Internet in Bali for Tourists: eSIM, SIM, IMEI Rules

Internet in Bali for tourists works through either an Indonesian SIM from Telkomsel, Indosat or XL, which needs your passport and a temporary IMEI registration for your phone, or a travel eSIM installed before the trip. Indonesian customs says phones using a foreign SIM in roaming need no IMEI registration. Matrimix sells data-only eSIMs for Indonesia, Bali included, in its Telegram wallet, without a bank card or passport.

Key facts (October 2026)

• Three operators: Telkomsel, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison and XLSmart (formed in April 2025 from XL Axiata and Smartfren; it keeps the XL, AXIS and Smartfren brands).
• Local SIM: foreigners register with a passport at a staffed outlet; at most three prepaid numbers per operator per ID.
• IMEI: a phone bought abroad must be registered to work with an Indonesian SIM. Tourists staying up to 90 days get access through the operator's "IMEI for foreigners" service; longer stays go through customs.
• Roaming: customs says travellers who keep using a foreign SIM in roaming do not need IMEI registration.
• Nusa islands: Lembongan is mostly covered; Nusa Penida is patchy away from harbours and main viewpoints.
• Our plans and current prices: eSIM Indonesia.

Mobile operators in Bali

Indonesia has had three mobile operators since 2025:

• Telkomsel, the market leader. Local guides on the Nusa islands recommend it for the widest coverage there.
• Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, created in 2022 from Indosat Ooredoo and Hutchison 3 Indonesia (Tri).
• XLSmart, created in April 2025 from XL Axiata and Smartfren. The XL, AXIS and Smartfren brands continue.

All three sell prepaid SIM cards to tourists through their outlets and authorised shops.

Local SIM: passport and registration

From 1 July 2026 Indonesia requires face-recognition registration for every new mobile number, according to the ministry Komdigi. That check is matched against the Indonesian population register, so it applies to citizens. Foreigners register with a passport, or a KITAS/KITAP stay permit, as Telkomsel's and XLSmart's rules say.

XLSmart told the news agency Antara that registration for foreigners is done at a physical outlet with staff and is not available online. Each ID can hold at most three prepaid numbers per operator. In practice the shop that sells you the SIM does the registration.

IMEI registration: why it matters for tourists

Indonesia blocks phones whose IMEI (the device ID) is not registered from using local SIM cards. The rule has applied since April 2020. Here is how the Bali airport customs office describes the options:

Your situation	What you need to do
Foreign SIM or eSIM in roaming	Nothing: no IMEI registration needed
Indonesian SIM, stay up to 90 days	Register the phone at the operator's outlet ("IMEI for foreigners")
Indonesian SIM, stay over 90 days	Register with customs (Bea Cukai) online or in the app, up to two devices
New phone you bring for permanent use	Declare it in the customs declaration on arrival

A travel eSIM is a foreign line that you use in roaming, which is why you turn on data roaming for it. So the first row applies: no customs form, no outlet visit. If you buy a local SIM, the 90-day IMEI access is usually set up by the seller together with the SIM registration.

Local SIM or travel eSIM

	Indonesian SIM (Telkomsel, Indosat, XL)	Travel eSIM from Matrimix
Where you get it	Airport counter or shop in Bali	In Telegram, before the trip
Documents	Passport; IMEI registered for your phone	None
Local number	Yes, +62	No, data only
Payment	Cash or card locally	Wallet balance in USDT/USDC; other coins are swapped automatically
Phone requirement	Unlocked phone	eSIM support and no carrier lock

An Indonesian number helps on long stays or for local services that insist on one. For a holiday with maps, ride-hailing, messengers and villa bookings, a travel eSIM saves the counter and the IMEI step and keeps your home SIM on for bank SMS.

Coverage on Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida

Bali's main areas, such as Canggu, Seminyak, Kuta, Sanur and Ubud, are generally well covered. The Nusa islands are less even:

• Nusa Lembongan and Ceningan: The Lembongan Traveller reports mobile data across most of the island, but much of the signal is beamed from the mainland, so rain and busy evenings can slow it down. Weaker spots are near cliffs and on quiet outer beaches.
• Nusa Penida: travel guides report usable signal around the harbours, the main town and popular viewpoints, with gaps on cliff paths, on the rough interior roads and on the remote south-east coast.
• Fast boats: expect the signal to drop mid-crossing.

Download offline maps of Penida before you board the boat in Sanur. Which Indonesian network a travel eSIM uses can differ between plans; check the plan details on eSIM Indonesia.

Before you go

1. Check the phone. Dial *#06#: an EID line means eSIM support. The phone must be carrier-unlocked. Models: compatible phones.
2. Buy the eSIM. @MatrimixBot → Mini App → Services → Travel SIM cards; search for Indonesia (Bali is part of it). Heading on to other countries? See Regions: regional plans cover several countries, so check the list.
3. Pay from the wallet. The price in USD is shown before you confirm; USDT/USDC pay directly, another coin is swapped automatically at the quoted rate.
4. Install at home over Wi-Fi by QR code, manual entry (SM-DP+ address and activation code) or one tap on iPhone with iOS 17.4+. The order stays under Profile → Purchases.

Validity starts when the eSIM first connects to a network in Indonesia, not at purchase or installation. Use it on the trip you bought it for.

On arrival

Switch mobile data to the eSIM line and turn on data roaming for it. Leave the home SIM on for calls and bank SMS, with its data off. Data left is shown on the order page. Hotspot usually works, but on some networks it can be limited.

Good to know

• Data only. No +62 number, calls or SMS; call through apps, and your home SIM stays on for bank codes.
• New plan instead of a top-up. If data runs out, buy another plan in the same wallet in a couple of taps.
• One installation. Keep the profile until the trip ends; a bought eSIM cannot be returned, a failed order is refunded to the balance automatically.
• Telegram needed. The store is in the Matrimix wallet in Telegram.
• Matrimix holds your balance for you. No seed phrases and no extra apps — everything opens in Telegram.
• Phone compatibility. The phone needs eSIM support and no carrier lock — check with *#06# before you buy.

Sources

• Bea Cukai Ngurah Rai (Bali airport customs): IMEI registration (in Indonesian)
• Bea Cukai Soekarno-Hatta: IMEI FAQ, "IMEI for Foreigners" up to 90 days (in Indonesian)
• Komdigi: biometric SIM registration in force from 1 July 2026 (in Indonesian)
• Antara: how foreigners register an XLSmart SIM (in Indonesian)
• Telkomsel: SIM registration rules
• XLSmart: official establishment, 17 April 2025
• TelecomTV: XL Axiata and Smartfren merger; Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison background
• The Lembongan Traveller: internet in Nusa Lembongan

Read also

• Travel eSIM guide: how it works
• eSIM or local SIM card
• Internet in Thailand for tourists
• How to check if your phone supports eSIM

FAQ

Do I need to register my phone's IMEI in Bali?

Only if you put an Indonesian SIM in it. For stays up to 90 days the operator's outlet does it; customs says phones using a foreign SIM in roaming need no registration.

Which network is best on Nusa Penida?

Local guides recommend Telkomsel for the widest coverage on the Nusa islands. Even so, cliff paths and the remote south-east coast have gaps, so download offline maps first.

Can I buy an Indonesian SIM online as a tourist?

XLSmart says registration for foreigners is done at a staffed outlet, not online. A travel eSIM from Matrimix is bought in Telegram and installed at home, with no passport.

Does the Matrimix eSIM give me an Indonesian number?

No. It is data only. Keep your home SIM on for SMS codes and call through messengers.