Jakarta, May 23rd 2020. PT XL Axiata Tbk (XL Axiata) ensures that the network is ready to serve the needs of customers and the public during Eid 2020. President Director & CEO of XL Axiata, Dian Siswarini, along with Information Director, Yessi Yosetya, and Acting Chief Technology, Officer I Gede Darmayusa ensures that all preparations are under review at the XL Axiata network monitoring center in Jakarta, Saturday (5/23). From the results of monitoring, it can be seen that the increase in data traffic on average amounts to 2% - 3% in the last few weeks before Eid compared to normal days after the implementation of work and studies from home.
Act Chief Technology Officer I Gede Darmayusa said "From this monitoring we collected data that shows the level of customer movement from the Greater Jakarta Area to other regions is not as heavy as the previous years. This is certainly influenced by the prohibition of traveling to hometowns (mudik) for residents of the Greater Jakarta Area (Jabodetabek) due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. On the other hand, we also have data that the increase in traffic in various areas is more influenced by the increase in data consumption by each customer than the effect of moving customers to other areas."
I Gede Darmayusa added to his statement that from the data seen in the monitoring center, he is confident of the network readiness and preparation that has been done so far. He mentioned that the network capacity has been increased by two folds (2x) compared to normal days and circumstances. It also involves the readiness of the network in each area related to the changing paradigm in which there is no mudik or hometown travels which means there is no more traffic spikes in certain areas, including in tourist sites that are usually the destination of vacation during Eid. Network strengthening is now mostly carried out in residential areas where the community is expected to do more Eid celebration activities at home.
During the past week, data services that were most accessed by customers were streaming-based services with an increase of 40% compared to the normal day or circumstances before the Covid-19 pandemic, game services have also risen to 35%, while instant messaging (IM / Texting) services increased by 15%. For video call or video conferencing services especially have been widely used by people to greet each other with families as well as to support work and study activities from home, there has been an increase in traffic over 5 times (5x) higher compared to normal days before the Covid-19 pandemic struck.
Meanwhile, by region, the highest increase in traffic within the past week before Eid, was respectively recorded in West Java, Central Java, Yogyakarta, and East Java with an average increase of 3%. Even though there hometown travels (mudik) was not allowed or recommended, XL Axiata was still preparing to anticipate the potential for traffic spikes that could happen at any time. For this reason, network monitoring procedures are still carried out to the maximum extent possible. The deployment of mobile BTS was also prepared to strengthen network quality in locations that needed it.