Govt Bans Mobile Operators Expiring Unused Data Following Court Ruling

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs on Saturday, August 28, 2026, issued a circular prohibiting mobile operators from eliminating customers' paid, unused internet data. The circular follows a ruling by the country’s Constitutional Court in late July.

Circular Letter No. 4 of 2026 on the Obligation to Provide Service Options and Protect Unused Data requires mobile operators not to eliminate customers' remaining paid-for internet data. The circular also prohibits operators from charging additional fees to retain or use the remaining data.

Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs, Meutya Hafid, emphasized that unused data that customers have already paid for is a customer right that must be protected. According to her, the policy ensures that customers receive fair value from the telecommunications services they have paid for.

"Unused data cannot simply expire, and operators may not charge additional fees to retain that unused data," she said in Jakarta on Saturday.

Meutya added that the government had received numerous public complaints indicating that operators had not fully complied with the court’s ruling. This prompted the ministry to issue the circular to mobile operators.

Besides that, the ministry requires operators to provide service options that allow customers to choose mechanisms that suit their needs. Forms of unused-data protection may include data rollover, non-rollover options, extensions of validity periods, transfer of benefits, compensation, refunds, or other forms of protection that do not disadvantage customers.

“Previously, service options were largely determined by operators. Now, we are ensuring that customers have choices. Customers have the right to select services that suit their needs and usage patterns, rather than having operators make the choice for them,” Meutya said.

The ministry also requires operators to provide customers with clear information and education regarding prices, data volumes, validity periods, usage segmentation, fair-use provisions, service termination, and the treatment of unused data.

Such information must be presented in a simple, clear, and easy-to-understand manner so customers can understand their rights and the service options available to them. Operators must also provide integrated monitoring channels to make it easier for customers to check their usage and remaining data under their selected service plans.

The ministry has set September 28, 2026, as the deadline for operators to submit reports demonstrating compliance with these obligations. Operators must also submit monthly progress reports on their compliance, as part of the ministry’s mechanism for monitoring operators’ compliance with unused-data protection requirements and the provision of service options for customers.

The ministry will then monitor the implementation of these obligations regularly. Through the circular, the ministry said it would ensure that Indonesia’s telecommunications services continue to develop while placing the public interest and protection of consumer rights at the center of the national digital ecosystem.