Indonesian telecom operator Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, alongside Nokia and NVIDIA, has opened an AI-powered Radio Access Network (RAN) research center in Surabaya. The initiative focuses on advancing digital transformation in Indonesia’s telecommunications sector while developing AI-driven network optimisation and human capital.

The centre integrates Nokia’s advanced RAN technology with NVIDIA’s accelerated computing platforms and Indosat’s commercial network to support high-performance software-defined RAN and AI applications. It is connected to Indosat’s NVIDIA-powered sovereign AI Factory, creating a distributed computing platform that brings AI closer to end users.

This infrastructure aims to unlock economic opportunities from RAN investments, enhance network performance, energy efficiency, and scalability, and prepare for commercial-grade AI-RAN deployment using NVIDIA ARC-Pro and Nokia CUDA-accelerated anyRAN software. Through this, Indosat and its technology collaborators plan to establish an AI Grid that makes AI applications accessible nationwide, from datacentres to distributed 5G networks.

The AI-RAN Research Center forms a core part of Indosat’s AIvolusi5G strategy. It enables AI-powered solutions across sectors such as education, healthcare, and agriculture, transforming business and daily life in Indonesia. The project also provides practical training, mentorship, and experimentation for emerging AI and telecom specialists, strengthening local talent and accelerating knowledge transfer.

Vice Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Nezar Patria highlighted the centre’s role in reinforcing Indonesia’s digital sovereignty. Indosat CEO Vikram Sinha stated that the centre allows intelligence to be delivered at the network edge, fostering applications such as personalised learning tools and precision farming. 

NVIDIA’s Senior VP Ronnie Vasishta noted the initiative’s potential to distribute AI across networks at scale, while Nokia’s Chief Technology and AI Officer Pallavi Mahajan emphasised its impact on future AI-native networks.

Discover how AI is shaping Indonesia’s telecom networks and digital capabilities in the full story.