Visiting Indonesia soon? Wondering how to stay online? Data roaming in Indonesia is one of the ways but the rates can be quite costly. That is why we recommend finding another way to access Internet while exploring this beautiful country. This guide will uncover everything tourists need to know about roaming in Indonesia and the best alternatives for a smooth Internet connection.
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With roaming in Indonesia, you can use your smartphone as if you were in your country thanks to your home carrier’s agreements with international internet companies.
As a tourist venturing to Indonesia, there are several things to consider when it comes to roaming on your mobile:
When tourists arrive in Indonesia with their home phone, their home carrier will allow them to use their phone number with Indonesian networks. Roaming allows phone calls, texts, and mobile data while billed by their home carrier. The charges might be much more expensive than your regular package, so be careful!
Main Indonesian mobile carriers include Telkomsel, Indosat, and XL Axiata. Your home operator cooperates with one or more of these mobile networks while roaming. When you land in Indonesia, your cell phone automatically searches for a compatible network.
Yes, the roaming rate in Indonesia is quite pricey. Here is a table showing roaming rates for calls, texts, and data in Indonesia for the main carriers:
| Network operator | Calls (per minute) | Texts (per message) | Data (per MB) |
| Telkomsel | $1.5 | $0.20 | $0.15 |
| Indosat Ooredoo | $1.6 | $0.25 | $0.12 |
| XL Axiata | $1.7 | $0.22 | $0.18 |
Pro Tips:
➤ Our recommendation:
As we can see, roaming rates for calls, texts, and data are significantly higher than local rates from Indonesian networks. So, we would like recommend other connectivity options, such as: pocket wifi, prepaid SIM cards, eSIm from major cariers like Telkomsel, Indosat, and XL Axiata. While pocket wifi for Indonesia is useful for group travel and people with multiple devices, its cost is still pricey. Thus, it is the best to ocndider using prepaid SIM cards/eSIMs to get the best value and a smooth connectivity experice.
Here are the steps to activate roaming service on your phone for travel to Indonesia:
Step 1: Select your preferred service provider
You can keep your home plan from provider such as AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile etc. that has roaming agreements with networks in Indonesia. Besides, you can go for a local mobile carrier such as Telkomsel, Indosat, or XL Axiata.
Step 2: Activate the roaming function
You need to call or chat with your provider’s customer support to enable the international roaming function on your account. They will activate this for a nominal fee.
Step 3: Get a mobile plan with roaming
Purchase a suitable roaming package or add roaming to your existing mobile plan. Packages typically include data, texts and minutes for use while abroad.
Step 4: Enable Roaming Setting
Once switched on, you will be able to use your regular cell number while traveling in Indonesia!
We can see that roaming in Indonesia is quite expensive but do not worry! There are several tips to avoid pricey Indonesia roaming:
Important Note: If you want to use eSIM, it is crucial to check if your phone supports eSIM or not. Check out this list of eSIM-compatible devices.
Aside from data roaming, tourists can access the Internet and stay in touch with friends and family using travel eSIM while exploring Indonesia. If you are a price-conscious data user, it is advisable to use a prepaid data-only eSIM for Indonesia.
Now let’s delve into the reason why travel eSIM is the perfect alternative to data roaming when traveling in Indonesia:
| eSIM for Indonesia | Data roaming in Indonesia | |
| Pros | – Easy digital activation, no need to switch physical SIM cards – Unlimited data plan options, flexible short-term plans available – Predictable upfront costs – 24/7 online support available | – Continued use of regular number abroad – Familiar setup process for most tourists – No compatible device needed (unlocked phone required) |
| Cons | – Compatible device required – Initial setup needs internet access | – Expensive, especially for high data users – Unpredictable final costs until bill received – Requires activating roaming with your home operator or purchasing a local SIM card |
As we can see, eSIM for Indonesia possesses multiple advantages in terms of price over pricey data roaming. If you are seeking a reliable eSIM provider, Gigago will be the best option.
Gigago offers various eSIM plan options for Indonesia, starting from 1GB per day for 5 days with only $2.90 and varying between $2.90 – $81.50 . Regardless of your data usage and your trip length, Gigago always has the most suitable option for you.
If you want to switch off data roaming while exploring Indonesia, you may follow these steps, depending on the operating system of your phone.
By following the above steps, you can prevent unwanted roaming fees on your phone bill while enjoying affordable internet in Indonesia.
Pro Tips:
You can get a local Indonesian SIM card starting from $5 for 5GB or get an eSIM plan from providers like Gigago which offers affordable data packages.
Yes, but rates will be higher than standard calls. It is affordable to call locally within Indonesia. For overseas calls, use apps like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger instead.
Yes, putting your smartphone in airplane mode will disable both data roaming and cellular connectivity in Indonesia.
In conclusion, there are various options to stay online during your trip to Indonesia. The rates for data roaming in Indonesia are still pretty costly so it is advised that tourists should choose to get a local SIM or an eSIM to save money and have smooth Internet access. With a bit of planning ahead, you can stay connected while traveling through the beautiful island country of Indonesia without the worry of unexpected roaming costs.
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