Telkomsel to Boost 4G Performance with ZTE's AI-Powered Optimization

Telkomsel, Indonesia's leading mobile operator, is preparing to deploy an AI-powered optimization solution developed with ZTE to enhance the performance of its 4G/LTE network. The decision comes after successful field trials in Makassar and Kendari covering more than 90 sites and involving about 300,000 subscribers, which delivered measurable performance gains.

The solution, described as a "self-adaptive feedback system", leverages AI and machine learning to dynamically adjust key network parameters — including speed settings and transmission power — to better serve demanding applications like video streaming and gaming, all without needing extra hardware.

Among the trial results, Telkomsel reported reductions in video buffering by 15%, increases in download speed by 11%, a nearly 30% improvement in webpage load times, and gaming latency dropped by up to 47%. Energy efficiency also improved: power efficiency rose ~15%, while overall energy consumption was lowered by about 8%, in part by automatically switching base stations to low-power mode during off-peak periods.

ZTE's Indonesia President Director Richard Liang noted that integrating AI into network operations not only boosts efficiency but also supports the increasing demand for high-quality digital content. Wong Soon Nam, Telkomsel's Chief Strategic Planning Officer, emphasized that this initiative aligns with the operator's "Hyper AI" strategy, designed to uplift customer satisfaction and solidify its market leadership by delivering real benefits for Indonesian users.

This project is part of a broader strategic partnership between Telkomsel and ZTE, originally formalized during Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The scope of their joint work spans exploring network-edge AI, 5G Advanced, and more intelligent home network solutions.