Minister Confirms 86% of BTS Affected by NTT Earthquake Have Been Restored

Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs (Menkomdigi) Meutya Hafid has expressed her condolences to the victims of the earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). She confirmed that 86% of the BTS affected by the earthquake have been restored.

“We extend our deepest sympathies over the disaster that occurred in East Nusa Tenggara. In situations like this, we recognise that telecommunications services play a vital role for the public, especially for obtaining information, communicating with family, and supporting disaster response coordination,” Meutya said in a statement on Sunday (16/8/2026).

Meutya stressed that the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi) continues to oversee the restoration of telecommunications services affected by the NTT earthquake. Based on monitoring by Komdigi, 794 sites/BTS were identified as affected by the earthquake across 11 regencies/cities as of Sunday (16/8) at 18.00 WIB.

Of that number, 683 sites/BTS, or 86.02%, have been restored, while 111 sites/BTS, or 13.98%, are still in the recovery process. Three regencies/cities have fully recovered.

“Since the earthquake occurred, Komdigi, together with telecommunications providers, has continued to oversee network restoration in the affected areas. To date, of the 794 affected sites/BTS, 683 sites/BTS, or 86.02%, have returned to operation,” Meutya explained.

“We will continue to oversee this restoration until all services in the affected areas return to normal. We are also ensuring that recovery efforts are carried out as quickly as possible, especially in areas still experiencing disruption,” she continued.

According to the telecommunications industry’s assessment, disruptions since the onset of the disaster were dominated by power supply failures at 701 sites/BTS. In addition, 93 sites/BTS experienced transmission network disruptions.

“Restoration is being carried out according to the conditions of each location, both for power supply disruptions and transmission network issues. We continue to coordinate with telecommunications providers and relevant parties so that the remaining affected sites can resume operations promptly,” Meutya stated.

Komdigi, through its Telecommunications Monitoring Centre (PMT), continues to monitor network conditions and coordinate with the Radio Frequency Spectrum Monitoring Office (Balmon SFR), local governments, and all telecommunications providers in the affected areas.

Monitoring is focused on accelerating the restoration of the 111 sites/BTS still experiencing disruption, particularly in areas with a high number or percentage of affected BTS.

“The presence of communication networks amid a disaster is not merely about connectivity. Communication services are needed to ensure the public can remain connected, obtain information, access emergency services, and support aid coordination. Therefore, network restoration is an important part of disaster response and post-disaster recovery efforts,” she said.

Meutya also urged the public to prioritise safety and follow official information and guidance from BMKG, local governments, and disaster management agencies.

Of the areas whose telecommunications services were affected by the earthquake, three regencies have now fully recovered: Alor, Lembata, and North Central Timor.

Meanwhile, eight regencies still have sites/BTS in the recovery process, with the following details:

• East Manggarai: 32 sites/BTS remaining, recovery rate 57.33%;

• Manggarai: 27 sites/BTS remaining, recovery rate 82.35%;

• Nagekeo: 19 sites/BTS remaining, recovery rate 76.25%;

• Ende: 11 sites/BTS remaining, recovery rate 89.52%;

• Ngada: 10 sites/BTS remaining, recovery rate 87.18%;

• Sikka: 7 sites/BTS remaining, recovery rate 94.07%;

• West Manggarai: 4 sites/BTS remaining, recovery rate 96.36%; and

• East Flores: 1 site/BTS remaining, recovery rate 97.56%.