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Black market phone regulation won't affect short-term foreign visitors: Report

The limitation/blockage will not affect smartphones used by international roamers, which includes foreign tourists staying in the country for less than 30 days.

News Desk (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Wed, August 21, 2019

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Black market phone regulation won't affect short-term foreign visitors: Report Foreign visitors planning to spend more than 30 days in Indonesia will be required to register their smartphone's IMEI number with the National IMEI Database Information System. (Shutterstock/Ivanko80)

F

ollowing the government's plans to curb black market phones based on international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) numbers, questions arise regarding how the policy would affect the smartphones brought into the country by foreign visitors.

As reported by kompas.com, based on Article 10 of the Communication and Information Ministry's draft regulation on access limitations for cellular mobile telecommunications service, the limitation/blockage would not affect smartphones used by international roamers, which includes foreign tourists staying in the country for less than 30 days. 

However, foreign visitors who are planning to spend more than 30 days in Indonesia will be required to register their smartphone's IMEI number with the National IMEI Database Information System.

The same will apply to those who purchase their smartphones abroad. Meaning that if a device will be used in Indonesia for more than 30 days, then the user is obliged to register its IMEI number.

Read also: Are you using an illegal mobile phone? Here's how to find out

Previously, the Communications and Information Ministry, Industry Ministry and Trade Ministry were planning to sign the regulation on Aug. 17, but there is still no sign of it being officially implemented.

"We're still waiting for the ministers to [officially sign the regulation]; we do not know yet the exact date [of signing]," Ismail of the Post and Information Resources and Equipment Directorate General (SDPPI) told kompas.com on Monday.

Ismail estimated that it would take around six months to implement the regulation after it was signed. (kes)

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