Indonesia Restores 98% of Telecom Networks in North Sulawesi Hours After Major Earthquake
Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Kemkomdigi) reported that telecommunications services in North Sulawesi were largely restored within hours after a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck on the morning of 2 April 2026. By 18.00 WIB the same day, 98.2% of network sites that had experienced disruption were back in operation. The rapid recovery was supported by coordinated emergency response measures, backup power deployment and collaboration with telecommunications operators to maintain connectivity during the early stages of the disaster response.
According to the ministry, the earthquake—centred 129 kilometres southeast of Bitung—temporarily disrupted 223 telecommunications sites, or about 9.97% of the 2,236 sites operating across the affected region. Official updates published by Kemkomdigi indicated that most services were restored within hours as operators and technical teams worked to stabilise infrastructure and restore connectivity.
Rapid activation of crisis response for telecommunications
The government activated a Crisis Management Team immediately after the earthquake through the Telecommunications Monitoring Centre (Pusat Monitoring Telekomunikasi, PMT). The coordination hub brought together ministry technical units and telecommunications operators to monitor network conditions, prioritise restoration work and ensure the continuity of essential communications.
By late afternoon on the day of the earthquake, 219 of the disrupted sites had resumed operations. Four sites remained under recovery: two in Bitung City, one in Minahasa Regency and one in South Minahasa Regency.
Most disruptions were caused by electricity outages rather than structural damage to telecommunications infrastructure. Operators deployed generators to maintain service while waiting for electricity supply to be restored by the national power utility PLN.
Telecommunications operators support network recovery
Network restoration was carried out by several mobile operators. By the evening of 2 April, Telkomsel still had two affected sites undergoing repair, while XLSmart and Indosat each reported one remaining site under recovery. The overall recovery rate reflected improvements in infrastructure resilience and operational coordination across Indonesia’s telecommunications ecosystem.
Recent national investments in connectivity have strengthened the country’s ability to maintain digital services during disruptions. Initiatives supporting broadband expansion and infrastructure development have played a role in improving coverage and resilience, as highlighted in Indonesia’s ongoing digital infrastructure expansion. Complementary efforts such as satellite technology and spectrum optimisation to support 5G development are also helping extend network reach and redundancy across the archipelago.
Early warning and monitoring systems remain operational
Beyond connectivity, disaster alert mechanisms continued functioning during the event. The national Early Warning System successfully transmitted earthquake and potential tsunami alerts from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) to communities in North Sulawesi and North Maluku, including Bitung, West Halmahera, South Halmahera and Ternate.
Radio frequency monitoring infrastructure also remained largely operational. Two transportable monitoring stations located in Bitung and Minahasa were confirmed to be functioning normally. Most other monitoring equipment reported no disruptions, although the Manado Radio Frequency Spectrum Monitoring Centre experienced a temporary decline in service quality and continues to be monitored.
Kemkomdigi stated that technical teams and telecommunications operators remain on standby to ensure stable connectivity throughout the emergency response period. Maintaining reliable communications is considered essential for coordinating disaster response efforts and ensuring that affected communities remain connected to critical information and services.
