Who Will Be Eligible for the Government’s Free Mobile Phone Plan?
Jakarta (ANTARA) – The government’s plan to distribute free mobile phones to the public has attracted attention after Hashim Djojohadikusumo revealed a plan to digitise the delivery of government assistance.
The phones are intended to be linked to digital accounts so that assistance can be paid directly to members of the public.
Hashim announced the plan at the Prasasti Indonesia Policy Forum 2026 in South Jakarta on Tuesday (13 October). Hashim, who is a member of Prasasti’s Board of Advisors, said the government wanted to expand access to digital financial services, particularly for people who do not have bank accounts.
However, the government has not announced detailed arrangements for distributing the free phones, including the timetable and specific eligibility criteria. Information about requirements circulating publicly should be understood in the context of the statements made so far.
Hashim explained that the planned phones would come with digital accounts. The system is expected to make it easier for the government to pay assistance directly into each recipient’s account.
“Every citizen will be given a mobile phone with a digital account. All the funds will be held there and sent to each person’s account,” Hashim said at the event.
According to Hashim, digitisation is also intended to reach informal economic activity that has not been fully recorded in the financial system. The government plans to move assistance payments away from reliance on cash.
In his presentation, Hashim said around 30 per cent of Indonesia’s population did not have a bank account. The government plans to involve banks in opening accounts for people who lack access to financial services.
Requirements for the free accounts announced
Hashim said free bank accounts were planned for people aged at least 17 who are Indonesian citizens and hold an electronic identity card (e-KTP).
The account-opening fee, which he said was Rp50,000, is intended to be waived. The two banks named to provide the accounts were Bank Syariah and Bank Rakyat.
However, these are the criteria Hashim outlined for free bank accounts, not official requirements for receiving a free mobile phone. As of the time this information was compiled, no official details had been released on whether the phones would be distributed under the same criteria.
The public has also not received detailed information about the devices’ brands and specifications, the number of phones to be distributed, how recipients will be identified, or the distribution schedule.
The proposed use of phones and digital accounts is consistent with the government’s efforts to expand the digitisation of social protection. The Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi) has previously said that digitising social assistance is intended to improve targeting and transparency, and make services easier for the public to access.
In August 2026, the government said digital social protection had been implemented in 153 regencies and cities across 38 provinces. More than three million families had been registered in the system, with plans to expand it to 49 million families.
People can access the service through the social protection portal. Residents who are unfamiliar with digital services can also receive assistance from registered agents.
The social protection digitisation programme already under way should nevertheless be distinguished from the plan to distribute free phones. Both involve using technology for government services, but the arrangements for distributing devices and the eligibility requirements have not yet been fully explained.
Public urged to beware of fake registration links
Until an official announcement is made about the free phones, the public should not rush to fill in forms or submit personal information through links circulating on social media.
ANTARA reported on 30 September 2026 that fake links had been circulated in the name of a government assistance programme offering laptops and phones to students from low-income families. The links were a phishing scheme that could be used to obtain people’s personal data.
Komdigi has also urged the public to use official government channels with the go.id domain when accessing digital social protection services. People should be wary of anyone asking for money on the pretext of helping with an assistance application.
Information about the free phone plan should therefore be monitored through official government announcements. The public should wait for clarification on the timetable, registration process and eligibility requirements before taking action.