The government has officially banned mobile operators from deleting\nor voiding unused internet data that customers have purchased. Operators\nare also not permitted to charge additional fees to customers for\nmaintaining or using the remaining data.<\/p>\n
Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Meutya Hafid stressed\nthat internet data that has been paid for is the customer\u2019s right.\nTherefore, remaining data must not simply disappear when the package\u2019s\nactive period ends.<\/p>\n
\u201cData that has been paid for by customers is the customer\u2019s right.\nRemaining data must not simply be voided and operators must not charge\nadditional fees to maintain the remaining data,\u201d Meutya said in a\nwritten statement on Saturday (29\/8\/2026).<\/p>\n
The provision is set out in Circular Letter of the Minister of\nCommunication and Digital Affairs Number 4 of 2026 concerning the\nObligation to Fulfil Service Choices and Protection of Remaining Data,\nissued on 28 August 2026.<\/p>\n
This circular letter follows up on Constitutional Court Decision\nNumber 273\/PUU-XXIII\/2025 dated 23 July 2026. According to Meutya, the\nregulation is necessary to ensure customers receive fair benefits from\nthe telecommunications services they have paid for.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have also received many complaints from the public that operators\nhave not fully complied with the Constitutional Court\u2019s decision that\ncustomers\u2019 remaining internet data must not be unilaterally voided when\nthe package\u2019s active period ends. So we issued this circular letter to\nensure operators comply with legal policy in Indonesia,\u201d she\nexplained.<\/p>\n
Through the regulation, the ministry also requires operators to\nprovide a number of protection mechanism options for remaining data that\ncustomers can choose according to their needs. These forms of protection\ninclude data accumulation or rollover, non-rollover, extension of the\nactive period, transfer of benefits, compensation, and refunds.\nOperators may also provide other forms of protection as long as they do\nnot disadvantage customers.<\/p>\n
Meutya said the policy changes the approach in telecommunications\nservices. Customers must now be given the opportunity to determine\nservices according to their needs and usage patterns.<\/p>\n
\u201cPreviously, service choices were largely determined by operators.\nNow we are ensuring customers have a choice. Customers have the right to\nchoose services that suit their needs and usage patterns, not the\noperator choosing for the customer,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
In addition, operators are required to convey service information\nclearly and in an easily understandable manner. This information\nincludes price, data volume, validity period, usage segmentation, fair\nusage terms, service termination, and the protection mechanism for\nremaining data.<\/p>\n
This information must be conveyed simply and in an easily\nunderstandable manner. Operators are also required to provide an\nintegrated monitoring channel so customers can check usage and remaining\ndata from the selected service.<\/p>\n
Operators are given a deadline of 28 September 2026 to submit a\ncompliance report to the ministry. Thereafter, progress on compliance\nmust be reported periodically every month.<\/p>\n
The ministry will then conduct regular supervision to ensure\noperators comply with the provisions regarding protection of remaining\ndata and service choices for customers.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/government-bans-mobile-operators-from-voiding-unused-internet-data-1788025814", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }