Indonesia Bolt Has 4G License Revoked

Indonesia’s Communications and Information Ministry (KemKominfo) has revoked the frequency license of local mobile internet provider Bolt PT Internux for non-payment of license fees.

Bolt’s license was revoked last month due to the continuing accumulation of unpaid license fees, which had reached 5.65 trillion rupiah (USD 392.09 million), the Jakarta Post reported.

Local operator Smartfren has now agreed to take over the operations of LTE-based mobile internet provider Bolt due to the license cancellation.

Existing Bolt customers will be able to replace their 4G cards with Smartfren prepaid SIM cards for free, and must have them activated at one of Smartfren’s 28 outlets in the Greater Jakarta and North Sumatra areas.

The report notes that Smartfren’s network has a wider coverage area than Bolt’s former network. The Smartfren service is available in more than 200 cities across Indonesia.

Bolt’s parent entity Lippo Group still has cable internet and TV services that have not been affected by the license revocation.― Telecom Asia