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The need for lots of data in Malaysia has cruised beyond unprecedented levels within the last couple of years. This is partly because of an upsurge of the shipment of Smartphones and tablets that can scour the web pretty good. According to IDC’s (International Data Corporation) latest reports, the vendors sold a whopping 2.7 million units in 2016’s Q4 alone.
You’ll be forgiven to think that this was the best performance ever. Compared to 2015’s sales, this was a 5.9% drop.
But despite this decline in sales, Jensen Ooi, the Market Analyst of Client Devices, IDC Asia/Pacific still notes that Malaysians Internet addicts worked hard to upgrade their phones in terms of battery capacity, camera quality, and, of course, internet surfing among other higher specifications.
So who of the 4 mobile phone services providers has your interest at heart as a heavy caller? Find out in the quick-second comparison table below:
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Being online has become a quintessential part of our lives in Malaysia today. In one hand, communication lines have opened up new and great ways of keeping connected with the rest of the world.
By the same vein, it has become somewhat hard for us to survive without a cell phone, and not just any other phone. Our hands are dying for some kickass gadgets that can scour the web pretty good.
It’s on this pivot point that different LTE Telco companies (Maxis, Digi, Celcom, and U Mobile) have built such a thriving business. The competition between these and other telecommunication companies is becoming fierce each day. Among other things, this rivalry has led to the advent of 3rd and 4th Generation Mobile Networks, commonly referred to as 3G and 4G internet speeds.
Without forgetting, the increased demand for data has attracted some friendly LTE companies, Digi and U Mobile, for instance, into the fray. Social media addicts are now spoilt for choices with so many postpaid plans to choose from. Unfortunately, even with the advent of so many postpaid plans to go with, it has not been a walk in the park for most of us. Many are the times that we’ve been tricked into strawberry jam-slathered plans that we end up beating ourselves for.
If you rely on phone call services heavily in your day to day activities, it’s important to look for a plan that won’t suck dry your take home finances with hefty phone bills. The sure way to ensure that you get good prices is to dig deep into the details of the plan and weigh in on the cons and pros of each plan.
But how do you go about comparing all the postpaid plans from the major telecommunication brands in Malaysia? It would be so hectic for you. But that’s where we come in.
This article is about getting into the details of the best postpaid plans to go for depending on what you like on the internet.
To make it simple for you, we’ll be comparing 4 of our major postpaid services providers and their different plans which is Maxis, Digi, Celcom and U Mobile.
Our #1 scorer in this category is none other than U mobile. This new entrant is giving other companies a real run for their money with its ‘not-so-bad’ calls and internet plans. Some months ago, we were deeply head over heels in love with this company when it unveiled the U Mobile Hero Postpaid P98 plan. They gave us the liberty to talk freely across all networks. We would also spend 3sen/SMS to other U Mobile users and 8sen/SMS across all the other networks.
This plan has just gotten better. You can now become the unlimited hero you’ve always wanted to be. At RM78 only, U Mobile now offers unlimited everything. Now you can call and text infinitely across all networks.
The second best position here is taken by Digi’s Digi Post paid 80 Infinite. This plan has recently undergone some really good improvement. Some months ago, it offered 1000 SMSes to send across all networks after which any other text would be to your bill. Postpaid Infinite now offers infinite SMSes to all networks. You also get the unlimited calls package and free internet for the month. And how much are you getting it at? RM80 only.
Digi also has another plan the Digi Postpaid 150 Infinite. Like its younger sibling, it also offers unlimited SMSes, calls, and free internet throughout the subscription month.
In addition to this, Digi Postpaid 80 Infinite offers you free 5GB for tethering each month. This gets better if you choose to join the big league Digi Postpaid 150 Infinite since you get lifetime infinite tethering.
If you are a diehard fan of Maxis and you love calling and sending texts, Maxis ONE Plan 98 offers you unlimited calls and SMSes across all networks. At only RM98, you can now call freely across all networks and send messages without any worries of getting stuck in the middle of the month.
Maxis also has several other plans under MaxiONE; MaxiONE plan 188, MaxiONE plan 158, and MaxiONE plan 128 all which also offer unlimited calls and SMSes. But why are they so pricey, you’ll soon find out as you read along.
Celcom scores last in regard to calls and SMSes with its Celcom’s First Gold Plus plan that goes for RM98. This plan offers you unlimited calls across all networks. However, if you rely more on SMSes, its’ 20sen/SMS charge (on all networks) might be a huge turn off for you. However, don’t ignore Celcom just yet. They have a killer offering for those who surf the internet more. Just read on.
If you are a heavy caller and consume lots of SMSes per month, U Mobile and Digi have the best rates for you at RM78 and RM80 respectively. So which of the 2 is worth your nod? This will be determined by how much you value the call quality. Of course, if most of your calls require some degree of formality, you’ll certainly favor the network with the highest call quality.
According to Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission’s (MCMC) report, Digi has a higher Call Setup Successful Rate (CSSR) of 99.28%. U mobile follows closely at 98.64%. CSSR refers to how easy it is for a network subscriber to place a call to another subscriber.
MCMC determines this by testing how well a network can place and a hold a 120-second call in the first 20 seconds of pressing the call button. Digi also leads when it comes to the network with the least dropped-call issues within a circumference of 3,736 kilometers around Klang Valley.
| Network | DiGi | U Mobile |
| Dropped Call | 1.06% | 1.16% |
| CSSR | 99.28% | 98.64% |
These 2 networks portray almost equal strengths in terms of performance. If you think that the RM2 difference between the 2 plans is worth a great deal to your budget, U mobile is the way to go. However, Digi is the king in terms of overall call quality in this category of the most affordable postpaid plans.
If you are a data guzzler, you’ll certainly require a monthly plan that offers you the highest amount of data to cover all your needs within the subscribed time. Fortunately, the super tight competition between these 4 network companies is giving people like you a real burst. So which plan offers you the best bang for your bucks regarding data? Let’s find out.
Though U Mobile has strictly indicated that this offer won’t last long, its Unlimited Hero P78 is currently the most eye-popping postpaid plan we’ll experience this year. For R78 only, you get to enjoy unlimited everything; calls, texts, and high-speed data. And several other perks also go into this package. You can create a hotspot for your other smart devices and continue surfing the internet without monitoring your data usage. This seems a very good deal for movie and series addicts.
Do you like traveling a lot, or are you planning to be out of the country for a few months to come? Unlimited Hero P78 offers you Roam Onz quota. This is free data that keeps you connected when traveling in 12 specific countries in the world;
Word of caution: In case you’re thinking of canceling your contract with your current data provider for this, remember that it’s an offer. It may not last for long.
Digi has 2 irrefutable plans for the heavy data user. Digi postpaid 80 Infinite offers you unlimited internet of up to 5 Mbps and free calls. You also get 5GB/month to create a hotspot for your other devices using your Smartphone or tablet. You can also opt to go for the Digi Postpaid 150 Infinite. This plan offers you unlimited calls and lifetime infinite tethering. This must be a really good deal to those who surf more with their laptops and desktops.
Simple maths: If you don’t rely on your phone’s hotspot for your other devices, Digi Postpaid 80 plan has the best bang for your buck.
Check out latest DiGi Family Plan Here for more saving – 26 GB per person
Celcom has lots of options for you here. All you’ll do is evaluate your take home pay versus your data needs per month.
If you are living on a tight-ass budget and you still want to do some light lifting from the internet, First Gold might be a good option. For RM80 per month, you get 20GB (10GB for the weekdays and 10 for weekends) and unlimited calls, unlimited Yonder music, Whatsapp, and Wechat.
For the moderate-heavy data user, the best option for you is the First Gold Plus. For RM98 (RM18 only higher than First Gold’s) you get 40GB divided between weekdays and weekends, unlimited calls, free Yonder calls, and free Whatsapp and Wechat data.
For the real heavy data users, First Platinum has your name on it. For RM150 per month, you get 60GB (30+30), unlimited calls and SMSes, ulimited Whatsapp and Wechat, and a 12-month free entry to iflix.
Maxis have their hands tied here. The best they can offer a heavy data user is 20GB for RM98 per month. Let’s hope they throw free Whatsapp, Wechat, and Yonder in future at least.
Who has the best bang for your bucks as a heavy data user?|
Rank |
Company |
Plan/s |
Specifics |
Monthly Fee |
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1 |
U Mobile |
Unlimited Hero P78 |
Unlimited high-speed data, free mobile hotspot, Roam Onz 5GB roaming data for 12 countries |
RM78 |
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2 |
Digi |
Digi postpaid 80 Infinite |
Unlimited 5 Mbps data, transform your Smartphone or device to a hotspot |
RM80 |
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3 |
Celcom |
First Gold |
20GB (10GB weekdays 10 GB weekend), unlimited calls, unlimited Yonder, free Whatsapp and Wechat |
RM80 |
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First Gold Plus |
40GB (20GB weekdays 20 GB weekend), unlimited calls, unlimited Yonder, free Whatsapp and Wechat |
RM98 |
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First Platinum |
60GB(30GB weekdays 30 GB weekend), ulimited Whatsapp and Wechat |
RM150 |
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4 |
Maxis |
Maxis ONE Plan 98 |
20GB, free calls and texts |
RM 98 |
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Maxis ONE Plan 128 |
30GB, free calls and texts |
RM128 |
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Maxis ONE Plan 158 |
40GB, free calls and texts |
RM158 |
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Maxis ONE Plan 188 |
50GB, free calls and texts |
RM188 |
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The table says it all. For those on a budget but want more data, U mobile currently got your back. Unfortunately, their plan is on offer. We don’t know the day they’ll decide to upgrade it. That puts Digi’s Postpaid 80 Infinite as the next favorite plan for heavy data users.
Maxis' competitors have, hands down, put it in an unfavorable position in terms of data to price ratio. However, that doesn’t make it bad at all. In fact, it’s the ideally the best LTE Network in Malaysia if you can afford its postpaid plans.
According to OpenSignal's 2016 report, Maxis is currently the 4G 'king' in Malaysia. The report shows that its 4G users were assured of flawless connectivity 70% of the time. Regarding speeding, Maxis still holds the edge given its unbeatable LTE availability.
It's a bit hard to be fair enough on this. If all you need is an affordable plan with unlimited calls and texts across all networks, U mobile's Hero Postpaid P98 seems the best option. The downside here is that this plan is on a limited offer and may change for the worst anytime soon. As a frequent caller on a budget, you are left with one option; Digi’s Postpaid 80 Infinite.
It's also a tie between U Mobile and Digi regarding the best postpaid plan for heavy data users.
However, if you badly require good surfing and downloading speeds and unlimited calls and texts across all networks, Maxis carries the day. They have a wider coverage and a higher average download speed of 5Mbps.
Sources:
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