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Basics[]

Networks[]

Indonesia has these GSM network operators:

  • Telkomsel by the state-owned Telkom Indonesia and SingTel from Singapore (through Temasek Holdings)
  • By.U (by Telkomsel)
  • Indosat IM3 & 3 Indonesia (Tri Indonesia) by Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison (IOH)
  • XL Axiata & AXIS by Axiata Group Berhad from Malaysia (through Khazanah Nasional)
  • Live.On part of XL Axiata & Circles.Life

Additionally, there are providers on 4G/LTE only:

  • Smartfren (by Sinar Mas Communication & Technology)

Smartfren is winding down its CDMA network and started 4G/LTE on own frequencies reaching 25 towns by LTE Advanced already.

Frequencies[]

For the 4 major national providers 2G is on 900 and 1800 MHz, 3G is on 2100 MHz. 4G/LTE has been started on Telkomsel, XL Axiata and IM3 on 900 MHz (band 8 in Jakarta, Bali and apartemen and other cities and from summer 2015 on all networks on 1800 MHz (band 3) too.

Starting in 2022, all mobile network operators in Indonesia are shutting down their 3G networks and services in order to upgrade the entire network to 4G/LTE and 5G.

Coverage and speed[]

Telkomsel is market leader with the best coverage reaching 98% of Indonesia. XL Axiata and IM3 give good speeds on the main islands, while Tri is only covering some centers of the main islands.

So Telkomsel is the best choice for going to remote places, but it has the highest prices. XL Axiata and IM3 offer good alternatives on the main spots like Java, Sumatra, Bali or Lombok at lower prices. While Tri offers very good prices in the limited area where it has coverage.

In OpenSignal's Mobile Network Experience Report published in December 2023, the five operators had average download speeds of 19.86 Mbps, which is still quite low when compared to some of its neighbours in the region. The report also noted in particular the fact that the 3500 MHz frequency (band n78) is still yet to be auctioned off for 5G in Indonesia, forcing the country to use 1800 MHz (band n3) and 2300 MHz (band n40), which has hampered Indonesia's 5G rollout.

Price comparison with the rest of the world[]

UK internet comparison site cable.co.uk has ranked Indonesia as 17th out of 237 countries/territories in terms of mobile data affordability with data costing on average Rp4226.19 (approximately US$0.28) per GB or US$2.33 cheaper than the global median (July 2023). Data in Indonesia is thus cheaper than Australia, Brazil, Poland, Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Brunei, Germany, UK, New Zealand, the US, and Switzerland; relatively on par with Russia, Ukraine, Laos, Sri Lanka and Malaysia; but more expensive than in France, India, Israel, Italy, Fiji and Kyrgyzstan. (source)

Registration and availability[]

All SIM cards need to be registered in Indonesia. The old system by entering a ID no. through a SMS short code was discontinued at the end of 2015 as it led to many fake IDs. Nowadays you need to show a valid ID document at the point of purchase to an authorized dealer. However, what makes Indonesia unique is that you not only need to present ID but also IMEI registration of your device is compulsory since 2020 (see below).

Stay away from the airport stores especially in Bali airport. They will only sell you huge packages with a steep surcharge there. In town in many stores, you will get a SIM much cheaper, though tourists will always pay a small surcharge and prices for start-up packages can be higher in tourist places. But the same surcharge of 2-5% for loading credit (called pulsa) on your SIM card in many minimarkets all over the country is paid by locals too as they don't get any refund for the service by the provider.

Registration rules tightened in 2018[]

In 2018 Indonesia’s Ministry of Communications (Kominfo) has blocked over 100 million unregistered prepaid SIM cards, after users failed to register their numbers ahead of the 28 February deadline. Connectivity will be restored, if the users in question register their accounts by 1 May. SIM card registration has become a problem for some foreign visitors from 2018. As there are many mini markets all over the country selling SIM cards, most of them are not properly registered and you risk being cut off anytime. Indonesian citizens can register online with their ID and family register number, but foreigners need to go to an official store of the provider showing their passport to get registered.

You can still buy a SIM card on the street. This is not illegal and in some cases this seems to be working fine for a short while. However, if your SIM has been suddenly shut off for any reason, you can only re-activate it (and not lose the preloaded credit) by officially registering this SIM in a store of the provider. To be safe, you can skip this gamble and go there right away for SIM purchase.

IMEI registration from 15-Sep-2020[]

In 2019 there was much discussion in the country about IMEI registration to combat tax evasion by illegally importing your device and act against the black market and stolen handsets. In October 2019 a softened version of the law was passed: from April 2020 there will be a database for phones that have been properly taxed and are “clear” of any illegal activity. So-called "black market" phones (i.e. all phones not taxed in Indonesia) not registered to this list and had tax paid will be blocked from using a local SIM card for longer. In fact, it's hard to distinguish illegally imported phones from tourist phones on a local SIM card as long as no grace period is given for the registration and local SIMs will be simply blocked from functioning in the device.

From 15 September 2020, all devices that wish to use a local SIM card in Indonesia that have not previously used a local SIM before 18 April 2020 must be registered by entering their internal IMEI number in a national database at the Customs website here. Once the online form is filled out and submitted, a QR code will be generated, which will have to be saved or printed and later presented to Customs on arrival to complete the registration process. Of note is the value limit and duty obligation: each person arriving in Indonesia can register up to two devices valued under US$500 free of charge using the above procedure, but more devices, or devices valued at over US$500, will be taxed 40% of the excess for non-residents, 30% for those with an Indonesian tax ID. If you forget to submit the form before arrival or present the QR code to customs upon arrival, registration after arrival will result in the full value of the phone being taxed, regardless of price or quantity. As borders open up and more people report their experiences with this system, depending on the level of difficulty, we may need to put this country on the greylist. As the system is currently implemented, however, anyone bringing in an expensive phone or who has forgotten to register their phone on or before arrival should evaluate whether it is worth paying the extra duty to register their device to get a local SIM package; with the duty factored in it may end up cheaper to use a tourist offer or roam instead. Thus, these are some options to avoid paying the said tax:

  1. Avail a local SIM card and plan intended for tourists - unfortunately, the selection is limited (only Telkomsel, IM3-Ooredoo, and Smartfren). These SIM cards are typically valid for only a short period (e.g. 10 days with IM3-Ooredoo, 14 days for the others). Another good option to consider is Bikago Mobile, which is a roaming operator and provides Tourist SIM Cards and eSIM cards (both are sold online and in shops in Bali). They roam on the Telkomsel network and provide Data Only.
  2. Bring in an unlocked pocket wifi device - most such devices are valued under US$500 so even if you have to register it, it is unlikely for you to pay taxes on it. Depending on the prepaid plan, it has the added benefit of being able to share data to multiple devices. The downside is you need to carry extra equipment and their batteries tend to run out quickly, and proper access to GPS may not be achieved.
  3. Use roaming services offered by your home carrier - this can be expensive.
  4. Use roaming (prepaid) offered by some neighbouring countries - Providers from places such as Singapore, Thailand, and Hong Kong have several prepaid data packages that offer relatively generous roaming data for Indonesia. This may be more cost-effective than what your home carrier offers.
  5. Purchase an international SIM card (physical or eSIM) - similar to options 3 and 4, but like option 3, these options are typically expensive.
  6. Purchase a smartphone for local use - although you will still spend a considerable amount of money, there are many cheap smartphones in the local market. The downside is the cheapest of them tend to be found only online and thus, you need an Indonesian address (and coordination with its occupants) and takes a few days to deliver.
  7. Purchase a pocket wifi device locally - similar to options 2 and 6.
Registration issues in tourist areas (Bali)[]

While registration at airport stores is typically faster, at Indonesian airports still high surcharges for SIM cards and packages are added often increasing the sales price to 4-10 times of the local offer. This rip-off has spread to many resellers and even branded stores like Grapari stores of Telkomsel. Expect to pay at least Rp100,000 now for the SIM card without data or restricted data like for social media only. More and more reseller stores are able to register foreigners, but still charge a higher premium than anywhere else in Indonesia.

Censorship[]

In 2018 Indonesia’s Information and Communications Technology Ministry has implemented a new US$ 14 million internet censorship system to block 'pornography' and other content deemed to be unsuitable by the government. This affects also non-sexual sites like Reddit, Vimeo or Tumblr that are blocked, as well as dating apps and LGBT-contents. Many WiFi providers don't yet support this ban. These blackouts can be easily bypassed by using a VPN.

Telkomsel (formerly SimPATI, Kartu As and Loop)[]

1000px-Telkomsel 2013

old logo

Telkomsel new logo

new logo

Telkomsel, the mobile branch of Telkom Indonesia, has a market share of about 40% in Indonesia and is the only operator which is active in all provinces. It caters for around 173 million users in 2017 making it the 6th largest cellular provider in the world. It is 2/3 owned by the state through Telkom Indonesia and 1/3 by SingTel from Singapore.

Telkomsel has the best coverage especially on the outer islands, but can be slow on the main places. 4G/LTE has started on 900 and 1800 MHz in Jakarta, Bali, Bandung, Medan, Surabaya, Makassar, Lombok and Manado: 4G Coverage Map. In 2016 they announced that their LTE network is now live in 100 cities in Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Bali and Nusa Tenggara, as well as Papua, thanks to the deployment of more than 4,500 eNode B base transceiver stations (BTS). 4G access is only possible with a 4G-enabled SIM card sold in stores where they have 4G coverage.

Telkomsel presided over a mobile network totalling 146,571 base stations in 2017, of which 65.7% are capable of supporting 3G/4G services. For 4G 900 and 1800 MHz (bands 8 and 3) are used and from 2018 additionally 2300 MHz TD-LTE on band 40. Telkomsel is the first mobile network operator in Indonesia to offer 5G using the 2300 MHz frequency (band n40) which is fully available to all (prepaid and postpaid) customers, starting in major cities and urban areas in the country.

Their prepaid SIM cards are called SimPATI, Kartu As or Loop while their Kartu Halo is postpaid. Starting 18 June 2021 all prepaid brands of Telkomsel (simPATI, Kartu As, and Loop) were simplified and merged into one brand, Telkomsel Prabayar; while the postpaid brand kartuHALO was renamed as Telkomsel Halo.

In order to migrate their 3G services to 4G/LTE and 5G, Telkomsel plans to shut down their 3G networks in 2022; therefore you are required to make sure that you are using 4G/LTE and 5G-enabled cellphone and SIM card, otherwise you are required to upgrade your existing 3G cellphone and migrate your existing 3G SIM card with the new 4G/LTE and 5G-enabled smartphone and SIM card (Source: https://tekno.kompas.com/read/2022/01/21/16320017/siap-siap-sinyal-3g-telkomsel-mulai-dimatikan-tahun-ini?page=all#page2, news article in Indonesian).

Availability[]

Their 4G/5G SIM cards are available at many stores and outlets at very variable prices. Recommended sales price including registration in an official GraPARI store is:

  • for Kartu As and Loop: Rp5,000
  • for SimPATI: Rp50,000
  • for SimPATI Tourist "Wonderful Indonesia": Rp100,000

They come with the same credit pre-loaded valid for 30 days plus 150 MB data for 3 days.

For tourists often much higher prices are charged in other places and some vendors especially in Bali e.g. at the airport are reported to charge a multiple of it for an "all inclusive" service of setting it up. These SIM cards are often registered on somebody else. Always ask how much credit ('pulsa') is loaded on the card and let them show it displayed.

Remember in 2018/9 you only can be sure of not being shut off by properly registering your SIM card. For foreigners this is only possible in an offical store of Telkomsel called GraPARI (store locator) which may involve some waiting. You can still buy your SIM somewhere else, but if it's suspended, you will need to go to GraPARI to save your balance.

Kartu As and Loop are most often sold cheaper than SimPATI, but have higher rates for calls and texts and slower data speeds. That's why SimPATI is recommended by most users and are often the only available SIM. For Telkomsel's 4G coverage, be sure to get a 4G-enabled SIM clearly labelled as 4G.

Top-ups can be made at the same places all over town where you see their sign. In Indonesia, every outlet charges a small surcharge of 1-3% for a top-up of Rp10,000, Rp20,000 or Rp50,000. This is usual in the country and no rip-off, as all top-ups don't include a margin for the merchant. You may also top-up your balance through supermarkets and minimarkets. Check balance by *888#.

Default data rate[]

Telkomsel has one of the most complicated price structures for data in the world. Therefore only a part of their complex pricing can be shown here. Three different product lines of SIM cards for prepaid are sold:

  • SimPATI
  • Kartu As
  • Loop (their "youth line")

Base rate outside packages is Rp100 per 20 KB. Now things get really complicated as Telkomsel data rates differ between regions and various places where you buy it. Generally you have two choices of loading data to your SIM: Pulsa or Flash, the latter is now also called data bundles.

SimPATI Tourist "Wonderful Indonesia" (now Telkomsel Prabayar Tourist, also as eSIM)[]

This is Telkomsel's new offer introduced for visitors who may find it inconvenient to register their device IMEI to the Customs database themselves. It is sold at Rp150,000 and comes with 25 domestic minutes, 25 international minutes to G20 countries, and 25 GB of national data on 2G GSM/4G LTE/5G network valid for 30 days. The 25-minute voice call and international call quota will be activated in a maximum of 2 (two) days after the customer uses the data package. It is once-off and can't be renewed or extended; however you can avail of the regular bundles via MyTelkomsel Application, or dial *363# and follow the on-screen instructions, or visit the nearest Telkomsel store/booth/outlet (called GraPARI). Telkomsel Prabayar Tourist Prepaid Cards are currently available for online pre-order only through this link (in Indonesian, click EN button on the top right to change the language to English) with the pick-up points at Telkomsel stores/booths/outlets (called GraPARI) around Bali and Mandalika - Lombok (West Nusa Tenggara Province); payment methods for the Tourist Prepaid SIM Card purchases are made with credit card (Visa, MasterCard, and/or JCB with 3D-secure; foreigners' credit card accepted, non-refundable) or cash on arrival. Keep in mind that the pick-up time limit is 14 days after pre-order. If your device supports eSIM, you can also ask the staff (only at the listed stores in Batam, Jakarta and Bali) to request one for you and they will then give you a slip of paper with your number and the QR code to scan the link to download the eSIM.[1] Note that Telkomsel Prabayar Tourist Prepaid Cards are ineligible for Indonesian citizens and/or nationals as data validation requires international tourists' passport and IMEI (Indonesian passports are not applicable).

Flash (Data Bundles)[]

Flash (data bundles) are usual internet packages that are taken from your pre-loaded account balance in IDR. Again, these packages differ according to region. You can activate a package by dialing *363# after you have loaded enough rupiahs. The two major lines SimPATI and Kartu AS can differ slightly in packages.

For their regional pricing Telkomsel divides the country into 12 different zones. Sumatra, Java and Bali are the cheapest. The further outlying the islands are, the higher the rate will be. The Maluku Islands and West Papua are the most expensive. Here are the available packages and price ranges depending on the region where the packages are bought, but given out for nationwide use:

Validity Data min. Price max. Price Extras (*)
1 day 500 MB Rp8,000 Rp10,000
1 GB Rp12,000 Rp16,000
3 GB Rp18,000 Rp24,000
5 GB Rp28,000 Rp36,000
10 GB Rp36,000 Rp48,000
3 days 1 GB Rp15,000 Rp18,000
2 GB Rp19,000 Rp25,000
3 GB Rp24,000 Rp30,000
5 GB Rp34,000 Rp42,000
10 GB Rp41,000 Rp54,000
7 days 1 GB Rp25,000 Rp32,000
2 GB Rp30,000 Rp39,000
3 GB Rp36,000 Rp48,000
5 GB Rp41,000 Rp54,000
10 GB Rp50,000 Rp68,000
30 days 3 GB Rp53,000 Rp78,000 2 GB VM
12 GB Rp85,000 Rp106,000 2 GB VM
25 GB Rp133,000 Rp170,000 2 GB VM
35 GB Rp153,000 Rp194,000 2 GB VM

(*) = Videomax (VM) is Telkomsel's video platform, 4G data can only be used on their 4G/LTE network, night data from midnight to 7am and chat data for WhatsApp and LINE messengers.

Prices for Kartu As cards are very similar, but packages can differ and max. speed is slower. Activation is by USSD code *363# or through your personal account online. If you choose option 1 ("opsi 1") your bundle will be once-off, option 2 ("opsi 2"), your bundle will be recurrent. For the exact prices in your region refer to this site (which can be quite buggy).

Pulsa[]

Pulsa is (data) credit that can be topped up directly in an outlet of the provider. So every rupiah converts directly into a certain amount of MBs. Here only the most usual form of Pulsa is shown that are sold in mini- and supermarkets: all given data is valid nationwide, but it's given out at local prices depending where you top-up. Always add a 2-5% fee for the vendor.

It sounds confusing and it is. All Pulsa doesn't auto-renew. It must be loaded again. It can be added to all three product lines Kartu As, Simpati and Loop for the same rate.

These Pulsas are sold in markets like Food Hall, Alfamart, Alfa MIDI, Indomaret, Circle K, Carrefour, Yogya Mart, Minimart, Yomart, Pepito, Griyamart, Cocomart, POS Indonesia, Maju Bersama, Kredit Plus, Multimart, Pegadaian, Superindo and others:

Top-up Validity National data Extras (*)
min. max.
Rp5,000 7 days 20 MB 35 MB
Rp10,000 40 MB 100 MB
Rp20,000 200 MB 420 MB
Rp25,000 30 days 270 MB 650 MB 1 GB Videomax (VM)
Rp50,000 800 MB 1.3 GB 1 GB night, 3 GB VM
Rp100,000 2.5 GB 4 GB 2 GB 4G/night, 5 GB VM
Rp150,000 4.5 GB 6 GB 2 GB 4G/night, 7 GB VM
Rp200,000 7 GB 8.5 GB 2 GB 4G/night, 7 GB VM
Rp300,000 11 GB 13 GB 2 GB 4G/night, 7 GB VM

(*) The 4G bonus is only given out where there is 4G coverage. The night bonus is only valid midnight to 7am. Videomax (VM) is Telkomsel's own video streaming platform.

The advantage of Flash now called Packet Internet vs. Pulsa (loaded credit) is that Flash can be activated anytime simply by code *363# as long as you have enough Rpbalance in your prepaid account, while for topping-up Pulsa, you need to go to an outlet or minimarket. Packages are valid nationwide, but their price varies according to region where they are bought. Comparing prices you will find out that Pulsa is now more expensive than Flash. Check data balances by *889#

More info[]

Indosat IM3 (formerly, Satelindo Card, Mentari, SMART, BRIGHT, Matrix, StarOne)[]

Im3-0

IM3, a.k.a. Indosat Ooredoo, has become the 2nd operator in Indonesia with 22% share of the market. It's focusing on triple play and mostly owned by Ooredoo, which rebranded it in 2015. It has a good coverage on the main islands of Java, Bali, Kalimatan, Sulawesi and Sumatra: Indosat coverage map at low prices.

4G/LTE has started in Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta and Bali and is available in about 94 cities at the end of 2016 on 900 (B8) and 1800 MHz

Indosat Ooredoo logo

Old PT Indosat Ooredoo Tbk (ISAT) company logo

(B3) with speeds up to 185 Mbps: 4G coverage map. In 2017 it auctioned further spectrum on 2100 MHz (B1).

Since 22 June 2021, 5G has started in Jakarta, Surakarta (Solo), Surabaya, Balikpapan, and Makassar.

Their prepaid product line is now called Freedom. Former Mentari Ooredoo (mobile number prefixes usually 0815, 0816, and 0858) and IM3 Ooredoo (mobile number prefixes usually 0856 and 0857) product lines have been faded out; while Matrix Ooredoo (now Prime and Freedom Postpaid Plus or Super Plan) is postpaid.

Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison

New Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison (IOH) logo

On Tuesday 4 January 2022, the merger of PT Indosat Ooredoo Tbk (ISAT) and PT Hutchison 3 Indonesia (H3I/Tri Indonesia) has completed, and the company rebranded as PT Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison Tbk (IOH) (Source: https://finance.detik.com/bursa-dan-valas/d-5872028/merger-indosat-tri-diharapkan-rampung-4-januari-2022?single=1, https://www.liputan6.com/tekno/read/4851311/merger-sah-indosat-ooredoo-hutchison-resmi-beroperasi; news articles are in Indonesian). As a result of the merger, IOH offered free unlimited calls between Indosat Ooredoo and Tri Indonesia (FUP 200 minutes per day applies) within 30 days after the merger, valid for all (new and existing prepaid and postpaid) customers.

IOH plans to shut down their 3G networks in order to upgrade the entire network to 4G/LTE and 5G (source: https://inet.detik.com/telecommunication/d-5913547/siap-siap-indosat-juga-mau-matikan-layanan-3g, news article in Indonesian).

IOH is the second mobile network in Indonesia (after Smartfren) to offer eSIM for all (prepaid and postpaid) customers (source: https://tekno.kompas.com/read/2022/12/23/13520067/indosat-ooredoo-resmi-hadirkan-esim, https://inet.detik.com/telecommunication/d-6476426/indosat-resmi-hadirkan-esim-gimana-dan-dimana-cara-aktivasinya; news articles are in Indonesian).

Availability[]

Their Freedom SIM cards are available at many stores and outlets where you see their logo. Offical sales price for the SIM is Rp2,000 , which are often sold with a small merchant's surcharge at around Rp7,000 plus the surcharge. It's best to buy them in their branded stores for registration (store locator).

Tourist Offer[]

Their tourist offer is called TravelOn, and comes in two sizes, both valid for 10 days:

  • Rp70,000 for 5 GB, 60 domestic minutes, 10 domestic SMS, and 30 international minutes and SMS each
  • Rp100,000 for 15 GB data valid all day, 8 GB night data, 120 domestic minutes, 20 domestic SMS, and 60 international minutes and SMS each

International minutes and SMS are valid to China, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, and India. If you run out of data before the validity period is up, it is possible to purchase additional data, but the validity of the SIM can not be extended and a new SIM must be purchased when the 10 days are up, making it inconvenient for longer trips. Now "Pulsa Safe" is applicable to the tourist offer.

Data feature packages[]

Default rate is Rp5 per KB. IM3 sells a huge array of different packages for its prepaid SIM card with speeds up to 180 Mbps:

  • Yellow Packs: with 1 GB for 1, 3 or 10 days
  • Unlimited Packs with a data quota, unlimited social apps, unlimited streaming, a data bonus and roll-over
  • Freedom Combos with unlimited calls, a data quota, a night quota, a 4G quota, roll-over and unlimited social apps and streaming
  • Freedom Internet with a data quota, a night quota, a 4G quota, bonus data and roll-over

To all packages "Pulsa Safe" is added. This means that the overuse fee is capped at Rp10,000.

Their new Yellow Packs are plain simple 1 GB packages with auto-renew:

  • 1 GB for 1 day: Rp3,500 - Apply Pulsa Safe with speed up to 64 Kbps after Main Quota runs out
  • 1 GB for 3 days: Rp5,000 - Apply Pulsa Safe with speed up to 64 Kbps after Main Quota runs out
  • 1 GB for 10 days: Rp10,000 - Apply Pulsa Safe with speed up to 64 Kbps after Main Quota runs out

Activation is by *123*111# or through myIM3 app.

Unlimited Packs:
Main

Data

Time Price Social

Media

Streaming Bonus
500 MB 3 days Rp5,000 unlimited:

WhatsApp

Facebook

Twitter

Grab

Goyek

Messenger

Line

unlimited:

YouTube

Spotify

iFlix

My im3: 250 MB for 3 days
1 GB 7 days Rp12,000 My im3: 500 MB for 7 days
1 GB 30 days Rp25,000 My im3: 1 GB for 7 days
2 GB Rp40,000
3 GB Rp50,000
5 GB Rp60,000 My im3: 3 GB for 7 days
7 GB Rp70,000
10 GB Rp100,000
unlimitd. Rp150,000 unlimited on-net calls and texts

Activation is through *123# and MyIM3 app where additional bonus is given. All packages come with roll-over.

Freedom Combos for 30 days:
Main

Data

Night

Data

4G

Data

Streaming

Data

Price Extras
2 GB 5 GB 3 GB 2 GB Rp65,000 unlimited on-net

calls and texts

unlimited social

media

4 GB 10 GB 8 GB 4 GB Rp100,000
8 GB 15 GB 12 GB 6 GB Rp150,000
12 GB 20 GB 25 GB 8 GB Rp200,000
Freedom Internet for 30 days:
Main

Data

Night

Data

4G

Data

Price Extras
3 GB 8 GB 4 GB Rp55,000 my im3: 1 GB for 7 days
5 GB 22 GB 5 GB Rp65,000 my im3: 3 GB for 7 days
9 GB 16 GB 5 GB Rp75,000
20 GB 10 GB 5 GB Rp110,000

Main data is on 2G, 3G and 4G/LTE networks, night data valid 1am to 6am, 4G data only on 4G/LTE networks, streaming data for YouTube, Spotify, iFlix, Instagram. All social media apps (see above) are included without quota in the Combo packs. In some regions a regional 4G/LTE data bonus is added. Activation is through *123# or the My im3 app where Freedom Internet receives additional bonus data.

More info[]

Tri Indonesia (3 Indonesia, merged with Indosat Ooredoo on Tuesday 4 January 2022)[]

Tri indonesia

Tri Indonesia logo, showing the website

3 called Tri in Indonesia by Hutchison Whampoa from Hong Kong is now the 3rd provider with the lowest coverage and the cheapest rates. It has a limited coverage only in some main islands. If you want to travel through the archipelago or to remote places, look elsewhere. Before you buy their SIM, check coverage here for 2G, 3G and 4G/LTE: http://tri.co.id/coverage

On Tuesday 4 January 2022, the merger of PT Indosat Ooredoo Tbk (ISAT) and PT Hutchison 3 Indonesia (H3I/Tri Indonesia) has completed, and the company rebranded as PT Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison Tbk (IOH) (Source: https://finance.detik.com/bursa-dan-valas/d-5872028/merger-indosat-tri-diharapkan-rampung-4-januari-2022?single=1, https://www.liputan6.com/tekno/read/4851311/merger-sah-indosat-ooredoo-hutchison-resmi-beroperasi; news articles are in Indonesian); therefore Tri Indonesia remains only as the product and services of Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison (Source: https://inet.detik.com/telecommunication/d-5884209/tiada-lagi-hutchison-3-indonesia-tri-kini-jadi-produk-indosat; news article in Indonesian). As a result of the merger, IOH offered free unlimited calls between Indosat Ooredoo and Tri Indonesia (FUP 200 minutes per day applies) within 30 days after the merger, valid for all (new and existing prepaid and postpaid) customers.

Up to now 3 has been focusing its efforts on its 3G network rollout, deploying access to the 2,820 sub-districts, 307 municipalities in 25 provinces in Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Java, Bali and Lombok. As of 2015, the cellco had extended its national footprint to 86% of the Indonesian population.

In 2015 Tri started 4G/LTE on 1800 MHz (band 3). In 2017 4G/LTE is available in 227 cities in 25 provinces on the islands of Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Java and Bali and Tri auctioned further spectrum on 2100 MHz (band 1): 4G map: http://tri.co.id/4G-LTE

IOH plans to shut down their 3G networks in order to upgrade the entire network to 4G/LTE and 5G (source: https://inet.detik.com/telecommunication/d-5913547/siap-siap-indosat-juga-mau-matikan-layanan-3g, news article in Indonesian).

Availability[]

Their different prepaid SIM cards are available in a some stores (locator) where they have coverage for around Rp5,000. It comes with the same credit. Top-ups called Pulsa can be bought from 1000 to Rp100,000 as vouchers or e-top-ups. eSIMs also available.

Be aware that a few SIMs offer specific benefits to the region it is sold in. For example, the two plans available on the Gorontalo starter pack contain data allowances that are only valid in the area it's sold in.

Paket Mix Tri[]

This is Tri's latest prepaid combo product. If you already have a SIM, they can be purchased at most stores that sell top-ups to directly add to your data/voice allowance, or if you don't have one yet you can choose to purchase one of these packages together with a SIM (at Alfamart stores only). Default rate without package is Rp1.1 per KB.

Main Data 4G Data Voice Validity Price
1 GB (all day)

4 GB (0-9am)

1 day Rp5,000
750 MB 2 GB 3 days Rp10,000
3 GB 3 days Rp20,000
1.75 GB 2 GB 14 days Rp25,000
1.25 GB same as SIM Rp33,000
2.25 GB same as SIM Rp50,000
2 GB 8 GB 30 days Rp50,000
4 GB 20 GB 30 days Rp90,000
8 GB 22 GB 30 days Rp100,000
2 GB 20 minutes 30 days Rp35,000
2 GB 1 GB daily 30 minutes 30 days Rp60,000
8 GB 30 GB 30 minutes 30 days Rp125,000

When requesting one of these packages, refer to them by product type and total amount of data. The 1-14 day packages are Mix Small, the same as SIM packages are Mix Kuota++, the data-only 30-day packages are Mix Super, and the data + voice 30-day packages are Mix Combo. For example, the last one in the list would be referred to as the "Mix Combo 38 GB".

Elite starter pack[]

The Elite starter pack comes with two packages, both of which come with 3Platinum status, which promises higher network priority, higher priority when contacting customer service and receiving assistance at a store, and 15% off when dining at Mokka Coffee Cabana stores across Indonesia:

Package Price Voice + SMS General

Data

Night Data

(1am-6am)

Weekend Data

(Sat/Sun)

Gold Rp125,000 100 mins, 100 SMS 12 GB 20 GB 18 GB
Platinum Rp250,000 250 mins, 250 SMS 24 GB 40 GB 36 GB

The plans will auto-renew at the end of every month. If you don't have enough credit, however, you will need to top up Rp150,000 to renew Elite Gold and Rp300,000 to renew Elite Platinum.

Data feature packages[]

Data is on default is low Rp1.1 per KB.

You can add data credit, called Kuota for different times and values:

Main Data 4G Data Time Price Extras
200 MB 1 day Rp2000
500 MB Rp5000
1 GB 3 days Rp10,000
750 MB 2 GB Rp10,000
1.75 GB 2 GB 7 days Rp20,000
2 GB 10 GB 30 days Rp50,000
2 GB 1 GB/day Rp60,000 30 mins calls
4 GB 20 GB Rp90,000
5 GB 1 GB/day Rp80,000 30 mins calls
8 GB 22 GB Rp100,000
8 GB 1 GB/day Rp110,000 30 mins calls

To activate type *123#, choose Internet and Harian for daily packages and Bularan for monthly packs. Check consumption through their bima+ app. Daily packages end at midnight local time.

For WhatsApp they offer a daily pack at Rp2,000.

Roaming offers[]

Three has some of the best roaming offers for countries out of Indonesia:

  • Three offers an Asia and Australia roaming pass for Hong Kong, Macau (both on 3), Sri Lanka (Hutch), Singapore (Singtel, Starhub), Malaysia (UCom) Vietnam (Vietnammobile), and Australia (Vodafone) in three sizes:
    • 1 GB for 1 day: Rp45,000
    • 3 GB for 3 days: Rp120,000
    • 7 GB for 7 days: Rp210,000
  • Three's newest Europe and America Pass option covers certain networks and countries in Europe (Three in Ireland, the UK, Italy, Austria, Sweden, and Denmark, as well as KPN and Vodafone in the Netherlands), and the United States (AT&T):
    • 1 GB for 1 day: Rp75,000
    • 5 GB for 7 days: Rp250,000
    • 10 GB for 14 days: Rp450,000
  • Three also offers roaming on all networks in Saudi Arabia with a pass called the Ibadah pass:
    • 2 GB for 15 days: Rp189,000
    • 3 GB for 45 days: Rp325,000
    • "Unlimited" data for 45 days (unclear "fair usage limits" apply): Rp360,000

Activate roaming options using *899#. Make sure data roaming is off before doing so, and make sure to select the correct network manually; usage on a network other than the designated partner or before receiving SMS confirmation of your data roaming package costs Rp330 per KB. Passes don't auto-renew, but can be activated again through *899#, and any unused data on previous passes will roll over to the new one as long as it is purchased before the old pass expires.

More info[]

XL Axiata (includes former Axis)[]

1280px-XL logo 2016

New logo

XL axiata

Old logo

1280px-XL Axiata 2014

XL Axiata Corporate Logo

XL Axiata is the 4th provider in Indonesia. It is owned by Axiata Ltd. and has about a 90% coverage on these islands: Java, Bali and Lombok. Furthermore, it covers cities on Sumatra, Kalimatan, Sulawesi and a very limited coverage on Papua. Where it has 3G, speeds are often faster then Telkomsel. Since 2020, XL Axiata also operates a digital sub-brand called Live.On in cooperation with Circles.life from Singapore, but besides being online-only, is also only accessible for Indonesian residents with local bank account and household registry card (Kartu Keluarga), which tourists obviously do not have, therefore it cannot be mentioned any further in this article.

4G/LTE has started in Jakarta, Medan, Yogyakarta and is spread to other regions like Bali, Lombok, Surabaya and East Kalimatan and Sulawesi on 900 and 1800 MHz: 4G Coverage Map . As at 31 October 2017, XL Axiata says it had more than 20 million 4G subscribers nationwide, using a network comprising 16,000 BTS. At the same date, its total number of ‘on-air’ base stations had reached nearly 100,000, of which more than 44,000 were 3G-equipped.

Xl Axiata is the third mobile network in Indonesia (after Smartfren & IOH) to offer eSIM for all (prepaid and postpaid) customers.

XL Axiata switched off their 3G networks at the end of March 2022 in order to upgrade the entire network to 4G/LTE; therefore you are required to ensure that you are using 4G/LTE-enabled cellphone and SIM card. Furthermore, you are required to make sure that your mobile device (i. e. smartphones, tablets etc.) supports Voice Over LTE (VoLTE) feature for calling on their 4G/LTE network; otherwise you are required to upgrade your existing 3G cellphone and migrate your existing 3G SIM card with the new 4G/LTE-enabled (with VoLTE feature enabled) smartphone and SIM card (Source: https://tekno.kompas.com/read/2022/02/24/17450077/xl-matikan-seluruh-sinyal-3g-akhir-maret-2022?page=all#page2, news article in Indonesian).

Their SIM cards are available at many stores and outlets where you see their logo. They offer two starter packs, which are often sold with a small merchant's surcharge called Super Ngobrol Baru for Rp5,000: including 2 MB 3G or 4G/LTE data.

1280px-Axis logo 2015

Axis logo

Top-ups can be made at the same places all over town where you see their sign. In Indonesia, the merchands charge a small surcharge of 1-2% for a top-up of 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, Rp50,000 or more or you buy one of their internet vouchers (see below). Validity is 7 to 360 days depending of the amount. To top-up type *123*<voucher PIN># <call>.

Data feature packages[]

Default data rate differs according to plan and region but is around Rp50 per MB. They offer different types of packages:

  • classical data packs called Hotrod
  • Combo Xtra packages with a 2G/3G/4G allowance and a 4G bonus plus some voice
  • Super Ngebut packages with a 2G/3G/4G allowance for am hours mostly

For 2G, 3G and 4G/LTE data up to 100 Mbps, they have these Hotrod packages available:

Data Time Price
15 MB 1 day Rp1,500
60 MB Rp3,000
100 MB Rp4,500
120 MB 7 days Rp6,000
350 MB Rp12,000
800 MB 30 days Rp30,000
1.5 GB Rp50,000
3 GB Rp60,000
6 GB Rp100,000
8 GB Rp130,000
12 GB Rp180,000
16 GB Rp220,000

They can be activated via *123#. Automatic renewal applies automatically at midnight. You can check your quota and active period via *123#.

These combo packages called Combo Xtra are sold all valid for 30 days:

Data YouTube Voice Price
5 GB 2 GB 20 mins Rp59.000
10 GB 4 GB 30 mins Rp89,000
15 GB 6 GB 40 mins Rp129,000
20 GB 10 GB 60 mins Rp179,000
35 GB 14 GB 90 mins Rp239,000

Activation is by *123#. The 4G bonus comes on top of the regular data allowance. YouTube quota is valid all over the day and zero-rated at night 1am-6am. All packages auto-renew after 30 days. When internet quota has been used up, there will be a display of notification page or you will be charged Rp1 per KB.

Instead of night packages XL Axiata offers "morning" packs called Super Ngebut:

AM data PM data Validity Price
200 MB 20 MB 1 day Rp5,000
2 GB 200 MB 30 days Rp25,000
5 GB 500 MB 30 days Rp50,000
7 GB 700 MB 30 days Rp75,000
10 GB 2 GB 30 days Rp100,000
15 GB 1.5 GB 30 days Rp125,000

Activation is by *123# and AM hours are from midnight to noon, PM hours from noon to midnight.

More info[]

Smartfren (only 4G/LTE)[]

Smartfren

Old logo

Smartfren is the smallest mobile network operator in Indonesia, owned by Indonesian conglomerate Sinar Mas under the parent company PT Sinar Mas Komunikasi Teknologi (Sinar Mas Communication & Technology).

2891px-Smartfren (2019)

New logo

Smartfren is the first mobile network operator in Indonesia to offer eSIM for all (prepaid and postpaid) customers.

Sinar Mas Communication & Technology

Logo of Sinar Mas Communication & Technology, the parent company of Smartfren.

Smartfren (PT Smartfren Telecom Tbk) is a major player in the country. It had about 13 million customers in 2016. It wasn't listed before as it used CDMA and EVDO rev.2 instead of GSM, but it has now migrated to LTE.

In 2016 Smartfren started the most widespread and fastest LTE in the country so far. It employs LTE Advanced that reaches higher speeds through carrier aggregation. But two rare frequencies are used: 850 MHz FDD (Band 5) and 2300 MHz TDD (Band 40). Already 5 million customers have been migrated to LTE.

Smartfren's coverage is on the islands of Java and Bali, parts of Sumatra, Sulawesi, Lombok and Kalimantan. It started 4G/LTE in 25 centers so far (coverage map) and reaches 188 cities in 2016.

They launched 4G/LTE SIM cards in 2015. Be aware that you don't have any coverage outside of their 4G/LTE. Voice & text require phones supporting VoLTE or installing Smartfren's own app. The app doesn't work well with dual sim card, and doesn't work when you're connected to wifi. Be aware that initial activation will require texting, so even if you don't think you'll want calling/texting, you'll need VoLTE/installing the app for activation. Furthermore, in any case, you need to check if your device covers at least one of their LTE bands. Alternatively, you can think of buying a Mifi router. You can get a basic SIM card for Rp20,000 with the same credit.

Availability[]

Their SIM card is sold on the street or in their service centers (list). The 4G/LTE product line is called GSM for only Rp60 , that need to be added by their plans. Their tourist product line comes in two varieties, both valid for 14 days and come with 15 domestic minutes, 10 international minutes, and 500 domestic SMS:

  • Rp100,000 for 15 GB all-day data, 15 GB night data (valid from 01:00 to 04:59), 5 GB of WhatsApp and Line data
  • Rp200,000 for unlimited data (throttled to 128 kbps after 1.5 GB usage per day)

These starters are offered with a daily allowance or a monthly package:

  • Smartfren GSM Super 4G unlimited (1 GB/day): Rp65,000
  • Smartfren GSM Super 4G Kuota:
    • with 5 GB + 5 GB at night: Rp30,000
    • with 8 GB + 8 GB at night: Rp40,000
    • with 15 GB + 15 GB at night: Rp60,000
    • with 30 GB + 30 GB at night: Rp100,000

All packages are valid for 30 days, night data from 1am-5am.

Top-ups are available from in minimarkets, online and through the MySmartfren app.

Data feature packages[]

Default rate is Rp2 per KB and Rp4 per KB on Kalimatan and Sulawesi.

To refill they offer these reload vouchers:

  • Super Unlimited: 1 GB per day: Rp65,000 , throttled beyond limit to 128 kbps for 30 days
  • Super Kuota: see starters above
  • Super Data:
    • Rp10,000 : 1.25 GB + 1.75 GB night data + 1 GB for WhatsApp and Line for 7 days
    • Rp30,000 : 4 GB + 4 GB night data + 2 GB for WhatsApp and Line for 14 days
    • Rp60,000 : 8 GB + 8 GB night data + 3 GB for WhatsApp and Line for 30 days

More info[]

  • APN: smartfren4g
  • Username and password: smartfren
  • Website in Indonesian & English (click EN button on top right to change the language to English): http://www.smartfren.com




  1. Tested on a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 (SM-F936B/DS) with SG firmware at the GraPARI store at Grand Batam Mall in February 2024.
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