RI aims for nationwide 5G coverage by 2029 to power AI development

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Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs is targeting full national 5G coverage by 2029 to provide the digital foundation required to power an artificial intelligence-driven economy.

The ministry’s Secretary General Ismail stated that accelerating the national 5G roadmap is critical to keeping pace with global technological shifts.

“We must accelerate the 5G roadmap. We hope that by 2029, 5G coverage in Indonesia will continue to expand, reaching even the most remote corners of the country,” Ismail said in his statement on Thursday (August 6).

“This is crucial because the world is moving toward an AI-based economy, so digital infrastructure must be able to keep pace with these needs,” he added.

He explained that the rapid rise of AI has reshaped the national approach to telecommunications infrastructure.

Digital networks are no longer viewed merely as basic communication channels, but as vital drivers of productivity, innovation and national competitiveness.

Indonesia already possesses a baseline fiber-optic backbone spanning over one million kilometers, including submarine cable systems connecting islands across the archipelago.

Future development will focus on upgrading network capacity, signal quality and operational resilience to meet high-demand digital services.

“Our challenge is no longer simply expanding the basic network. What we are building now is infrastructure capable of supporting the growth of an AI-based digital economy,” Ismail noted.

This tech-driven transformation is also forcing telecommunications operators to move beyond selling basic bandwidth toward offering AI cloud integration, high-performance computing and Internet of Things (IoT) applications.

“Operators used to sell bandwidth. Now, infrastructure must be able to support AI cloud services and various productive applications that provide added value to society and industry,” Ismail explained.

To support network deployment, the government is introducing investment incentives, including auctions for the 700 MHz and 2.6 GHz radio frequency spectrums under a more affordable cost scheme.

“The government must be present to provide space for digital infrastructure investment to grow more rapidly,” Ismail added.

Alongside affordable spectrum allocations, the ministry is establishing regulatory frameworks to encourage long-term private sector investments across key economic sectors, including agriculture, mining, manufacturing, healthcare, education and finance.