XL Axiata Wants 5G Frequency Auction to Start Soon, Aiming at 700 MHz and 2.6 GHz

What XL Axiata hopes to deploy a 5G network is a frequency of 700 MHz and 2.6 GHz, assuming that 2.6 GHz is available with a band as wide as 190 MHz.

Gede said, if the auction is held with the condition that Indonesia has 4 cellular operators and as a result of the auction, the spectrum band is won by all four, each operator can get a 40-50 MHz wide band of 2.6 GHz spectrum.

Meanwhile, if the auction is held after the merger between XL Axiata and Smartfren takes place, which means there are only three cellular operators in Indonesia, the frequency bandwidth will only be divided into three, where each can get around 60 MHz.

“So we hope that 2.6 GHz will be auctioned in 2025. But the most important thing is, 5G requires very large investment,” he said.

In terms of technology, starting from antennas, RRUs, to transport that must be upgraded. Gede added that the power or electrical power at each site to provide 5G must also be upgraded.