XLSmart Accelerates 5G Base Station Build, Users Spend More

XLSmart recorded a normalised net profit of Rp 2.73 trillion in the first half of 2026, a 294% increase year-on-year, following the completion of the XL Axiata and Smartfren merger in April 2025. Total revenue reached Rp 24.03 trillion, up 26% from the previous year, while normalised EBITDA rose 19% to Rp 11.05 trillion, yielding a normalised EBITDA margin of 46%. Blended average revenue per user (ARPU) climbed to Rp 47,100 from Rp 38,200 in the first half of 2025, and data traffic grew 19% to 7,794 petabytes. President Director & CEO Rajeev Sethi said the first half marked a crucial phase after integration, with the company now entering an optimisation stage built on a strong foundation, larger network scale, broader spectrum portfolio, and realised multi-brand strength. The company has integrated 92% of its network and decommissioned around 15,000 redundant sites, reducing recurring operational costs. Total base transceiver stations rose 26% year-on-year to 265,442, with roughly half of the additions located outside Java, particularly in Sulawesi and Kalimantan. 5G coverage expanded to 52 cities, including Bekasi, Tangerang, Kendal, and Binjai, supported by 15,000 5G base stations. 5G traffic contribution grew 27%, delivering an experience 2.5 times better than 4G. Gross merger synergies reached US$153 million, three times the prior year’s figure, driven by savings in network operations, utilities, fibre, regulatory costs from decommissioned sites, organisational optimisation, and marketing efficiencies.