[nono1973]

Originally Posted by Black Page

The above really surprises me. Things in Indonesia are never straightforward.
As pointed aout above, now it's Indonesian Law that all SIM cards MUST BE registered to be used.
If what you write above is correct, it means that not all Indonesian telephone operators obey to law in the same way. Those operators must allow a grace period (two weeks?) before blocking unregistered SIM cards.

Technically,we are touring a 3rd world country. Whatever policy the government has impose,the bottom people getting imposed on usually has a way or some ways to work around it.

Before i stepped into Batam on April, i had that mindset of testing things out,hence i tried this upon myself at Harbour Bay. Upon debarking ,arrived to chop my passport,luggage check and walked out,i walked about 25 steps to the nearest sim card selling shop to ask for a sim card, as of below link :

https://sammythe.guru/showpost.php?p=17...ostcount=10533

All i did was when i arrived to the shop is asked :

Me : I need a sim card for a few days in Batam,what would you recommend that i use without the need to register?

Shop vendor : This one is good and cheap,you can try this one. (he took out iM3 sim card to show me)

Me : How much is it ? Can i test it on my phone?

Shop vendor : Yes, it cost 50k rupiah. And it will last you for a more than a week.

Me : Thank you,i will take it if it works. (i took out my previous sim card from my phone and pass to him)

He tested it,and i try calling formosa hotel with my new sim card and it works well. I paid and off i go towards the ferry arrival entrance to take taxi.

The whole process took no more than 5 mins,hehehe....what else can be simpler than that?

Upon reaching the hotel,i found out there was less than 10k inside the sim card i bought and i top up another 25k (+2k) at the Circle K at the ground floor of the hotel. And ta da! i have an unregistered sim card to use during my stay.

Originally Posted by Black Page

5) Registration is forever, BUT the card will expire if you don't top up once in a while. I am pretty sure that if I don't top up, next time I will be back to Indonesia I will have to repeat the whole procedure

You may wish to try my method above,i think its more convenient.

Oh, Formosa changed their room slipper's design,hehehe...

Originally Posted by BFOMF5

For me I think it is simple if you know how to go aroun it

I agreed with your point,things can be very simple when you know "how to" work around it. But i must admit,initially i do not know.

When i hear from my friends that to register for my old blocked sim card gonna take more than an hour of waiting time, my original plan wasnt to go there to wait that long,hehehe...my plan was to ask my girls to wait on behalf for me and to call me on my mobile phone (in my new sim card from iM3) when my turn were almost up...but things turn out differently instead,hehehe...i go to Telkomsel service center shop at Nagoya Hill Mall at the time they just open shop and the wait wasnt really that long.

More importantly, there wasnt a big crowd. All was done within 30mins and since iM3 service center is just opposite Telkomsel's service center, i use part of the less than 30mins waiting time at Telkomsel to go register my iM3 sim card (since i was holding my passport).

iM3 service center has even way lesser people,hehehe... it is where i checked with the staffs how long my iM3 sim card will last if i dont register them.

Their answer, "up to between 2 weeks to one month".

Originally Posted by Black Page

Yes, Indonesia found the way to make a simple thing complex.

History has spoke of this before. I remember many years ago,when they change their old currency note to new ones whereby they say the old notes will no longer be legal tender and the only legal notes were the new ones...then, there was a big mad rush.

Hence last year when the new Indo notes were out, people starts making enquiry or at least try to find out more.

Originally Posted by ndnd

I dont know if this works or any benefits for you, but just suggest.
Instead of keep changing new no., next time just go to GraPARI, tell them your sim card was expired. And you wants to buy a new sim card with the same old no. Since you already registered that no. under your passport.

This is interesting,something i didnt know that can be done in Indonesia. But i believe thats only if the my previous old number hasnt already been recycled. Meaning the old sim card cannot be "abandoned" too long a time.

Thank you for sharing this info,i might go try this one out the next following year.

PS : I am curious,how many Indo sim card can a tourist sign up for? Hmm...if no answer,then i might need to test it out myself in my future trips. (i know locals can sign up for 3)