Indosat taps Nokia for nationwide 5G and AI-RAN upgrade

Details: Manny Pham; Category: Operators; 09 June 2026; 1178 views

Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison (IOH) has selected Nokia to modernise its mobile network across Indonesia, deploying advanced 5G radio access network (RAN) technologies and laying the groundwork for AI-powered services.

Under the agreement, Nokia will provide low- and mid-band 5G RAN equipment to help build a high-performance, AI-ready network capable of supporting growing demand for digital services.

The upgrade is expected to improve network capacity, coverage and performance, enabling more responsive services and supporting applications such as immersive entertainment and gaming. It also aligns with IOH’s long-term strategy to expand digital access across Indonesia’s vast archipelago.

The enhanced network will also support enterprise use cases across sectors including public services, industry and digital services.

Nokia CEO Justin Hotard (pictured, right) said the next phase of network evolution will be defined by how operators combine connectivity, intelligence and scale. He added that the partnership with Indosat and NVIDIA aims to expand 5G coverage while enabling new AI-driven services and business models.

The companies said the project goes beyond traditional network upgrades, positioning connectivity as a platform for intelligence through the adoption of AI-RAN technology. AI-RAN combines artificial intelligence workloads and radio access networks on a shared infrastructure, improving efficiency while creating opportunities for new AI services.

As part of the initiative, Indosat, Nokia and Nvidia plan to conduct AI-RAN field trials in Indonesia by the end of 2026.

Indosat President Director and CEO Vikram Sinha (pictured, left) said the partnership will strengthen the operator’s ability to deliver a more seamless digital experience while supporting Indonesia’s inclusive digital transformation goals.

Nvidia Senior Vice President of Telecommunications Ronnie Vasishta (pictured, middle) said: “Indosat and Nokia are showing what it looks like when a 5G network becomes the platform for

intelligence. By building on our AI-RAN work together and moving toward field trials in Indonesia, we are helping create an architecture where AI and connectivity can work side by side to improve efficiency, enable new applications and support digital transformation at scale.”