What's up with forced Pulsa?

[John indonesia]

The 3 network allow you 'Always on'
You buy a one off credit (I think it's 50,000) and it lasts a year.

 

[marcus]

The 3 network allow you 'Always on'
You buy a one off credit (I think it's 50,000) and it lasts a year.

I am interested , for Indosat number . Can you tell me where did you see such offer , or a link of where I can buy ?

From IM3 (Indosat) Care on X.com (free translation) : 14 Des 2023 — ... credit/pulsa with various nominal options starting from Rp5k active period 7 days, Rp50k active period 45 days, up to Rp100k active period 75 days.

 

[pantaiema]

I am interested , for Indosat number . Can you tell me where did you see such offer , or a link of where I can buy ?

From IM3 (Indosat) Care on X.com (free translation) : 14 Des 2023 — ... credit/pulsa with various nominal options starting from Rp5k active period 7 days, Rp50k active period 45 days, up to Rp100k active period 75 days.

Some of the information about prepaid SIM cards appears to be outdated. If you could get Rp50k for a year of activation or Rp5k per month, that would be an excellent deal.

The person in the article is comparing SIM card deals for tourists and foreigners in Indonesia in 2025, but the options mentioned don’t seem to be anywhere near the deal above. However, they may have missed some options.

7 Best SIM Cards for Indonesia in 2025

Check out the best Indonesian SIM cards. Where to buy eSIM for Indonesia with unlimited data, prices, and local providers.

capturetheatlas.com

If anyone can share a link to such a deal like, it would be very helpful for people to check if it’s still available. This information would be especially useful for foreigners or Indonesian people who spend part of their time in Indonesia.

 

[marcus]

Some of the information about prepaid SIM cards appears to be outdated. If you could get Rp50k for a year of activation ...

If you refer to what I posted , it is not outdated . I confirmed today at Tokopedia . For an Indosat number : "Rp50k" , "Masa berlaku 45 hari"/Validity period 45 days .

 

[John indonesia]

I am interested , for Indosat number . Can you tell me where did you see such offer , or a link of where I can buy ?

From IM3 (Indosat) Care on X.com (free translation) : 14 Des 2023 — ... credit/pulsa with various nominal options starting from Rp5k active period 7 days, Rp50k active period 45 days, up to Rp100k active period 75 days.

Just go to any 3 store. Make sure you ask for 'Always on". My Sumsung tablet is mostly used on WiFi, but the card is handy when I'm in a coffee shop or whatever.

Tri Indonesia

tri.co.id

It's great for low users,but it's very easy to top up if you need more data or calling time.
I'm never sure about the safety of public WiFi, so I only use it if I have no choice.

 

[marcus]

The 3 network allow you 'Always on'

Sorry for my post no.22 , I was sure you meant "all 3 networks allow you "Always on"" , only now I noticed my big mistake .

I already informed about Tri Always On in my post no.13 .

You buy a one off credit (I think it's 50,000) and it lasts a year. Just go to any 3 store. Make sure you ask for 'Always on"

It seems you are not used to online shopping or nearby street kiosks , as you don't need to go to Tri store .

We only buy internet quota "Always On/AON" package (and we can send/receive sms too) , not sure if we can buy credit to this AON card . Are you sure you bought credit/pulsa ?

With my common Indosat SIM card I can buy credit/pulsa or internet quota . The credit/pulsa I buy can be used to buy internet quota package , if not it will remain as credit for normal calling & sms .

 

[Shadrach]

I went ahead and bought a new sim card with new number from Telkomsel. I figured it would make it easier to reopen My Livin with Mandiri online account. Well, it did not. Everything worked fine getting all the information, codes, numbers, birthday, so when I sent everything through my phone to reopen my online banking, it said there were technical difficulties, and to go to the bank. I did today, and had to wait 2 hours to talk to a Rep. they made fill out a bunch of paper work and said because I changed mt phone number they had to send all this information to the head office, and they would contact me in 3 or so days. I asked why is this complicated, and he said they were afraid someone might use my old number and hack into my account.
I said why don't you just delete my old number from my account and put in the new number? That was too practical, so now I have to wait! I thought how ridiculous this is. There must be many people that change their phone numbers. Is it this complicated for everyone?
I guess common sense is not in the way things work.
So my advice to everyone out there. Don't change your phone number, or forget your password, if you have an account with Mandiri, and want to use online banking!

 

[pantaiema]

I went ahead and bought a new sim card with new number from Telkomsel. I figured it would make it easier to reopen My Livin with Mandiri online account. Well, it did not. Everything worked fine getting all the information, codes, numbers, birthday, so when I sent everything through my phone to reopen my online banking, it said there were technical difficulties, and to go to the bank. I did today, and had to wait 2 hours to talk to a Rep. they made fill out a bunch of paper work and said because I changed mt phone number they had to send all this information to the head office, and they would contact me in 3 or so days. I asked why is this complicated, and he said they were afraid someone might use my old number and hack into my account.
I said why don't you just delete my old number from my account and put in the new number? That was too practical, so now I have to wait! I thought how ridiculous this is. There must be many people that change their phone numbers. Is it this complicated for everyone?
I guess common sense is not in the way things work.
So my advice to everyone out there. Don't change your phone number, or forget your password, if you have an account with Mandiri, and want to use online banking!

Nowadays, phone numbers are commonly used for Two-Factor Authentication 2FA, (aka Two-Step Verification 2SV). In addition to your password, a verification code is sent to your mobile phone as a second layer of authentication to confirm your identity when accessing essential services like banking or government benefits.

Now, imagine if scammers already get your password via social engineering and now they get your mobile number to get the code. They could empty your account.

 

[John indonesia]

It seems you are not used to online shopping or nearby street kiosks , as you don't need to go to Tri store .

Perhaps. I have 2 cards, one in a phone I use for work, the other in a tablet. I bought both at a 3 store as it was easier for me, and I get the excuse to have a coffee.
Both use a small amount of data, but neither are used for calling except WA and Skype.
That's what makes 3 such a good deal for me. No messing around, just buy and forget for a year unless I need to add some credit.

 

[marcus]

... That's what makes 3 such a good deal for me. No messing around, just buy and forget for a year unless I need to add some credit.

I too would use only 3/Tri AON if I was to choose today . Unfortunately when I got my first SIM card (some 20 years ago - mandated by 1 of my banks) I didn't know much and chose an Indosat card which I then registered in many banks , Whatsapp , ... so now it is difficult to change .

 

[pantaiema]

Perhaps. I have 2 cards, one in a phone I use for work, the other in a tablet. I bought both at a 3 store as it was easier for me, and I get the excuse to have a coffee.
Both use a small amount of data, but neither are used for calling except WA and Skype.
That's what makes 3 such a good deal for me. No messing around, just buy and forget for a year unless I need to add some credit.

Sometimes, shops still have old SIM cards that are no longer available on their central office, as they are simply selling off their remaining stock. These old SIM cards retain the previous allowances and setup. Similarly, people can find old SIM cards with outdated terms on platforms like eBay or other marketplaces.

Since one shop may still have them while another no longer does, it can be risky wasting your time to visit stores without knowing which one to check.

Would you mind sharing when did it you get it and from which Three shop you got yours?

 

[Bob]

Before I had a Smartphone, I was using an old style Nokia. I didn't know about the 1 month limit about having to buy Pulsa. I had bought 100,000Rp. And only used 20,000Rp. Within a month. So, I still had 80,000 Rp. Credit, so I thought. Well they cancelled the Number and Sim card, so I was forced to buy a New Sim card and Number. They kept my 80,000 Rp. Credit. Isn't this basically stealing my $?

When you have your pulsa situation sorted, it's a good idea to look at your service provider's app every now and then and check your credit and data balances and expiration dates, and your number's expiration date. You can avoid some unpleasant surprises that way.

 

[John indonesia]

Sometimes, shops still have old SIM cards that are no longer available on their central office, as they are simply selling off their remaining stock. These old SIM cards retain the previous allowances and setup. Similarly, people can find old SIM cards with outdated terms on platforms like eBay or other marketplaces.

Since one shop may still have them while another no longer does, it can be risky wasting your time to visit stores without knowing which one to check.

Would you mind sharing when did it you get it and from which Three shop you got yours?

Tang city mall for the latest one, but the 3 store in Bintaro sector 3 for the first

 

[marcus]

Sometimes, shops still have old SIM cards that are no longer available on their central office, as they are simply selling off their remaining stock. These old SIM cards retain the previous allowances and setup. Similarly, people can find old SIM cards with outdated terms on platforms ... Would you mind sharing when did it you get it and from which Three shop you got yours?

I didn't understand . Are you afraid that an old Tri SIM card may not work like a new one ?

 

[pantaiema]

I didn't understand . Are you afraid that an old Tri SIM card may not work like a new one ?

Why would anyone care about holding onto an old Three SIM card purchased from a store or eBay if it offers better terms?

Recently, you mentioned finding a Rp50k deal for 45 days of activation, as noted in post #24. This might be what is currently available in stores. However, this deal is nowhere near as good as the previous offer where someone managed to get a Rp50k SIM with a year of activation. It is important to note that this older deal is no longer available on the Three website, and as mentioned in post #23, others have compared and confirmed this recently in year 2025.

The person who managed to get the Rp50k deal for a year likely purchased it a few years ago, and this offer is no longer accessible. If you don’t know the exact shop location where these types of deals were offered and cannot find them online, trying to hunt down this kind of SIM card deal is probably a waste of time.

 

[marcus]

Why would anyone care about holding onto an old Three SIM card purchased from a store or eBay if it offers better terms?

We (me and John Indonesia) mentioned about old cards but you still can get them now . I don't know why Tri is not selling SIM AON in its online store (Shopee and Tokopedia) , but you can still buy them in other stores at Shopee (search for perdana tri aon) .

Recently, you mentioned finding a Rp50k deal for 45 days of activation, as noted in post #24. This might be what is currently available in stores. However, this deal is nowhere near as good as the previous offer where someone managed to get a Rp50k SIM with a year of activation.

Sorry for the confusion . The Rp50k (pulsa/credit) for 45 days is for Indosat SIM , and what John mentioned (Rp50k for 1 year) is for Tri SIM AON (internet quota) . In Shopee or Tokopedia , click at "Pulsa, Tagihan dan Tiket" or similar), then click "Data Plan" , then write any Tri number and you will see the AON options : 3GB for Rp24k , 4GB for Rp30k , 10GB for 59k , ... (most, if not all, will give you a year validity or earlier when you use all the quota) .

It is important to note that this older deal is no longer available on the Three website, and as mentioned in post #23, others have compared and confirmed this recently in year 2025...

Another confusion . The article you mentioned (7 Best SIM Cards for Indonesia in 2025) refers to cards for foreign tourists , and I & John talked about cards for Indonesians & KITAP holders (not sure if KITAS holders can also get them - I got it long ago when there was no restriction) .

 

[pantaiema]

In Shopee or Tokopedia , click at "Pulsa, Tagihan dan Tiket" or similar), then click "Data Plan" , then write any Tri number and you will see the AON options : ....

If that’s the case and it’s available on Shopee / Tokopedia, this might be exactly what I was referring to SIM cards with the old terms still being sold in marketplaces. In my previous post, I specifically mentioned eBay. In other countries, I have also found SIM cards with the old terms (like longer activation with minimal top-up), but I had to buy them through eBay rather than from the official stores of the network on the high street.

.... : 3GB for Rp24k , 4GB for Rp30k , 10GB for 59k , ... (most, if not all, will give you a year validity or earlier when you use all the quota) .

Good to know this. From what I understand, although this is available on Shopee and Tokopedia, it doesn’t seem to be listed on the Three website (though I haven't dug too deeply).

I wonder, has anyone actually tried this recently? If it's true, this could be a great solution for people with lower usage or those living between two countries, just to keep the number active to receive phone call, message. However, describing it as ‘most’ might be misleading if people can’t easily identify it from the simcard packaging or if the one year activation period isn’t clearly stated in the T&Cs. Also if there is not clearly stated in the T&C you might be forced to buy a more expensive package for renewal or you will will lose your number. Nowadays your mobile number could be used as a ransomware.

 

[marcus]

If that’s the case and it’s available on Shopee / Tokopedia, this might be exactly what I was referring to SIM cards with the old terms still being sold ...

From what I know , the terms are still the same as the first time I bought , many years ago ("always on/AON" meaning your internet quota is always there up to 1 year , different from the other 4G providers that normally sell 1 month package that automatically cancel any rest of quota you still have) . I guess Tri stopped selling the SIM specifically for "AON" either because it is a very small market or because the eSIM and SIM it sells can also be used for AON packages .

Good to know this. From what I understand, although this is available on Shopee and Tokopedia, it doesn’t seem to be listed on the Three website (though I haven't dug too deeply)...

I only mentioned Shopee & Tokopedia because I checked these 2 , but I think all other shopping platforms also sell . Tri has https://bima.tri.co.id , apps , and the SIM internal service where it sells pulsa or internet quota , the https://tri.co.id/ is more for information .

If it's true, this could be a great solution for people with lower usage or those living between two countries, just to keep the number active to receive phone call, message.

Another solution , as I said in post no.13 , is buying a Tri SIM's "extension of the card's active period" / " perpanjangan / tambah masa aktif kartu" .
For example , at https://shopee.co.id/TRI-PERPANJANG...18&xptdk=de98432c-5833-45f5-8edf-32ec376b6718 , you buy 360 active days for a Tri number for just Rp15k .

... describing it as ‘most’ might be misleading if people can’t easily identify it from the simcard packaging or if the one year activation period isn’t clearly stated in the T&Cs.

I said "most" to be in the safe side as I have seem before but was not 100% sure . But I just checked at Tokopedia and all AON packages have the same validity information like : for 3GB AON , Description• 3GB National, according to the card's active period • 1GB Local & Local Plus | 365 days • Info: tri.co.id/Unlimited-AON .
Looking at tri.co.id/Unlimited-AON , it informs only about AON 4GB and AON 14GB : AON quota: Active Forever (follows the card's active period) , Local quota: 365 days
I think that in practice it may go up to 365 days if you avoid "going" to local websites , but I myself never reached this limit as I finished the quota in about 7 months (AON 40GB) . But Tri also has unlimited AON (AON UL) which is a different thing .

Also if there is not clearly stated in the T&C you might be forced to buy a more expensive package for renewal or you will will lose your number.

For sure we were never "forced" to buy anything . When the quota finishes , you may buy a new package whenever you want .

Nowadays your mobile number could be used as a ransomware.

But this is not specific about Tri AON , right ?

 

[John indonesia]

I didn't understand . Are you afraid that an old Tri SIM card may not work like a new one ?

I understand they have an expiration date so may not be able to be activated.

Also, a note to watch. My card was close to running out of its active period so I put some data on. I expected the active period to be pushed back, but it did not AND the data I added showed as valid until the end of the old active period.
I added credit to extend the card but the first data package still shows the short date.
I added a new package, a small one, and that lasts until the new end of the active period.

 

[pantaiema]

It seems to me (based on the link below) that with Three AON, although it has a 365-day expiration, you can extend this by adding regular pulses.

However, while you initially bought 360 active days for just Rp15k (as mentioned in Post #38), extending the expiration period afterward will cost you Rp500k. This feels like a typical marketing strategy, offering a 'teasing rate' to get you hooked and then making it costly to maintain.

Tri Indonesia

tri.co.id

You could top up Rp5k each month, but it is not worth the hassle of doing it monthly. Plus, there’s a chance you might forget and end up losing your number. It is more convenient to just top up and forget it for a year if you are only using it to receive texts and calls.