So the iPad is now officially available in Malaysia with Maxis being among the first to shout availability of iPad centric data plans. However did you know that there are other alternatives as well? Practically, you just need a data plan which comes in microsim or a MiFi device that lets you connect via WiFi. Let’s take a brief look at the choices available.

Maxis Plans

Maxis offers postpaid plans from RM70/month, where you’ll get 3.5GB of data which comes out to RM20/GB. For the heavy duty user, there’s the RM200/month plan that offers 15GB which comes out to RM13.33/GB. If you’re a light user, you can opt for Prepaid where you can top up RM58/month subsequently for 1.5GB for 30 days validity. You can read more on Maxis iPad plans here and here. In terms of speed, Maxis offers full download speed up to 7.2Mbps. For iPad WiFi, there’s an option to buy a Huawai MiFi device at RM380.

DiGi Plans

For DiGi, there are several ways to get your iPad connected. For prepaid, there’s Easy Prepaid that gives Max RM3/day access while the normal prepaid plans offer Max RM5/day. The cheapest prepaid offering is definitely their Prepaid Internet which comes ready in MicroSIM format where a RM10 top up gives you 5 days of access. That’s only RM2 a day. However do note that DiGi Prepaid download speeds are limited at 384kbps.

For postpaid, you have the DG Discovery plan at RM68/month that comes with 3GB of data quota. There’s even a Day time only Discovery day plan with 3GB at RM38/month that’s meant for 7AM-7PM usage. For WiFi users, there’s a DiGi MiFi bundling but for a much higher usage plan of 16GB at RM128/month.

U Mobile

U Mobile offers one of the best rates for 3G broadband especially if you’re a light user. If your place is covered with U Mobile’s 3G coverage, there’s the UB40 which comes with 2GB data at RM40/month with download speeds of 1.0Mbps. For heavy use, there’s the UB68 plan which offers 5GB of data at RM68/month with speeds up to 3.6Mbps. Do note that UB40 does charge excess usage as per normal PAYU rate while UB68 offers unlimited access at throttled speeds after hitting 5GB. There’s also a MiFi promo which offers the Huawei Mifi at RM210.

Best part is that conversion of SIM is Free on U Mobile.

Celcom

On Celcom, there are 3 plans which offers different quotas and speed. The lowest entry offers 1GB of data at RM48/month but with speeds capped at 384kbps. This is followed by Broadband Basic with 3GB of data at RM68/month with 512kbps speeds and Broadband Advanced with 5GB of data at RM98/month with speeds up to 3.6Mbps. There’s no MiFi offering that we are aware of and they charge RM10 for MicroSIM conversion.

Yes

Here’s a non-3G alternative — Yes. Since they are offering the Yes Huddle which is a MiFi device, it can be used to connect your iPads via WiFi. The Huddle package is quite a huge sum upfront at RM1199 but it offers RM1200 worth of credit but you also have the option to purchase the HUddle outright for RM399. On Yes, it costs RM30/GB for usage below 2.5GB and can be reduced to as low as RM21/GB for usage above 4GB. It is costlier if you’re heavy user but it is something worth considering if you’re looking at using 1 – 2GB per month. The upside with Yes is that you get the performance, we are currently using Yes on a day-to-day basis and the performance is really good. Of course, we’ll put out the caveat that the Yes network is still new with minimal load on it. So only time will tell if the people at Yes can maintain this amazing performance as more and more people get on their network.

(Update 1531hrs 30112010:) We’ve just gotten an update that Yes is currently having an iPad promotion where if you purchase an iPad from Machines in Lot 10 you can get the RM50 Yes ID activation fee waived when you purchase a Yes Huddle outright on the same day. The 10GB free usage is also applicable in this offer. This promotion is only for new Yes subscribers. The promotion starts today and ends December 5 31, 2010.

For full broadband pricing, do check out our Malaysian Broadband Price comparison. We will update the table with the new Maxis iPad plans shortly.

[ Flag Photo Credit ]

For the globetrotter who constantly need data on the go, Maxis has announced its Bridge DataRoam Unlimited which gives you data roaming at a fixed daily rate from RM33/day in India (Aircel), Thailand (AIS), Hong Kong (CSL), Macau (CTM), Philippines (Globe), Australia (Optus), Singapore (SingTel), South Korea (SK Telecom), Taiwan (Taiwan Mobile) and Indonesia (Telkomsel).

From the table above, it costs RM33/day for the 1 day plan and it can be as low as RM26.60/day if you choose the 5 day pass at RM133. If we had it our way, we would suggest a cheaper alternative of using a local prepaid SIM with 3G internet service. However Data Roaming could be a better choice to avoid the hassle of looking for local prepaids especially in countries where the locals can’t really understand your language.

DiGi offers something similar at RM36/day on its DG Smart Plan but it is limited to Australia (Telstra), Hong Kong (Peoples), Indonesia (Indosat), Philippines (SMART), Singapore (Starhub) and Thailand (Dtac). Celcom in the other hand has introduced similar daily data roaming packages for telcos under its Celcom Axiata umbrella in Sri Lanka (Dialog), Indonesia (XL), Bangladesh (Robi) and Cambodia (Hello) at RM38/day.

Compared to its rivals, Maxis offering is cheaper and its cost per day can be lowered if you opt for 3-5 days Plans. Maxis too covers more countries including South Korea, Taiwan and India. To activate, just call 123 or dial *100# and select your plans under Services > International Roaming. There’s no mention of the download speeds and we wonder if a single 5 day plan can support multiple countries. We will try to find out on that.

For more information, head to Maxis’s DataRoam page.

UPDATE: Happy Prepaid under DiGi also offers RM2/day deal but for unlimited Internet only.

DiGi Prepaid is offering a special deal where you can either get cheap calls and SMS or unlimited internet for only RM2/day. This runs from 1st December 2010 until 31st January 2011. There are four RM2 daily deals on offer which can be activated with the respective codes below.

The first promotional deal is 20 minutes of voice calls and 20 SMS within DiGi’s network for RM2/day while the second deal offers half rate for calls made within DiGi’s network from midnight until noon daily. For those who need internet on the go, there’s Internet Unlimited 2 which offers unlimited data for a mere RM2/day, which is cheaper than DiGi Easy Prepaid‘s RM3/day and the normal Max RM5/day rate. For BlackBerry users, there’s also the BlackBerry Unlimited 2 deal at RM2/day. There’s no mention on the download speeds but we believe it is likely limited at 384kbps like the rest of its prepaid offering.

The RM2 daily pass is a auto-subscription method, which automatically renews itself the following day. This lets you enjoy the RM2 offer seamlessly without renewing daily however you would need to terminate manually if you wish to stop. To stop any of the deals, dial *133#. Do take note that the RM2/day deal is valid for all DiGi Prepaid customers except for Prepaid Plus and DiGi Easy Prepaid. According to the FAQ, it is mentioned that if you have any free calls and SMS earned previously, you have to use them first as the RM2 pass will forfeit any outstanding freebies collected previously.

More details at DiGi RM2/day pass page and don’t forget to read the FAQ.

Happy Prepaid also offers similar RM2/day deals but only for unlimited internet usage. It was also stated that the fair use policy is limited to 100MB but no details were given on throttle or excess charge if you exceed this limit. More details at Happy’s happy deals page.

DiGi has revised its internet rates for its Limited Edition Prepaid Internet that offers commitment free internet at a very low cost at only RM2/day. Beginning 1st of March 2011 onwards, the top up validity will now vary according to top up denomination.

For smaller denominations such as RM10 and RM30, the validity has been reduced from RM2/day to RM3/day. For RM50 top up, it is still maintained at RM2/day but its higher RM100 top up carries more validity which costs only RM1/day for internet access.

This simply means that it cost more for smaller top ups while higher top ups give you more value. RM1/day is cheap for those who are looking for casual light web surfing. Of course you won’t expect high speed downloads as DiGi’s prepaid internet are all capped at 384kbps which is basically throttled speeds for wireless users.

Do note that these rates only apply to those who activated from 1st March onwards and previous subscribers still maintain the old validity of RM2/day.

For more details, go to DiGi Limited Edition Prepaid Internet page.

Maxis has finally revealed its new reduced monthly mobile internet plans. Just recently, most Maxis subscribers with mobile internet plans were bumped with higher data quota for free. The most recent we’ve seen is existing 500MB subscribers at RM58/month are upgraded to 1.5GB/month.

Comparing the new rates with the previous one, the 500MB and 3GB plans are reduced by RM20. The 1.5GB option is currently missing form the table but there’s a new 1GB option at RM48/month. Another plan that’s missing is the 6GB option at RM98/month. Overall, the reductions are pretty good which saves you RM240/year.

Maxis still charges excess fee if you exceed your monthly quota but the rates are now cheaper at 30sen per MB. Previously it was charged at 10sen per 10KB which is about RM10 per MB. For more information, head over to Maxis Mobile Internet section.

Prepaid users are often subjected to stingy quotas at expensive rates. The usual pay as you go rate doesn’t really cut it but luckily we are seeing telcos introducing weekly and monthly data plans lately to make mobile internet affordable for the prepaid users.

Now TuneTalk has something different which is affordable for light but consistent daily mobile internet users. Apart from its low 5sen/MB data rate, they are offering a daily 50MB for 88 sen. The service is activated by SMS by sending “50MB” to 7777. The plan is renewed automatically on a daily basis and you can stop the subscription by SMSing “STOP” to 7777.

While 50MB/day doesn’t seem that much, but on a monthly basis that’s 1.5GB over 30 days for RM26.40. That’s pretty good value only if you’re a consistent user that uses less than 50MB each day. Once you exceed the 50MB quota, you’ll be charged the usual 5sen/MB rate. So if you have a suddenly craving to download huge files or stream video in a single day, you might want to keep your usage in check as you’ll be paying excess charge upon exceeding 50MB. Your data usage can be checked by SMSing “STATUS” to 7777.

Head over to the FAQ for more info.

Creating a WiFi hotspot is pretty easy these days with rapid expansion of mobile networks and availability of MiFi devices. But what if you need to stay connected at extremely remote areas and possibly the harshest places on earth? Look no further as Iridium Go offers global satellite connectivity that connects up to 5 devices on WiFi. It even allows you to make voice calls through its Android and iOS.

The Iridium Go device itself is pretty rugged and comes with a flip up antenna that doesn’t require special satellite orientation. It is rather durable with a Military Grade ruggedness of MIL-STD 810F, dust and splash resistance of IP65. If you do get into trouble, the Iridium Go also comes with a SOS button with integrated GPS.

There’s no battery capacity being mentioned but the Iridium Go is said to last for 4 hours talk time. While they didn’t share estimated download speeds, it is likely to be slow as the brochure proudly highlights its web compression technology including blocking of pop-ups, ads and even background pictures for optimal experience. After all, it is all about basic connectivity not heavy downloads while travelling to Timbuktu.

While Iridium pride itself for no roaming charges, the device is expected to be priced around US$800 and don’t expect subscription fees to be cheap.

[ SOURCE, VIA ]

Maxis SurfMore plans are perfect for those needing mobile internet above anything else. If you’re planning on using SurfMore in the long run, Maxis is rewarding subscribers by offering up to 3 months subscription if you sign on contract. This is applicable for SurfMore 50 (RM50/month) and SurfMore 75 (RM75/month) which offers monthly 2GB and 5GB data quota respectively.

For 12 months contract, they will give 1 month free subscription while those that are willing to tie in for 24 months will get 3 months free subscription. That’s a RM225 value if you agree to be tied for 24 months on SurfMore 75. This offer is valid from now until 30th June 2014.

However take note that there will be a penalty charge if you intend to terminate, downgrade, change ownership or postpaid plans. The penalty charge is basically the same value as your free subscription. So if you get RM225 off from the contract offer, you’ll be penalised the same amount.

For more information, head over to Maxis SurfMore page. As always, don’t forget to check the FAQ and T&C.

Love watching internet videos on the go but hate depleting your precious internet data? DiGi Prepaid now offers a cheaper alternative to enjoy funny cat videos with their YouTube Internet Top up plan. There are 2 options available starting with RM1/day which gives you 100MB of allowance and RM5 for 7 days with 500MB. The cost is not bad which calculates to just RM10 per GB.

The top up quota allowance is strictly for Youtube viewing from its official YouTube app or via m.youtube.com. For those who follow Korean drama series can also utilise this to watch videos via viki.com. Any additional usage beyond YouTube and Viki will be charged according to your active internet subscription. To activate, just dial *200*2# on your mobile or you can subscribe through DiGi’s online portal.

For more information, head over to DiGi’s YouTube Internet Top up page.

If you’re a smart phone user and don’t have an active mobile internet subscription, you are putting yourself at risk of incurring excessive internet charges. You probably have heard stories of bill shocks because of accidental software updates or youtube viewing on their smart phones. For those without a plan, the usual rate is 10 sen per 10KB which is about RM10 per MB or RM1,000 for 100MB. Of course, most telcos have a cap of RM250/month. Still, that’s a lot of money.

After introducing its worry free talk and SMS offering with the MaxisOne, they are now bringing its worry free proposition for internet users as well. Maxis has revised their Pay As You Go internet offering to blocks of RM10/50MB instead of the usual 10 sen per 10KB. This means if you use 70MB, you will be charged 2 blocks at RM20 for 100MB of usage.

To ensure that you won’t overspend, there’s also a cap of 250MB per month which calculates to RM50. You still can continue using the internet after reaching the limit but speeds will be throttled down to slower speeds. To regain your speed, you can always top up additional data options from as low as RM2/day for 100MB. Not only this is more affordable but it gives a better peace of mind. Also to protect you from accidental usage, they are waiving unintended usage up to 250KB but they didn’t explain exactly how this works.

However don’t start surfing just yet as this new revised rate is only effective next Monday, 14th July. In the mean time, the standard 10sen per 10KB rate still applies and we strongly suggest that you take up a monthly or daily plan instead. For more information, visit Maxis’s Pay As You Go internet page.

DiGi has been revamping its network for the longest time. It was an ambitious project that aims to build what they call, the Tomorrow Network. With several years in the making, it was as if tomorrow would never come.

Finally it looks like the wait is over, as DiGi claims that their all new network is ready to deliver its consistent internet promise. To date they have upgraded over 6,300 sites which offers 82% 3G coverage with HSPA+ and they aim to bring this up to 86% by end of 2014. For 4G LTE, they have expanded their coverage across the Klang Valley, Johor Bahru, Kampar and Kota Kinabalu. By year end, DiGi says they will have at least 1,500 sites delivering 4G LTE connectivity.

DiGi has just released a video explaining their progress and what they plan to do to deliver the best internet experience. Head after the break to watch it.

DiGi subscribers, what do you think of DiGi’s “new network”? Any noticeable improvements or is it the same old thing?

For more information, head over to the All New DiGi Network page.

Hotlink, the prepaid brand under Maxis is offering high speed 4G LTE data for cheap and you get to enjoy a gig of data from as low as RM5/day. This is part of its November promotion where you get to subscribe 1GB of mobile internet at RM5 for 24 hours or RM11 for 72 hours validity.

This makes it perfect if you plan on using your smart phone as a WiFi hotspot or you have a sudden need to watch HD YouTube videos back to back on 4G. If you’re a #Hotlink subscriber, speeds will be throttled to 64kbps once you’ve finished your quota and there’s no excess charge. For other Hotlink prepaid plans, the expensive pay per use rates would kick in, so it is advisable that you have an active mobile internet plan at all times.

The 1GB internet promotion is valid from 17th November until 30th November. You can subscribe to as many passes as you wish if you need more data in a single day. To activate, just dial *100*2# and select FAAAST Internet Promo II. Of course, make sure you have a 4G LTE smart phone and a 4G activated SIM before subscribing.

For more information, head over to Hotlink’s Surprise November promo page.

With the increased usage of instant messaging, there’s little need of making phone calls and SMS these days. Therefore it makes more sense to subscribe to data centric plans that comes with more data and you’ll only pay for voice calls and SMS only when required. It looks like the days of cheap data is slowly coming to an end. After enforcing a fixed quota onto its legacy unlimited data plan, Maxis is now cutting off what appears to be the most affordable data-centric 4G enabled postpaid plan in the market.

Effective 29th January 2015, Maxis will no longer offer its SurfMore 75 plan which gives 5GB of data for just RM75 a month. What’s left is its SurfMore 50 which gives you 2GB at RM50/month. If you’re interested, you have a few days left to subscribe to this plan. You can do so through its online store or you can make a switch by calling them at 123 for current Maxis customers.

For existing SurfMore 75 customers, you may still continue to enjoy the existing plan offering. Take note that if you decide to switch to other plans, there’s no turning back.

Another change is the removal of its More Voice add-on where you can top up RM12 for an extra bundle of 120 minutes of voice calls (10sen/minute). It’s More SMS add-on however is still retained with 120 SMS offered at RM6/month.

Probably the biggest blow is the cost of topping up extra data. Previously Maxis’s SurfMore quota upgrade charges just RM10 for 500MB, RM15 for 1GB and RM50 for 5GB. Effective 29th January, the cost of extra quota will be increased dramatically to RM25 for 500MB and RM35 for 1GB. As a introductory promo, they are offering free data quota for the first 3 months, offering 500MB + Free 1GB at RM25 and 1GB + Free 2GB at RM35. Overall, data is getting more expensive and Maxis appears to be trying hard to entice its subscribers to switch to its MaxisOne Plan.

For more information, head over to Maxis SurfMore page or visit their SurfMore 75 FAQ page.

Thanks @BenLovesBlue for the heads up!

Maxis aspires to be different from other telcos with its worry free promise. One of their recent initiatives is to cap its Pay As You Go usage, eliminating excessive bill shocks for accidental usage.

Instead of the usual insane rate of 10sen per 10KB (RM10 per MB), those without a data plan would be charged RM10 for each 50MB used and this will be limited to RM50/month for up to 250MB at full speeds. For those who own a smart phone without an internet plan, Maxis wants to get you started with their new basic internet add-on of only RM18/month.

The basic Just4me plan offers 200MB of data and unlimited WhatsApp for 30 days at RM18/month. This offers more value if compared to the normal Pay As You Go Rates. Essentially this is a double-up offer from its current 100MB/month plan of RM18. The promo internet pass lasts 30 days from time of activation and upon finishing your quota, there’s no excess charge but download speeds will be slowed down. To activate, dial *100#, select “What’s New”, choose Just4me and confirm your subscription.

If you’re subscribing to this plan, do take note for a couple of things. With its Unlimited WhatsApp promise, do watch out if it uses your 200MB quota including sending or receiving photos/videos. Also after upon depleting your data quota, we are curious to know if Maxis offers full speed access for WhatsApp inclusive of downloading attachments. After all, WhatsApp is still usable even after being throttled but being able to receive attachments at full speeds would be a deal breaker.

Obviously if you’re a heavy usage user, you are better off with bigger internet data plans that offer better cost per GB. For those who don’t make much calls and SMS, we would still recommend their SurfMore 50 which offers 2GB of data at RM50/month.

For more info, head over to Maxis’s Just4me promo page.

Xpax has recently refreshed its Internet Plans by offering non-stop usage on its 4G LTE network without extra charge once you’ve hit your plan quota. Now they are trying to make it more enticing by allow you to carry forward your unused quota. So this means less wastage of your precious data and more allowance to surf in the following period.

There are 6 internet plan options from Xpax which ranges from daily, weekly, bi-weekly and monthly packs. Upon finishing your allocation, you are free to use without the usual expensive Pay as you go rates but speeds will be throttled to 64kbps. To subscribe, you can do so by dialing *118#.

Xpax Internet Plans
RM58/month – 4GB
RM38/month – 2GB
RM28/month – 1GB
RM20/2 weeks – 800MB
RM10/weekly – 300MB
RM5/day – 300MB

For the carry forward internet quota feature, this is only applicable for the weekly/ bi-weekly and monthly plans which are auto renewed upon expiry. There’s no limit of how many times you can carry forward unused data but there’s a limit imposed according to your plan. According to their FAQ it only carries forward the same allocation as your plan. So if you’re on a 1GB monthly plan, you can only carry a maximum of 1GB to the following month.

For times when you need to regain full speed once you’ve depleted your usage, there are top up options from as low as 100MB for RM3 or up to 5GB for RM50. This will not extend your plan validity but it gives you more data at a lower cost per GB.

Quota Top Up
RM3 – 100MB
RM10 – 500MB
RM15 – 1GB
RM50 – 5GB

On the new promo image, Xpax also highlights a “15 hours of Free High Speed Internet” feature. but we can’t find any information on their site. It could be unlimited time-based free usage on top of your existing plan which is activated by dialing a special code or SMS. Apparently this is the 10 minutes free internet offer for 3 times a day, which totals up to 15 hours over 30 days. This is activated by dialing *118# and select “FREE Internet & Games”.

For more information, visit Xpax Internet page.

Just recently there are stronger calls for telcos to make broadband more affordable for all. In a bid to make it more accessible with greater value, Hotlink has slashed its new Tablet Plan SIM pack from RM60 to just RM30. It comes preloaded with 1GB of data and best of all, it is valid for 365 days.

While this is good for those with very minimal data usage, the additional data top ups have been reduced as well. Initially priced at RM30 per GB, you can now top up 1GB extra at RM25 which is valid for 60 days. For greater value, you can top up 2GB for RM45 and this would be valid for 365 days. With a year long validity, you can top up more without the fear of wastage that’s usually the case for monthly validity plans.

There won’t be any extra charge if you exhausted your internet quota but you won’t be able to use it until you purchase another pass. Since it is targeted for tablet users, you can manage your account and buy internet top ups from their Hotlink RED App that’s available on Android and iOS. If your device has a phone function, you may also do so by calling *100#.

The Hotlink Tablet Plan is 4G enabled and do note that this is a data only plan, so you can’t use it to make calls and SMS. If you use a lot of data on the monthly basis, this is definitely not the plan for you. However with its year long validity with 2GB for RM45 top up option, this is perfect as an occasional backup SIM when WiFi isn’t available.

The SIM pack is available across all Maxis Centres nationwide. For more information, head over to Hotlink’s Tablet Plan page.

This post is brought to you by XPAX, Go #nonstopInternet! Go life!

Can’t get enough of YouTube or maybe your crippling need to post pictures on Instagram and Facebook is eating all your data? Well, we have a treat in store for you that will let you surf till you drop!

XPAX has recently launched their new Internet plans, now with #nonstopInternet that come with a great bunch of added bonuses on top of great value on calls as well as Internet all the time, anytime you want it.

How does it work?

Starting from only 83 sen daily, you get high speed 4G LTE Internet that lets you stream videos seamlessly. You are also able to surf throughout your Internet plan even though you have ran out of quota at a reduced speed of 64kbps.

The most exciting benefit is that you can now carry forward your remaining Internet unlimited times if you don’t use it all up. No wastage at all! Meaning to say, if you subscribed to the monthly RM25 plan with a 1GB quota and only used 600MB by the end of the month, the remaining 400MB will be carried forward to the next month. Hence you will get 1.4GB of Internet usage on the next month. How cool is that!

You get great deals for voice calls too, with charges of 3.3sen per minute and 4sen per SMS within the same network, with calls to other networks only costing 11 sen per minute.

The best part? You get to enjoy these amazing freebies for life, which includes free 10 seconds with every call, 15 hours of free High Speed Internet every month, 10 free games a day as well as an extra 100MB high speed Internet that’s valid for three days upon registration! How’s that for a bonus?

Don’t miss out, get the new Internet of Xpax pack today! To subscribe any of the Internet plans, just dial *118# and select “Internet Plan” to pick your plan of choice.

For more details, go to www.xpax.com.my/Internet or visit any of their social sites below:
www.facebook.com/XPAXfb
www.instagram.com/XPAXsays
www.twitter.com/XPAXsays

UPDATE: The RM36 Smart Plan promo with 3GB Data, 100min calls and 100 SMS is valid at Digi stores from now until 15th July. The promo subscription fee of RM36 is only valid for the first 12 months.

For those craving for more internet for the least amount of money, Celcom appears to have the best deal in town with its FIRST Basic 38 plan. You get 3GB of data, 50 minutes of calls and 50 SMS each month for just RM38. To top it off, you are even allowed to carry forward unused data to the following month.

Now Digi appears to have something up their sleeves which could offer more value at an even lower price. A reader had brought to our attention on a new unannounced RM36 Digi plan and the folks at MDroid.my have gotten more info on the new counter plan offering.

What could be a limited time promo in conjunction with its 20th Anniversary, Digi appears to have lowered its Smart Plan 50 fee from RM50 to just RM36/month. To make the deal sweeter for data-centric users, they have added an additional 1GB of data to its High Data option. So in total, you’ll get 3GB of data, 100 minutes of calls and 100 SMS, all for just RM36/month.

If you need more, their Smart Plan 78 (High Data) appears to be slashed from RM78 to just RM66/month. They’ve also added 1GB of extra data, giving it a total of 4GB of mobile internet plus 200 minutes of calls and 200 SMS per month. As per current offering, the SmartPlan 78 comes with unlimited instant messenging via WhatsApp and WeChat, and Zero data charges on music streaming with its Music Freedom offering.

So far there’s no official announcement from Digi and this could very well spark a price war which is good for us consumers. Will this prompt Maxis to engage on a affordable postpaid data offering?

Thanks @KevinNgTK for the heads up!

[ SOURCE ]

Just recently Digi had quietly introduced a special promo for its lower commitment Smart Plans, where you can get 3GB of data, 100 minutes of calls and 100 SMS each month for only RM36. Initially offered for a limited time at on-ground stores, Digi has published the offer on their website and you can now subscribe to the plan hassle free from their online store.

To recap, the new promo offer is basically an extra rebate on its current SmartPlan 50 and SmartPlan 78 High Data plans and they have thrown in additional 1GB for free. If the RM36 postpaid plan is not enough, you can consider its RM66/month offer with 4GB of data along with 200 minutes of calls and 200 SMS. This is seen as a counter-plan for Celcom’s RM38 First Basic 38 offering.

However do note that this is only applicable for the first 12 months, which consists of RM14/month discount for SmartPlan 50 and RM12/month off for SmartPlan 78. So far there’s no mention whether the extra 1GB offer would be extended after the 12 month promo period.

This promotion is only valid if you sign up from now until 15th July and it comes with no contracts. According to the T&C, it is applicable to new Digi subscribers including port-ins (MNP) and current users who are on Smart Plan 50 and Smart Plan 78.

For more info, head over to Digi’s Smart Plan 50/78 limited promo page.

After Celcom and Digi started the heated price war for affordable data-centric postpaid plans, U Mobile has responded by upgrading its postpaid offerings with more data. If you want more internet for cheap, their U28 Postpaid plan offers 3GB of data for only RM28/month. That’s not all, you also get 50 minutes of calls to all networks and 300 SMS (100 SMS within U Mobile, 200 SMS to all network). This is basically the upgrade of their U28 postpaid offering but they have increased its data from 1GB to a more generous serving of 3GB per month.

Apart from U28, those with bigger data appetites will be happy to know that U Mobile has also increased its quota for its P50 and P70 postpaid plans. The P50 plan which costs RM50/month now gets 5GB instead of just 3GB, while the P70 plan (RM70/month) gets upgraded to 7GB from its current 4.5GB offering. The free call offering of 50 minutes (P50) and 70 minutes (P70) a month is still retained and they are offering 30 minutes of free calls within U Mobile but provided you’ve depleted your existing free calls to all networks.

U Mobile U28 – RM28/month
-3GB Data
-50 minutes/month free calls (all networks)
-100 SMS (within U Mobile)
-200 SMS (all networks)
-Call Rate 9sen/30sec (U Mobile), 10sen/30sec (all networks)
-SMS Rate 5sen (U Mobile), 12sen (all networks)

U Mobile P50 – RM50/month
-5GB Data
-50 minutes/month free calls (all networks)
-30 minutes/day free calls within U Mobile (after depleting free calls to all networks)
-Call Rate 5sen/30sec (all networks)
-SMS Rate 3sen (U Mobile), 8sen (all networks)

U Mobile P70 – RM70/month
-7GB Data
-70 minutes/month free calls (all networks)
-30 minutes/day free calls within U Mobile (after depleting free calls to all networks)
-Call Rate 5sen/30sec (all networks)
-SMS Rate 3sen (U Mobile), 8sen (all networks)

If you’re using any of these plans, U Mobile will upgrade them automatically and like its competitors, there’s no contract. For new subscribers, this additional internet quota is valid to those who sign up before 31st August. According to their FAQ, the extra internet will be given permanently provided that you don’t switch plans.

For more info, head over to U Mobile’s postpaid page. So now you can get a 3GB postpaid plan from Celcom at RM38/month, Digi at RM36/month and now U Mobile at RM28/month. So Maxis, your move next.