Surge’s Bold Move: 100 Mbps Internet for IDR 100k Through Strategic Tower Partnerships
Fajrin
from Orbitcore Editorial
Indonesia’s digital landscape is about to get a major shake-up. PT Solusi Sinergi Digital Tbk, widely known as Surge (WIFI), has just announced a massive collaboration that could finally solve the connectivity gap for millions of households. By teaming up with industry giants PT Tower Bersama Infrastructure Tbk (TBIG) and PT Centratama Menara Indonesia Tbk (CENT), Surge is paving the way for high-speed Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) across the archipelago.
This strategic partnership isn’t just a corporate handshake; it’s a direct response to the success of Surge’s subsidiary, PT Telemedia Komunikasi Pratama. The subsidiary recently secured the coveted 1.4 GHz radio frequency band license for Region I, which includes the economic powerhouse of Java as well as the high-potential regions of Papua and Maluku. This frequency is the secret sauce that will allow the company to deploy internet services that are both fast and affordable.
The Game-Changing 1.4 GHz Spectrum
Why is the 1.4 GHz spectrum such a big deal? For Surge, it’s the foundation for Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) services. Unlike traditional fiber optics that require extensive and expensive digging to lay cables, FWA can deliver broadband-equivalent speeds through the air. This significantly lowers implementation costs and provides the flexibility needed to reach areas where laying physical cables might be a logistical nightmare.
With this spectrum, Surge aims to deliver speeds of up to 100 Mbps. This isn't just about faster streaming; it’s about supporting the Indonesian government’s vision for inclusive digital services, ensuring that even underserved regions can participate in the modern digital economy.
Leveraging 50,000 Ready-to-Use Towers
One of the biggest hurdles in telecommunications is infrastructure. Building towers from scratch takes time and a massive amount of capital. However, Surge is bypassing this bottleneck. Shannedy Ong, Director of Solusi Sinergi Digital, revealed during a public presentation that TBIG and CENT already have a combined portfolio of approximately 50,000 towers. These sites are ready to support Surge’s rollout immediately.
“This extensive tower portfolio will support the deployment of FWA services in regions with potential coverage of more than 45 million households,” Shannedy explained. By utilizing existing infrastructure from the Tower Bersama Group and Centratama, Surge can accelerate its service launch without the traditional delays associated with construction. Java, often referred to as the 'golden zone,' is particularly ready for this implementation due to its integrated backbone network, which further boosts cost efficiency.
Fiber network designs you can actually rely on.
We handle the heavy lifting. From local surveys in Java & Medan to detailed FTTH grid designs, we make sure your network makes sense.
Building a Global 5G Ecosystem
Surge isn't going at this alone. To ensure the technology is world-class, they are building an end-to-end 5G FWA ecosystem with global heavyweights. The list of partners sounds like a 'who's who' of the tech world: Nokia, Huawei, Orex SAI, Baicells, and Fiberhome are on board, along with chipset giants Qualcomm and ESR. This ensures that the hardware and software powering the 100 Mbps service are reliable and future-proof.
While the current partnership with TBIG and CENT covers a vast population, Shannedy noted that Surge is open to even more collaboration. The company is exploring potential partnerships with PT Dayamitra Telekomunikasi Tbk (Mitratel) and the Protelindo Group if additional capacity is needed in the future. However, for now, the 50,000 available sites are more than enough to cover the bulk of the population in Java, Papua, and Maluku.
High Speed at a Disruptive Price Point
Perhaps the most exciting part for consumers is the price. Surge aims to offer home internet packages at 100 Mbps for just IDR 100,000 per month. This target is specifically designed for underserved households that have been left behind by traditional fixed broadband providers due to cost or location.
This FWA initiative serves as a major growth catalyst for the company. Surge has set an ambitious goal of reaching 5 million home connections. This builds on the steady growth of their existing Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) services, which as of September 2025, have already achieved 1.5 million home-passes and 830,000 active subscribers. With this new tower-sharing strategy, Surge is well-positioned to turn its vision of affordable, high-speed internet for all Indonesians into a reality.