• XLSMART says more than 1,200 5G base stations now support its network in Surabaya
  • Its 5G footprint covers more than 50 Indonesian cities and regencies, with a target of more than 88 by year-end

The fact

XLSMART says more than 1,200 5G base stations now support its network in Surabaya. The operator also reports that its 5G footprint has expanded to more than 50 cities and regencies across Indonesia, with coverage targeted to exceed 88 by the end of 2026. The figures were included in reports published on 5 and 6 September, citing an XLSMART statement dated 4 September. The company said its 5G rollout uses spectrum including the 700MHz and 2.6GHz bands as it expands both coverage and network capacity.

The Surabaya figure refers to 5G base stations in service, rather than 1,200 entirely new tower locations. Some of the equipment may have been added to existing or shared sites as XLSMART expands the network after the XL Axiata-Smartfren merger.

The assessment

More than 1,200 5G base stations give XLSMART a large radio footprint in Surabaya, but site count alone says little about what customers actually receive. Coverage and capacity still depend on how the operator uses its 700MHz and 2.6GHz spectrum, connects sites to backhaul and carries traffic through the core network.

The merger adds another layer of work. XLSMART now has to combine spectrum, sites and transport inherited from XL Axiata and Smartfren without carrying unnecessary duplication. Some locations may need more radio capacity, while others may overlap enough to be consolidated. The company has not yet published utilisation or performance data for the Surabaya rollout.

For BTW readers, the Surabaya rollout shows where XLSMART's post-merger network integration becomes visible on the ground. Changes in traffic, coverage, service performance and the number of overlapping sites retained or removed will show whether combining XL Axiata and Smartfren's infrastructure is producing a more efficient network.

What to watch

Watch Surabaya's 5G traffic, service performance, spectrum utilisation and any disclosure on overlapping sites after the merger. Progress towards XLSMART's target of more than 88 cities and regencies will show rollout pace, while network and capital-spending data could indicate how much of the merged infrastructure is being consolidated.