services. In the end, it is expected that the presence of Mobile Broadband services in the area can become an accelerator of the economic growth of the local community.
Rearrangement Plan
The rearrangement of the 800 MHz and 900 MHz radio frequency bands was carried out based on two legal umbrella. First, Decree of the Minister of Communication and Information Technology Number 998 of 2018 concerning the Re-Arrangement of 800 MHz and 900 MHz Radio Frequency Bands for the Need for Organizing Cellular Mobile Networks determined on December 19, 2018. Second, Director General SDPPI Decree Number 29 / DIRJEN / 2019 concerning Guidelines Technical Rearrangement of 800 MHz and 900 MHz Radio Frequency Bands for the Need for Organizing Cellular Mobile Networks determined on January 11, 2019.
In contrast to the rearrangement of the 2.1 GHz radio frequency band that ended in April 2018 involving three cellular operators, this time the re-tuning of the use of the 800 MHz and 900 MHz radio frequency bands only involved two cellular operators, namely INDOSAT and TELKOMSEL.
As an illustration, the condition of the 900 MHz radio frequency bands before and after the rearrangement process ( refarming ) is as follows:
