To use the Internet on your mobile, there are usually 2 routes. Get a data plan which is usually expensive or go on Pay-As-You-Go basis. For light users, a monthly data plan is usually costly and sometimes too much for just the occasional social networking updates and web browsing on your mobile phone. On the other hand, the normal 3G pay-as-you-go rates of 10sen/10KB are just too expensive because 1MB of data will cost you RM10.

So where’s the middle ground? Here’s where the Maxis Value Plus Internet plans come in giving you low commitment plans that also come with mobile internet, calls and SMS.

The Plans

For those that spend a little, you can start off with Value Plus Internet 50 (RM50/monthly) which comes with 250MB of data, 100 minutes of calls and 100 SMS. All bundled calls and SMS are applicable to all local numbers in Malaysia, except of course if you’re on roaming. Additional phone calls are charged at 12sen/minute to Maxis numbers while calls to other networks are charged at 20sen/minute. For SMS, they charge 5sen to Maxis numbers and 15sen to other networks.

For Maxis Value Plus Internet, all additional usages are charged at 30sen per MB which is considerably cheaper than the usual RM10/MB on the normal pay-as-you-go rate. At 30sen/MB, an additional 50MB on your Value Plus Internet plan would cost RM15 as opposed to RM500 if you are to follow the 10sen/10kb pay-as-you-go rate.

If 30sen/MB is too much for you, there’s a cheaper option. The Maxis Value Plus Internet plans also offers time sensitive mobile internet quota upgrades from as little as RM2/hour or RM8/day or RM10/GB for 3 days. This gives you the flexibility to stay connected cheaply when you need the data the most.

According to Maxis, an SMS notification will be sent if you hit 80% of your quota, giving you ample time to plan your quota upgrade purchase. In addition, Maxis does not throttle your data connectivity if you exceed your data quota.

If you need more talk time and use more than 300MB a month, there’s the Value Plus Internet 80 (RM80/monthly) which comes with 500MB data, 300 minutes of calls and 300 SMS.

For just RM30/month extra, you get double the data and triple the number of calls/SMS of the Value Plus Internet 50. Calls to other networks are cheaper too on the Value Plus Internet 80 at 18sen/minute as opposed to 20sen/minute on the Value Plus Internet 50.

Supplimentary Line
Supplementary lines users can get on the mobile internet bandwagon too with the Maxis Value Plus Internet 30 for supplementary line plan. At RM30/month the Value Plus Internet 30 for supplementary lines come with 250MB of data, 50 minutes of talktime and 50 SMS. You also get free 15 hours of talktime and 1500 SMS between family lines.

These new plans from Maxis are great alternatives for light browsers and those who want to stay connected casually but don’t want to commit to expensive data plans. No doubt there are cheaper plans out there in the market but Maxis boasts on having superior voice quality and 3G coverage nationwide. It’s something you can consider if you’re not a hardcore mobile surfer.

For more information, click on the banner below.

For this coming Chinese New Year, Maxis is doing a buy 1 and get another 50% off promo on BlackBerry. However it is limited to the BlackBerry Bold 9900 and you have a choice between a Curve 9300 and a Curve 8520 for discounted purchase.

To entitle for this promo, you would need to get the Bold 9900 bundled with 24 months. The Bold 9900 goes for RM1,630 on BIS 55 which comes with 500MB (with free 500MB extra) and RM1,390 on BIS 90 which comes with 3GB of data. Then you have a choice to get a Curve 9300 at RM434 or the Curve 8520 at RM299. From the site, it appears that the additional device is contract free with no additional subscription required.

For more information, head over to Maxis BlackBerry Page.

In a surprise turn of events, Maxis is now re-offering the Samsung Galaxy S II on its bundled plan options. It goes for as low as RM1,099 with 24 months data add-on of 1.5GB or 3.0GB. For those that rather commit less for shorter period of time, it can be yours for RM1,499 with 12 months contract of 500MB data plan.

Surprisingly the data plan rates are still showing the old rates with 500MB plan at RM58/month which was recently revised.

With Maxis now re-offering Samsung devices, hopefully they would be bundling the Galaxy Note and Galaxy Nexus as well. For more information, head over to Maxis Android page.

If you carry lots of gadgets on the go such as an iPad or WiFi only tablets, a portable wireless router or MiFi is rather useful solution. Now Maxis is giving away a Free Huawei MiFi if you subscribe for its 6GB Broadband package of 12 months. The 6GB Broadband plan goes for RM98/month but existing Maxis subscribers can get it cheaper at RM88/month. That’s a pretty decent deal to have your very own mobile WiFi hotspot as long as you are within the 3G coverage areas.

There’s a RM100 activation fee and if you terminate before the 12 months are up, there’s a RM200 penalty charge. If you need more data, you can top up more quota from RM8 for 500MB/day up to RM28 for 1GB that’s valid for 30 days.

For more information, head over to Maxis.

For this Chinese New Year, Maxis is offering the iPhone 4S 32GB for free if you subscribe its iValue 4 plan of RM375/month for 24 months. Actually this isn’t new as it is an extension of its earlier promo which ended on 15th January 2012. Normally the iPhone 4S 32GB is offered at RM350 for 24 months on iValue 4.

For more information, head over to Maxis iPhone 4S page.

So how much does an iPhone 4S ownership cost on different telcos? Check out our plans comparison here.

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.

Before subscribing, you would need to understand the conditions & restrictions that apply with such plan. Firstly the unlimited Facebook access is limited to Facebook Java app or via m.facebook.com. Accessing through your smart phone Facebook apps or the full www.facebook.com site will incur data usage. Another tricky situation is that your unlimited facebook access will automatically expire if you used up the bundled data. This means if you finished your 10 Days quota on the first day, your unlimited Facebook access will be immediately revoked. As a result, you will be charged the standard pay as you go rate of 10sen per 10KB.

From the looks of it, this Facebook Internet Plans are better suited for feature phones with Java app where connectivity is normally accessed on ad-hoc basis. For smart phones such as iPhone, Android or BlackBerry, the tiny bundled data quota would be easily depleted from the usual background notification/services. We recommend sticking to the usual monthly data plans for better peace of mind. As always, do read up their FAQ before subscribing.

For monthly data subscribers, Maxis has updated the excess data usage to 30 sen per MB, which is currently being offered on its new Value Plus Internet plans.

For more information, head over to Maxis Mobile Internet Plans.

Two months after it was officially announced the iPhone 4S is finally here in Malaysia. If you’re not part of the first batch of iPhone 4S buyers that stood on line in the wee hours of the morning on December 16 then you’re probably biding your time to see if the iPhone 4S is the right device for you.

With the iPhone 4S available from three major operators at the same time, getting one has never been more complicating than it is now. With the selection of plans and options from different operators all offering different data, voice and monthly subscription packages, it’s very easy to get overwhelmed with what’s available in the market.

So which operator offers the best iPhone 4S plan for you? Can you get the iPhone 4S without a contract? Is the iPhone 4S really that good? How good is the camera? What about Siri? Does it work in Malaysia? What are other smartphones in the market right now that’s just as good as the iPhone 4S?

Whatever questions you might have about the iPhone 4S, we probably have the answer tucked away in a post somewhere. So head on over to right after the jump to check out what is probably the best iPhone 4S Buyers Guide in Malaysia right now.

iPhone 4S Plans
All the iPhone 4S plans compared
Can I buy the iPhone 4S outright without contract? Answer
What is the cheapest no-contract plan for the iPhone 4S? Answer

About the iPhone 4S
iPhone 4S Performance Benchmarks
Are there iPhone 4S alternatives that are just as good? Answer
By the numbers: iPhone 4S specs compared
iPhone 4S keynote – 90 minutes in 90 seconds
iPhone 4S Teardown
iPhone 4S Drop Test
Drop Test: iPhone 4S vs Samsung Galaxy S II

Everything about Siri
Siri review from a Malaysian perspective
Siri: Lost in Translation
Siri works well with an Indian accent
Will Siri support Bahasa Malaysia? Answer

How good is the camera on the iPhone 4S?
Ok, the iPhone 4S camera is seriously good
Cameras Compared: iPhone 4S vs Canon 5D MkII
Cameras Compared: iPhone 4S vs Sony Ericsson Xperia arc
Cameras Compared: iPhone 4S vs Nokia N9
Cameras Compared: iPhone 4S vs Meizu MX
Cameras Compared: iPhone 4S vs the rest

iPhone 4S – The funny stuff
Siri the virtual assistant versus an actual assistant
iPhone 4S: Will it Blend?
Banned iPhone 4S commercial
Stuff Siri Says
Siri Argument

The highly anticipated iPhone 4S was launched in Malaysia with the 3 big telcos offering iPhone 4S contract plans. While the plans offer all round bundles of text, sms and data, some people out there aren’t too keen with the contracted offers.

With Apple Online Store also offering the iPhone 4S outright from RM2199, consumers now have the freedom to choose other plans that suit their needs. It is also worth pointing out that the Apple Store is selling the 32GB and 64GB versions at a lower price compared to the listed RRP from the telcos.

Read on to find out other plan alternatives & ownership costs from DiGi, Maxis & even U Mobile.

The Alternative Plans

For those that uses more data than making calls and SMS, you can opt for DiGi’s SmartPlan 48, 68 and 88 which is a mobile data oriented plan. Calls and SMS are charged separately as you go which is perfect if you hardly make much calls. For the extreme data users, SmartPlan 88 offers a whopping 5GB data for only RM83/month. All DiGi subscription fees listed are after RM5/month rebate for auto-billing.

U Mobile in the other hand have something similar with their new data postpaid plans U28, U58 and U88 with bundled voice/sms. U28 is currently the cheapest option available with 1GB of data and 200+100 bundled SMS for only RM28/month. The subsequent higher plans U58 and U88 offer extra 1GB with more goodies of either calls and SMS. Just like its postpaid plans, U Mobile does not charge for extra usage but downloads will be throttled to lower speed.

If you need a bit of everything, there’s a U Mobile Unlimited Mobile Internet on prepaid that offers 500MB of data, 100 minute of voice calls and 30 SMS for only RM28/month. Unlike most prepaids, U Mobile offers uncapped download speeds.

Over at Maxis, if the iValue plans from RM100/month is too much to bear, you can opt for its recently introduced Value Plus Internet postpaid plans. There’s Value Plus Internet 50 and Value Plus Internet 80 which offers 250MB and 500MB respectively with bundled talk time and minutes. Although the subscription is lower than iValue plans, the bundled data is rather low, at least 4X less than its competitors. Another word of caution is that Maxis charges for excess usage at 30sen/MB. If you see yourself using more than 500MB/month, you are better off with iValue Plans.

Cost of ownership

So how much does it cost in the long run? We calculated the iPhone 4S which you buy directly from the Apple Online Store and the total minimum subscription fee (excluding excess usage) in 12 and 24 month duration below:

24 months duration

12 months duration

Summary
From the comparison above, U Mobile’s U28 Postpaid and Unlimited Mobile Internet package on Prepaid is the cheapest plan for the iPhone 4S from just RM28/month. Compared to the mainstream iPhone 4S plans from the big 3, the total minimum cost of ownership (iPhone 4S 16GB + subscription) is only RM2,871 over 24 months. As comparison, the cost of ownership of the iPhone 4S on the lowest commitment Celcom i68 plan for 24 months is RM3,270.

All calculation above are based on minimum usage assumption without exceeding the bundled data, talk time and minutes. Whichever option you choose from the above, you are free to cancel or switch operators at anytime since the iPhone 4S is bought outright without contract.

As always, we would advise studying your mobile phone usage patterns from your monthly bill to find out which plan is suitable to your needs. Plans and pricing aside, other factors to consider is network coverage, service and customer service quality which varies depending on area.

If you spot any mistakes, do alert us at the comments below.

For more information on the plans above, click on the links below:
U Mobile U28, U58 & U88
U Mobile Prepaid Unlimited Mobile Internet
Maxis Value Plus Internet Postpaid
DiGi DG SmartPlan 48, 68 & 88

Related Posts
iPhone 4S now available at Apple Online Store
iPhone 4S DiGi, Maxis & Celcom Plans compared
iPhone 4S Camera compared
iPhone 4S Siri Review

Update: The iPhone 4S is also available at Machines. Details after the jump.

UPDATE 2: iPhone 4S now available on Apple Store from RM2,199.

We are less than 24 hours away from the Malaysian launch of the iPhone 4S. Earlier we have seen the iPhone 4S plans but which telco would be the first to let you have one in your hands?

Last week, Celcom was the first to offer pre-booking where iPhone 4S hopeful can fill up a form to secure their unit. However that wasn’t that convincing as registrants didn’t get any confirmation code or email for assurance.

This was followed by Maxis which offers RSVP for selected subscribers. They are given a link to book their units at their preferred time slots. Maxis execution was better as subscribers we’re given a unique code and clearly Maxis was better in handling from their last iPhone 4 launch.

On Sunday, DiGi has up the ante by offering pre-ordering where the iPhone 4S plans and pricing was revealed. Users that want to be the first “owners” could actually buy it online and have it shipped directly to them on 16th December. This makes DiGi the first to sell the iPhone 4S, but they would still need to wait for delivery on 16th December itself..

So which of the 3 actually lets you have one at the stroke of midnight? Read on as we list out the launch sales activities and availability.

Update: Apple authorised reseller, Machines will also start selling the iPhone 4s from 2pm onwards today. The units are not contract free and you only have one telco option — Maxis. Details from Machines’ Facebook page.

1. Purchase of iPhone 4s must be accompanied with any Maxis iValue plans.
2. Customer need to ensure that they are existing Maxis customer (any active/current Maxis postpaid or prepaid plan user). We will only accept the following iPhone 4s purchase from:
- Change of rate plans (existing Maxis post paid plan user to iValue plan)
- Maxis Hotlink change to iValue plan
- iValue plan extension (maximum contract period of up to 30 months)
3. Limited to 1 unit of iPhone 4s per customer
4. Color and model selection is final
5. While stocks last

DiGi

Just a few hours ago, DiGi has revealed that the iPhone 4S will be available nationwide this Friday. To be the first to get it at midnight, DiGi’s SoHoKL centre will be open for 24-hours on 16th and 17th December, which makes it 48 hours straight from 12:00AM on 16th till 11:59PM on 17th.

If you are outside KL or at other states, it is also available across more than 100 participating outlets nationwide. Most places especially in shopping malls are operating from 10AM to 10PM while the rest especially outside Klang Valley are having an extended hours of 9AM to 8PM.

To find out more, head over to DiGi’s iPhone site and click on “Where to buy” tab.

Maxis

As most people already know, Maxis is doing a mega launch event at KL Convention Centre. Most subscribers would have already pre-booked their slots which runs from 12 midnight on the 16th December until 9PM on 17th December.

For the rest who haven’t booked, try your luck at their event or at their nationwide Maxis Centre and MEP outlets. You can get the full list of participating Maxis centres here. There’s no mention of business hours for their nationwide outlets at the moment.

Celcom

For Celcom, their launch event is happening tonight at La Bodega Bangsar. For those who have pre-booked online, you should be getting the details by email as shown above.

In terms of availability, Celcom is also offering it nationwide. Earlier on, they have accepted RM200 pre-bookings to secure your unit at their centres. Get the list of participating Celcom outlets here.

So which telco are you going for? If you can’t wait and haven’t booked a unit yet, you can try walking in but be warned, the night would be a long one.

Those looking for an iPhone 4S without contract, you might also want to check out the Apple Store at midnight onwards.

Want to know the difference between the iPhone 4S plans? Check out our DiGi, Maxis & Celcom iPhone 4S plan comparison.

Thanks to @Jaydoubleww and to all that have alerted us.