Indonesian Telco Trials Facial Recognition for Prepaid Card Registration

Indonesian telecommunications operator Telkomsel has begun trialing facial recognition technology to streamline its processes for prepaid card registration and card replacement. This makes Telkomsel the second telecom company in the country to adopt biometric technology for customer verification.

The facial recognition feature has been implemented in Telkomsel’s customer service portal, GraPARI Online, and in the MyGraPARI app on a trial basis. The system matches facial scans with government identity databases to verify customer identities. This method will be used alongside existing validation processes, such as Population Identification Numbers (NIK) and Family Card Numbers (KK).

Previously, the MyGraPARI app indirectly supported facial recognition through eKTP, Indonesia’s digital ID card that includes biometric data. The app also offers fingerprint scanning as an option for identity verification.

“This biometric technology not only facilitates the registration process, but also supports the implementation of Know Your Customer (KYC) standards implemented by telecommunications operators to ensure the validity of customer data and reduce the risk of fraud and misuse of customer identity that often occurs in today’s digital era,” said Telkomsel’s Sales Director, Adiwinahyu Basuki Sigit.

The announcement follows a similar move by rival telecom operator XL Axiata, which recently launched a new prepaid SIM card registration process using facial recognition after a successful trial.

The adoption of biometric technology is increasing in Indonesia, especially among government agencies and companies.

Last month, Vision-Box, in collaboration with Indonesia’s Directorate General of Immigration and Sinergi Teknoglobal Perkasa, announced that it had expanded its deployment of biometric e-gates to over 150 units across Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport.

Source: Developing Telecoms

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October 8, 2024 – by Ali Nassar-Smith