Given the reliance of smartphones on applications, it’s a wonder that most Indonesian mobile telco companies have yet to embrace apps as their means of interaction with their subscriber base. On the other hand, the number of smartphone users may not have reached whatever threshold considered by the telcos to justify creating mobile apps for different smartphone platforms. After all, most mobile subscribers are still on feature phones and they seem satisfied enough with the existing ways (SMS, call center) to access the features and services offered by the telcos.

One mobile operator that has defied this possible way of thinking is Axis. Despite not being an official iPhone carrier, the company recently released a an iPhone app for its customers which allows them to primarily perform functions related to purchasing data service packages. The app lets subscribers to check their account details, top up prepaid credits, purchase data plans, and transfer credit balance.

Upon launching the app for the first time, it will prompt you to create an account which requires your phone number, name, email address and password. After setting up your account, you’re free to explore the app.

In the accounts section you can check your balance, reload it, transfer credits to another Axis number, or extend the validity of your phone number. You can also change your password if you wish. To reload your balance, you’re still required to purchase a top up card separately, which you can also do from an ATM.

There is no way to purchase phone credit directly from the app as that will require Axis to give up 30% of the transaction value to Apple as an in-app purchase. Balance transfer is limited to Rp 50,000 per transfer with Rp 5000 as the lowest limit.

The second menu in the app is Package. This section lets you check your Internet usage and purchase data packages. It tells you which data package you’re subscribed to, how much data you have used, and validity period of the package.

This section lists the different data packages currently available along with the cost of each package. Unfortunately it does not offer a detailed explanation. To find more relevant information regarding the packages such as speeds offered for each package as well as the fair usage quota, you have to go to the website. Strangely enough, the iPhone app allows you to purchase a BlackBerry package to be applied to your number. As if a BlackBerry data plan would work on an iPhone.

The Notification section had always been empty so far and there hasn’t been any explanation as to what it would be used for. Hot promotion however, is self explanatory. Sometimes it would be empty, other times it would display various offers.

Overall impression of the app, it’s handy to have. While SMS or short code interaction works fine across every type of phone and requires no further investment by the telco, having an app makes performing the above functions much more pleasantly. No more going through  and memorizing short codes to bring up the service menu, everything is laid out and labeled clearly, for the most part anyway.

It does lack several functions however, such as purchasing voice or text packages, subscribing to other services such as ringback tone, premium audio messages, and various other premium services offered by Axis through its short code service menu. On the other hand, many of the services are not compatible with iOS so offering them in the iPhone app would actually be completely pointless.

Where the app would be most useful though, is on the 3G iPad. Since the iPad has no SMS capability, an app like this would be supremely helpful and would take away the hassle of having to remove the SIM card and finding a micro SIM card-based phone to switch the card into and do the necessary business. Of course, a postpaid subscription would be so much easier, but 80% of Indonesian mobile subscribers are on prepaid.

Why would Axis release this app? The network is one of the smallest in the country, it’s not an iPhone carrier, it doesn’t have that many iPhone or iPad users, and its 3G data connection is not among the widest or most reliable. Perhaps due to its data-centric strategy (no, really), the company simply aims to make it easier for  iOS owners in its network and attract more iOS users.

Should other telcos offer similar app for iOS users? Of course, especially Telkomsel and XL as Apple’s official cellular carrier partners in Indonesia. Why they haven’t launched such an app? One insider revealed that they require a minimum of 100,000 guaranteed installs, but this is of course, not an official answer. Not sure why there might be such a requirement, but if it is indeed true, it looks like justifying return on investment is more important than providing a helpful service.

Axis iPhone app is available for free from the App Store.