TMT Selected News

LOCAL NEWS

MNC Digital Entertainment Tbk. (MSIN) Inclusion in FTSE Global Equity Index

PT MNC Digital Entertainment Tbk (MSIN), Indonesia’s largest content and digital entertainment group, is pleased to announce its inclusion in the FTSE Global Equity Index Small-Cap category,effective as of today, 24 March 2025. This inclusion in the FTSE Global Equity Index Small-Cap category highlights MSIN continued growth and leadership in the digital entertainment sector. The Company remains committed to enhancing its offerings and furthering its reach, ensuring a dynamic future as an industry leader. (Company)

 

Digital Realty enters Indonesia via JV with BDIA

Digital Realty has entered the Indonesian market through a 50-50 joint venture named Digital Realty Bersama, partnering with Bersama Digital Infrastructure Asia (BDIA). The JV initially owns two strategic data centers: CGK11 in Central Jakarta, with an initial capacity of 5MW expandable up to 32MW, directly connected to Indonesia's largest internet exchange (APJII), and CGK10 located in West Jakarta. Digital Realty contributed ~$100mn for its 50% equity stake, which includes rights to adjacent land for future growth. The JV is led by CEO Angelo Syailendra, Chairman Setyanto Hantoro, and CFO Krishna Worotikan, formerly of Microsoft Indonesia. (Digital Realty)

 

WIFI Plans to Issue Rp2.5Tr Bonds

WIFI plans to issue bonds worth Rp2.5tr in 2025. WIFI's President Director, Yune Marketatmo, explained that this bond issuance plan is part of WIFI's financial restructuring efforts, taking advantage of the company's credit rating upgrade. The Rp2.5tr funds will be allocated for network expansion, particularly along Java's main corridors. This aligns with WIFI's target of increasing its home passed coverage. (Kontan)

 

Gojek Distributes Holiday Bonus for Driver Partners as THR Replacement

Gojek is distributing a Holiday Bonus (BHR) to its driver partners as a form of appreciation for their productivity and performance, replacing THR. The BHR is divided into five categories, with “Mitra Juara Utama” as the highest tier, receiving around 20% of their average net earnings—Rp900k for two-wheel drivers and Rp1,600k for four-wheel drivers. Other categories include Mitra Juara, Mitra Unggulan, Mitra Andalan, and Mitra Harapan, with bonuses adjusted based on productivity, contribution, and the company’s financial capacity. Eligible drivers will receive their BHR via GoPay Mitra between March 22-24, 2025. (Bisnis)

 

Bank Saqu to integrate its services into Indosat’s apps

IOH and Bank Saqu have partnered to boost digital financial inclusion in Indonesia. Integrated into IOH’s MyIM3 and Bima+ apps, Bank Saqu offers banking access to underbanked users, including solopreneurs. Their Tabung Matic feature rounds up mobile credit and data transactions, saving the spare change in Saku Booster with up to 10% interest. This initiative aims to bridge Indonesia’s financial gap through digital solutions. (TechInAsia)

 

WIFI Preparing Affordable 200 Mbps Internet for Rp100k

WIFI plans to provide 200Mbps internet for just Rp100k, marking a significant milestone in Indonesia’s low-cost, high-speed internet market. Currently serving 200,000 customers, WIFI aims to reach 5mn users by the end of 2025. (Emitennews)

 

Telkomsel Expands 5G BTS in Surabaya and Bali

Telkomsel has expanded its 5G BTS in Surabaya and Bali to enhance network capacity, aligning with its efforts in Jakarta, Bogor, Tangerang, and Bekasi (Jabotabek) during the Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr (RAFI) 2025 period. In Surabaya, the company has added up to 50 new 5G BTS, bringing the total to over 90 during RAFI, while in Bali, there are 236 BTS in Denpasar and Badung to support the digital economy and local tourism. Following Eid al-Fitr, Telkomsel will continue accelerating the deployment of Hyper 5G, aiming for more than 200 BTS in Surabaya and gradually expanding its coverage in the region. (InvestorDaily)

 

ISAT and DANA Collaborate to Expand Customer Reach

IOH through its IM3 brand, has formed a strategic collaboration with DANA, one of Indonesia’s leading digital wallet applications, to expand its customer reach. This partnership broadens eSIM marketing channels for IOH, allowing IM3 customers to purchase and activate eSIMs directly through the DANA app. To mark the collaboration, a special promotion is available for customers who purchase eSIMs via the DANA app from March 1-31, 2025, offering discounts on Freedom Internet packages: Freedom Internet 25GB/30 days from Rp50k to Rp40k, Freedom Internet 45GB/30 days from Rp75k to Rp60k, and Freedom Internet 90GB/30 days from Rp100k to Rp75k. (InvestorDaily)

 

Government to Auction Three Frequency Bands in 2H25

The Ministry of Communication and Digital (Kemkomdigi) confirmed plans to auction three frequency bands—1.4 GHz, 2.6 GHz, and 700 MHz—during 1H25. The 1.4 GHz band auction aims to drive innovation in fixed wireless access (FWA) technology, while the 2.6 GHz band, currently used for pay-TV services with limited public and national benefits, will be repurposed to enhance faster and more efficient 5G services. Meanwhile, the 700 MHz frequency plays a crucial role in expanding 4G/5G coverage and ensuring access in remote areas. (InvestorDaily)

 

BUKA Sets MESOP Phase I Exercise Price at Rp783 Per Share

BUKA is launching its MESOP Phase I. The implementation period for this program will run for 30 trading days, from April 1, 2025, to May 23, 2025. The exercise price has been set at Rp783 per share, with a maximum of 5,000,728,337 shares available for option conversion during this period. (Kontan, IDX)

 

SCMA to Distribute 400Mn Shares Through MESOP Program

SCMA will transfer shares from its buyback program through the MESOP, offering up to 400mn shares, equivalent to 0.54% of the company’s capital. This program will not cause shareholding dilution, as no new shares will be issued from SCMA’s portfolio. The implementation will span five years following approval from the GMS, which is scheduled for April 28, 2025. (Kontan, IDX)

 

OTHER FOREIGN TRENDS

AI start-up Perplexity confirms interest to buy TikTok

AI start-up Perplexity has expressed interest in acquiring TikTok as the app faces a U.S. deadline to divest from its Chinese owner or risk a ban. In a blog post, Perplexity outlined plans to integrate its AI-powered search engine with TikTok’s video platform, aiming to enhance user experience. The San Francisco-based firm proposed rebuilding TikTok’s algorithm from scratch, making the “For You” feed open-source, and hosting infrastructure in U.S. data centers under local oversight. Perplexity also pledged to introduce fact-checking features, allowing users to cross-reference information while watching videos. (TheStraitTimes)

 

Why Elon Musk's Grok is kicking up a storm in India

Grok, has sparked a viral frenzy in India after responding with misogynistic insults in Hindi to a simple user query on X. This unfiltered chatbot quickly became a digital sensation, engaging users with witty responses on politics, Bollywood, and cricket. It gained traction among critics of Narendra Modi’s BJP after declaring opposition leader Rahul Gandhi more honest and formally educated than Modi, leading to political debates. While some argue Grok’s responses mirror the discourse on X, others see it as an AI rebellion against controlled narratives. India’s IT ministry is now in discussions with X over the chatbot’s controversial language. (BBC)

 

SoftBank Expands AI Dominance with Ampere Acquisition

SoftBank is doubling down on AI, with over 50% of its deals in the past two years targeting AI or AI hardware firms, and its latest acquisition of Ampere reinforces its strategic push. The company’s holistic AI strategy spans infrastructure, foundation models, and vertical applications—investing in AI data centers, silicon technology (Graphcore, Ampere), and partnerships with NVIDIA for supercomputing, alongside stakes in OpenAI, Anthropic, and Perplexity. With AI applications across healthcare, enterprise, and retail, SoftBank is positioning itself as more than just an investor but as a critical partner across the AI value chain. (SosMed)

 

Hyperscale Data Centers Surge as AI Infrastructure Expands

The number of hyperscale data centers continues to surge, with 1,136 facilities currently in operation and an additional 504 under development, according to Synergy Research. The industry has doubled in capacity over the past four years, driven by major cloud and SaaS providers, with Amazon, Microsoft, and Google accounting for 59% of total hyperscale capacity. In 2024 alone, 137 new hyperscale data centers came online, reflecting a long-term growth trend. However, Synergy’s Chief Analyst John Dinsdale noted that the scale of new facilities has significantly increased in recent quarters, as companies ramp up AI-focused infrastructure development. (SosMed)

Nvidia boasts AI RAN for 5G and 6G, but it's stuck in first gear

Nvidia is pushing AI RAN technology for 5G and 6G, aiming to revolutionize telecom networks by integrating AI-driven radio access network (RAN) solutions with its GPUs. The company claims AI-powered RAN can enhance network efficiency and unlock new revenue streams for telcos through AI inference-as-a-service at the edge. However, skepticism remains high, with major telecom vendors like Ericsson, Nokia, and Qualcomm questioning the cost-effectiveness of using Nvidia's GPUs for RAN functions, given existing custom silicon solutions. SoftBank's AI RAN trials have also shifted away from Nvidia’s software in key areas, raising doubts about its viability. Meanwhile, competition from Intel and traditional RAN players further complicates Nvidia's push into the telecom sector, leaving its ambitious AI RAN vision struggling to gain widespread adoption. (LightReading)

 

Apple’s Services Boom as Hardware Sales Stall, Driving Record Margins

Apple’s services segment is outpacing hardware growth significantly, reflecting a broader tech industry shift where services dominate two-thirds of the US$5.4tr market. In the fiscal year ending September 28, 2024, Apple’s revenue grew 2%yoy to US$391bn, with iPhone sales remaining flat while services surged 13%, nearing US$100bn, enough to place in the Fortune 500’s Top 40. The services division, encompassing iCloud and the App Store, also boasts a 73.9% gross margin, nearly double the 37.2% from hardware. The Americas led Apple’s revenue at US$167bn (43% of total), followed by Europe at US$101bn, while Greater China declined 8% amid geopolitical tensions. (SosMed)

Top Social Media Updates: LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, and Meta Roll Out Big Changes

Social media platforms major updates this week: LinkedIn removed its video feed but introduced a "Create Video" newsletter to guide creators. TikTok data confirms that longer videos (3 minutes+) see 63.8% more engagement than shorter clips. Instagram is testing AI-generated comments, sparking mixed reactions, while Meta has launched the first phase of its Community Notes fact-checking system. Meanwhile, Bluesky now supports longer videos and a chat request filter, and Facebook is allowing creators to monetize Stories, expanding their revenue opportunities. (SosMed)

 

Alipay+ Empowers Malaysian SMEs with Over 80% of DuitNow Inbound QR Payments

Since partnering in October 2023, Alipay+ (Ant International) and PayNet have doubled DuitNow QR acceptance to 15 international payment apps, including Alipay (China), TrueMoney (Thailand), Changi Pay (Singapore), and Kakao Pay (Korea). By December 2024, Malaysian SMEs saw revenue surge 6x yoy through Alipay+, benefiting tourism-focused businesses across Kuala Lumpur, Malacca, Penang, Johor Bahru, and Kota Kinabalu, particularly in food, culture, wellness, and outdoor experiences. (Ant International)

 

Swedish BNPL firm Klarna filed for an IPO

Klarna posted net profit of $21mn in 2024, marking a significant turnaround from losses exceeding $1bn in 2022 and $244mn in 2023. The recovery was driven by improved risk management that reduced credit losses, stringent cost controls, and diversified revenue streams beyond traditional BNPL fees. Despite intense competition from Affirm, Afterpay, PayPal, and Apple Pay Later, Klarna differentiates itself through its comprehensive shopping ecosystem and advanced AI-driven credit assessment capabilities. The IPO will serve as a crucial test of investor confidence in FinTech amid growing regulatory scrutiny and economic uncertainty. (SosMed)

 

Musk's platform rebounded to $44 billion valuation

Elon Musk's social media platform 𝕏 (Twitter) has reportedly staged a remarkable financial comeback, with its valuation returning to a whopping $44bn according to reports from the Financial Times - the same price Musk paid to acquire the company in 2022. This represents a dramatic turnaround from September 2024, when Fidelity Investments had marked down its stake in 𝕏 by nearly 70%, implying a valuation below $10bn.