‘New’ Nokia 3310 to be released in Indonesia just as nation gears up to phase out 2G technology

It’s brick-shaped, indestructible (as the memes would have you believe), has crazy long battery life and it’s making a comeback soon. We are, of course, talking about none other than the legendary Nokia 3310.

Finnish phone maker Nokia’s recent announcement that they would be releasing an updated version of the legendary 3310 has gotten tech geeks around the world giddy with nostalgic excitement, none more so than those in Indonesia.

First, the good news: it was reported that HMD Global, Nokia’s new distribution license holder, had Indonesia in mind when it comes to the new 3310.

“We have started operating in the global market in the second quarter of this year. Yes, of course we will enter Indonesia,” Flann Gao, HMD Global Communications Director, told Kompas at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain recently.

“Right now, we’re setting up teams and agencies in Indonesia.”

However, unlike the new 3310’s reportedly insane battery life (said to last a month on standby), the Indonesian government doesn’t think the classic HP will have an especially long market life as the cellphone only runs on 2G technology, which is currently being phased out in Indonesia.

“Well, it (the new 3310) would probably be here just for a short time,” said IT Minister Rudiantara when asked about the prospect of 3310’s return to Indonesia, as quoted by Detik today.

Cellphone service providers in Indonesia are complying with the government’s goal to shut down 2G technology forever (a move also being carried out in other countries like Singapore, Australia, and USA). Telkomsel and Tri, two of the largest telcos in Indonesia, have said that they would shut down their 2G services by 2021 and 2020 respectively.

Considering that the new Nokia 3310 is very likely coming this year to Indonesia, that means there’s going to be at least 3 solid years before it’s cut off, telecommunications-wise. And when that time comes, one could always use the 3310 to play Snake, arguably the best cellphone game of all time and, dare we say it, totally worth the reported Rp 700K price tag for the phone.