Feature Article

Free eNews Subscription>>
August 13, 2013

Protelindo Gets $50M Boost from IFC

PT Professional Telekomunikasi Indonesia, otherwise known as Protelindo, is Indonesia’s largest independent telecom tower owner-operator. The company recently received a $50 million investment from the international financial corporation IFC, a member of the World Bank Group and the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the private sector.

Most Indonesians live in rural areas where transportation is poor and mobile phones are vital to helping micro and small enterprises. The investment is expected to improve mobile coverage and drive the economic growth in the country by building more towers and providing additional coverage and capacity for mobile operators in the islands of Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan and other parts of the country.


Image via Shutterstock

In addition, the influx of funds will reduce operational cost for individual and small enterprises and increase productivity, which will lead to broader financial growth.

"Indonesia's geographical challenges mean that telecommunications plays a key role in the country's infrastructure development," said Adam Gifari, chief executive officer of Protelindo.

Furthermore, besides aiding telecommunications, IFC will help build and upgrade Indonesia's ports, power plants, transportation and other infrastructure.

"Improving infrastructure is critical in driving Indonesia's economic growth," said Wiebke Schloemer, IFC's infrastructure and natural resources manager for East Asia and the Pacific. "Our investment in Protelindo is part of our commitment to accelerating infrastructure development in Indonesia, particularly in the telecommunications sector."

Established in 2002, Protelindo, based in Jakarta, Indonesia, builds, operates and rents around 9,000 telecommunications towers throughout Indonesia, leasing space at its multi-tenant towers to all major Indonesian wireless operators

The Indonesian telecommunications industry is among the fastest-growing in the world. The International Telecommunication Union, a specialized agency of the United Nations, indicated that Indonesia had about 282 million mobile phone subscribers at the end of 2012, a 13-percent increase from 250 million subscribers in 2011.




Edited by Alisen Downey


FOLLOW MobilityTechzone

Subscribe to MobilityTechzone eNews

MobilityTechzone eNews delivers the latest news impacting technology in the Wireless industry each week. Sign up to receive FREE breaking news today!
FREE eNewsletter