Telkomsel Boasts 40 Million Customers Use Internet Service

Telkomsel starts to share information on their customers’ statistics. As cited from Vivanews, from 103 million registered users (according to Wireless Intelligence data), 40 million of them or almost 40% has subscribed data package to access internet. As explained by Heru Sukendro, General Manager, Device Bundling Management of Telkomsel, from 40 million users subscribing data package for internet, 3.5 million of them are BlackBerry users while 6 million others are broadband (Internet modem) users.

From the revenue perpective, Telkomsel got quite big chunk from BlackBerry users. In general, Kartu Halo users (who use BlackBerry Internet Service) spend IDR 350.000 for a month, while the scheme for Simpati and Kartu As spend about IDR 200.000 and IDR 125.000 for a month. As comparison, ARPU of Telkomsel modem broadband users is IDR 70.000 for a month. Telkomsel’s ARPU in general based on Wireless Intelligent data is $13.69 ( IDR 121.000).

Telkomsel is getting more aggressive in improving broadband penetration to some cities in Indonesia. They claim that they have already 45 “broadband city” in Indonesia and aiming at 100 broadband cities in 2012. Although, I am not sure what is the criteria for “broadband service” of Telkomsel in term of what is it and how fast the speed can be.

Indosat CEO, Harry Sasongko, in an interview with WSJ stated that data package service is a new revenue source for carriers in Indonesia in which the usage of mobile phone for calling and sending SMS is decreasing, also the saturation of Indonesian telco market that has reached 200 million users (71% from total residence of Indonesia). For Indosat, the revenue from data service only gives about 10% from total revenue although they claim the number is increasing.

The new parameter for Internet users’ number in Indonesia based on MarkPlus Insight survey is 55 million users. So, if 40 million users are Telkomsel’s customers, is the other 15 million are divided into other telco service providers and ISP providers? Considering the boom of internet penetration through mobile devices, and if the data claimed by Telkomsel are valid, I think the total number of internet users should be more than just 55 million users.