How to get Mobile Internet in Indonesia: Which option to choose?

With heavenly tropical beaches, vibrant cities, stunning natural landscapes, and a mix of fascinating cultures spread across more than 18,000 islands, Indonesia is one of the best countries to visit for your vacation. If this is your next destination, but you still don’t know how you can connect to the internet there, don’t worry or look no further.  Here we show you all the possible ways to connect to the internet in Indonesia. From the traditional roaming service to cheaper and more efficient products such as SIM cards or the new eSIM that you will see throughout this article.

In addition to showing you each of the available options to have Mobile internet in Indonesia, you will also see the different rates that each of these options offers you. This way you can compare them and decide, based on your needs, which one offers you the best service at the best price.

Mobile data in Indonesia

As you can see, there are many options to get cellular data in Indonesia. However, not all these options offer the same thing, much less at the same price. That is, some of these alternatives have much higher prices, while others have lower prices. Not to mention that the advantages and disadvantages of these options are different. For example, SIM and eSIM cards with data for Indonesia are undoubtedly one of the best options, thanks to their low price and the large number of advantages that you will see throughout this post.

In the particular case of international roaming, its main advantage is how simple it is to buy this service and start browsing. Still, its great disadvantage is how pricey this service can be at the end of your trip. Therefore, it’s not usually recommended to get this type of service to have cellular data during your trip, since you have to pay for every MB you consume, which means that, in a very short time and with very little data consumed, the price you have to pay is very high.

On the other hand, another of the most expensive options you have to get cellular data in this country is Pocket WiFi. To explain, these are small pocket routers that you will have to rent for a specific price, plus an additional cost for the data plan you want, which makes it expensive and inconvenient.

Internet prices in Indonesia

We know that one of the most important aspects that you must consider when you select one of these products is the price and the data rate. Therefore, here at Roaming, we have compiled the data rates that each of these options offers you so that you can compare them, and thus be able to decide which of them is the one that best suits your needs and budget.

SIM card to have internet in Indonesia

Data SIM cards are undoubtedly one of the most efficient and affordable alternatives to roaming when it comes to connecting to the internet abroad. This is due to its setup process, which is well known to everyone, and the fact that you can easily get it at an airport. However, we recommend that you buy your data SIM card for Indonesia before you travel, as this way your internet connection is guaranteed from the moment you land at the airport. No long queues or stress.

To buy your SIM card before traveling, we recommend that you take a look at the Holafly online store. Surely, there you can get SIM cards with data for Indonesia at quite low prices and with several advantages. Among them are free shipping to your home, sharing data with friends, and unlimited data.

Price of the SIM card to have internet in Indonesia

• 5 days with unlimited data for 29 dollars.
• 15 days with unlimited data for 49 dollars.
• 20 days with unlimited data for 59 dollars.
• 30 days with unlimited data for 69 dollars.
• 60 days with unlimited data for 99 dollars.

eSIM card to have internet in Indonesia

Another of the most convenient alternatives when it comes to having internet in Indonesia is the new eSIM cards with international data.  These eSIMs are especially convenient when it comes to connecting to the internet in no time. Also, as it’s a virtual product, you can buy it instantly from anywhere in the world, even if you have already arrived at your destination. But, as it is a new product, not all smartphones are compatible with it, so we recommend that you check if your cell phone is compatible before buying one of these eSIMs.

If you are already confident that you can buy one of these products, the next thing you will have to do is visit a virtual store. We recommend that you take a look at the Holafly eSIM online store. Since, like SIM cards, this virtual provider offers you eSIMs at a very low price and with certain additional advantages.

Price of the eSIM card to have internet in Indonesia

• 5 days with unlimited data for 19 dollars.
• 15 days with unlimited data for 47 dollars.
• 20 days with unlimited data for 57 dollars.
• 30 days with unlimited data for 69 dollars.
• 60 days with unlimited data for 87 dollars.

How to get internet in Indonesia with your cellular provider?

If you’re looking for a way to have data, minutes, and international messages, the roaming service offered by your domestic cellular operator can be a very attractive option for you. However, we want to remind you of how expensive it can be to access one of these roaming services. If you’re still interested in this service, then we will show you how you can get it and how much it costs. Let’s check this service with the main cellular operators in the USA.

Internet in Indonesia with AT&T

If you want to activate the AT&T roaming service, you will have to go to their official website, go to My AT&T, login, and follow the prompts in your account. There you can activate or deactivate the roaming service of this operator as you prefer.

You can choose to use the International Pass, which has a cost of $10 per day, with which you can make use of your telephone services. On the other hand, you can also use the pay-per-use option, with which you can enjoy the following services at the following prices:

• Internet: $2.05 for every MB
• Calls: $3 for each minute
• SMS: $0.5 for each SMS sent to any destination.
• Picture and video messages: $1.30 for each.

Internet in Indonesia with Verizon

To be able to connect to the roaming service offered by this cellular operator, you will need to choose a plan through their website, or set up your phone and activate the roaming option. In addition, you can activate the Travel Pass service, which is priced at $10 a day and allows you to use the data, calling, and texting allowances of your domestic plan.

On the other hand, if you do not wish to purchase a plan and activate an international roaming service on your phone, you will use the pay-per-use option, which has the following prices:

• Internet: $2.05 for every MB.
• Calls: $1.78 for each minute.

Internet in Indonesia with T-Mobile

In case you want to activate the roaming service with T-Mobile, what you will have to do is dial  #RON#. Once you dial that number and verify that the roaming service has been activated, you will be able to connect to the internet without any problem. However, the price you will have to pay for each service used will depend on the current plan you have with this operator.

If you have one of the Simple Global Plans, you will be able to connect to the operator’s phone services at no extra cost, you will only have to pay $0.25 per minute of call. On the other hand, if you have any other T-Mobile plan, you will have to pay $15 per MB of use.

Portable WiFi to have internet in Indonesia

Another pricey option to connect to the internet in Indonesia is Pocket WiFi. Unlike the roaming service, this one allows you to share data with your fellow travelers. However, and as with the previous option, the price for connecting to the internet with Pocket WiFi is quite high. More than anything because, to do so, you will have to pay two different fees. One is a fee for renting the Pocket WiFi and the other is for topping up data to it. Not to mention the additional costs charged by suppliers in terms of shipping costs or insurance against theft or loss.

Among the companies that offer us these products to connect to the internet, we can find Travelers Wifi. This offers its Pocket WiFi for 7 days for 64 dollars plus a shipping cost of 24 dollars, that is, 88 dollars.

Public WiFi in Indonesia

Free WiFi can be found in various places in Indonesia, from squares, shopping malls, bars, and restaurants to metro stations. Although this alternative is very cheap, we don’t recommend that you use it for long periods for safety reasons. If you use it during your trip, remember not to enter any important banking information, as it can be leaked or stolen.

Internet coverage map in Indonesia

As you may well know, the coverage in Indonesia is not uniform, as there may be more cellular internet coverage in some parts than in another. Therefore, if you want to connect to the internet during your trip to this country, you must know which areas where you can, or cannot, have a good internet connection.

3G or 4G coverage

In the case of 3G or 4G cellular internet networks in Indonesia, in the following map, you can see the areas in which these networks have greater coverage and stability.

What we recommend

In conclusion, we can say that options such as your provider’s roaming service and Pockets WiFi are not the best idea to connect to the internet in Indonesia due to their high prices. In the case of Public WiFi, is not so recommended either, despite being free, it has many shortcomings in terms of security. This leaves us with the Holafly eSIM card as the best alternative available to connect to the internet during our trip.

FAQs

Carolina Silva