The great thing about topping up our pulsa (prepaid phone credit) via the ATM is that we usually get exactly the amount of credit that we pay for. However, Telkomsel users now have to pay an additional surcharge to top up their pulsa via ATM.
After a recent barrage of complaints from Telkomsel users about the Rp 1,500 surcharge, Telkomsel confirmed and explained the need for the new fee.
“The change of transaction fee for buying pulsa through banks is one of the ways for us to uphold the prime quality and availability of service we give to customers,” Telkomsel VP Corporate Communications Adita Irawati wrote in a statement, as picked up by Kompas Tekno.
Which is just corporate speak for “we’re gonna charge you more and there’s nothing you can do about it.” (Other than switch providers, that is.)
We contacted Telkomsel’s customer service to ask for specifics, and we were informed that the surcharge applies to pulsa transactions via ATMs of all of Telkomsel’s partner banks. The customer service rep also said that there is currently no known similar surcharge for buying pulsa via other bank services like online and mobile banking, which is contrary to Kompas Tekno’s report and our own experience.
Through their official Twitter account, Telkomsel announced that the surcharge had been in effect since April 1, after the state-owned company reached an agreement earlier this year with their partner banks to implement it.
This is certainly not the first time Telkom Indonesia, of which Telkomsel is a subsidiary, disappointed customers by unilaterally introducing policy changes that seem to be aimed at increasing their profits without any benefits to their customers. Earlier this year, Telkom’s ISP Indihome introduced a Fair Usage Policy (FUP) limiting its customers’ internet quota.
