Citizens Request Number Portability Across Operators, Indonesia Faces Total Transformation

Bandung, CNBC Indonesia - The Indonesian Telecommunications Providers Association (ATSI) has voiced its stance regarding a judicial review filed at the Constitutional Court, which requests that users be allowed to use the same phone number when switching mobile operators. If implemented in Indonesia, this would lead to a significant transformation in the nation’s telecommunications architecture.

ATSI Executive Director Marwan O. Baasir explained that in Indonesia, numbering is currently divided into two structures: the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), such as 021 or 022, and mobile operators.

He cited Australia as an example, where a single numbering structure is used. This means there is only one unified numbering system used by the public in that country.

Under such a structure, a number becomes a user’s identity, rather than being tied to a specific area or operator.

“With the different digits used in PSTN and Mobile, we must change; the regulations must change. The number would no longer be based on area or operator destination, but based on the user,” he explained in Bandung on Sunday (27/9/2026).

This transition would necessitate changes in technology, investment, regulation, and public socialisation. Infrastructure would also need to be prepared to ensure this structure can function.

Marwan also explained that this structure involves a single agency managing the numbers. In Australia, this agency is managed by the government, and users pay a tax on the numbers they use.

“However, the advantage for customers is that operators will compete on quality. Whoever provides the best quality will attract the most customers,” he explained.

He noted that implementing a single numbering structure would likely take three to four years to become operational.

The judicial review was filed by an applicant named Bisyrin Wahyudi. He is challenging the constitutionality of Article 14, Article 17, Article 23 paragraphs (1) and (2), Article 25, and Article 10 of Law Number 36 of 1999 concerning Telecommunications, as amended by Law Number 6 of 2023 (the Job Creation Law), at the Constitutional Court.

The regulation is alleged to fail in providing certainty for users to maintain their mobile numbers when changing operators. Wahyudi also stated that this lack of certainty results in high additional costs for consumers.

This is because when a number changes, users face the burden of updating account data, contacting relations, updating business materials, renewing OTP codes, and even facing the risk of losing access to essential services.