How to Register New SIM Card Using Biometric Recognition Reporter May 30, 2026 | 06:36 pm TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia is set to roll out SIM (subscriber identity module) card registration using facial biometric recognition starting July 1, 2026, as confirmed by the Digital Ecosystem DG at the Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi), Edwin Hidayat Abdullah. Consumers can purchase SIM cards at various offline stores or online shops. "You can purchase a phone number anywhere, either in a store or web-based (mobile operator)," Edwin said in a virtual press conference in Jakarta on Friday, May 29, 2026. After getting their new SIM cards, consumers can activate the card through the mobile operator's application. The consumer then enters their National Identity Number (NIK). "The next step differs for each mobile operator. Some use PUK (Personal Unlocking Key), some use numbers. After that, an OTP (One-Time Password) will be generated," he said. After, consumers will be directed to complete face recognition, which will then be verified by the Directorate of Population and Civil Registration (Dukcapil). If the facial accuracy is 96 percent with the NIK identity, the verification process will be completed. "Then a notification will appear, showing that the verification is complete," Edwin said. Edwin claimed that the registration process takes an average of less than 1 minute, based on trials conducted by Komdigi. "I have observed hundreds of processes across various regions starting from Jakarta, Java, Central Java, East Java, West Java, Sumatra, West Sumatra, Aceh, Kalimantan," he said, citing Yogyakarta as the region with shortest processing time. Approximately 1.6 to 1.7 million users have used this technology since the trial began in January 2026. According to Edwin, three mobile operators have implemented the facial recognition system during the trial period, namely Telkomsel, Indosat, and XLSmart. Based on consumer