The Indonesian government laid out plans to sell a spare lot of 2.1GHz spectrum in an auction, with fierce demand expected for the prime mid-band airwaves as operators expand limited deployments of the technology, The Jakarta Post reported.

It stated Indonesia’s Communications and Information Ministry is preparing the sale of a 2x5MHz lot of 5G spectrum.

XL Axiata told The Jakarta Post it would participate in the sale, while Smartfren and Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison noted they will review the need to join the auction.

Smartfren and Telkomsel acquired 2.3GHz spectrum in an auction in 2021.

Telkomsel launched commercial 5G service in May 2021 using the 2.3GHz spectrum.

Indosat Ooredoo followed a month later with a launch in the city of Surakarta using the 1.8GHz band.