3G review 2011, Maxis vs Celcom vs Digi vs U Mobile
When high-speed internet becomes a necessity, choosing the right broadband is not becoming any simpler.
Unless you go for fixed line, then is “end of the story”, only one choice out there, some prefers to say “no choice”.
Things get complicated if you need the mobility, or broadband on the go. With Maxis, Celcom, Digi, U Mobile, P1, YES, and more to come; comparing prices, usage limit and sifting out hidden clauses in T&C turns out to be a daunting tasks.
This is a simple, yet comprehensive review on 3G broadband. P1 and YES are excluded since both are tagged as 4G.
Maxis broadband
Speed Test Results for Maxis broadbandWe start off with the big brother – Maxis broadband.
Paying RM100 upfront (registration fee according to Maxis, in fact is the modem cost) for 1.5GB plan with modem and no contract.
Speed wise, over 1Mbps is a norm, downloading from fast site will boost speed up to 2Mbps, occasionally drop below 1Mbps but recovers quickly.
This plan is for users with super lite usage: reading news, blogging, forum, online banking, downloading small files and maybe short video clips.
If you download movies, this plan is not for you. Nowadays a single HD movie could easily exceed 1.5GB. Go get yourself a Streamyx.
Strictly not for heavy downloader or P2P freak.
______________________________________________________________________________
Digi broadband
Speed Test Results for Digi broadband“The Yellow man” is the only 3G broadband that offers plan without modem. I signup the Discover Day Plan that comes with 3GB usage, paying RM30 advanced payment, I came home with a SIM card.
The SIM card can be used with any 3G modem that is unlocked, means not locked to a specified operator. I got a U Mobile modem for that purpose. After some simple configurations, I’m connected to Digi.
Download speed is average compared to Maxis, but it’s more consistent, with smaller degree of variations, speed is well maintained in the range of 800Kbps to 1.2Mbps most of the time.
Consistently high upload speed. If you do a lot of uploading, you could not go wrong with Digi, most of its peers are scoring 3 – 10 kbps in the upload category, with Digi, you can constantly achieve up to 30kbps.
At RM38, Digi Discover Day Plan is RM10 cheaper than Maxis’s entry level plan. Signup auto billing can save additional RM5 so only RM33 per month, a whopping 31% discount over Maxis.
The caveat about Discover Day Plan is the speed cap from 7pm. to 7.am, during which download speed drops to 128kbps. For most people, 128kbps is next to unusable. Flash sites will take ages to load, Youtube progress bar will stall forever. What else you can do with a 128kbps connection? Probably checking email, messenger, and some lite surfing if you got the extra patience…
But that is the whole selling point of Digi, if you got a fixed internet connection at home, this USB stick is meant for carrying around, for your day time surfing when you are not at home. At 3GB, it doubles the usage limit of the RM48 plan from Maxis. Guess Digi is targeting working executives with limited access to internet in the office, or with high mobility at work, travelling frequently to client sites for examples.
_____________________________________________________________________________
U Mobile broadband
Speed Test Results for U Mobile broadbandU Mobile is a special breed among 3G broadband providers. It has an unlimited package.
Rest assured there’s no free lunch in the world, it actually comes with 5GB usage limit, for RM68 per month, fair enough.
Paying RM168 upfront (RM100 modem, RM68 advanced payment), I’m happy to find out that U Mobile has a terrific download speed. Okay, I mean comparing to other 3G broadbands in Malaysia.
2Mbps is a norm, sometimes creeping up to 2.5Mbps when downloading from file sharing site like Filesonic.
I’ve been using it for 1 month and very happy with the performance and stability, never drop a connection so far.
Umobile has a rebate scheme for modem, RM20 rebates for first 5 months, so you only pay RM48 per month. What a deal!!! For the same price, you only get 1.5GB from Maxis.
Read the full review on U Mobile broadband.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Celcom broadband
Celcom has very poor reception at my house, I even have difficulties to get it connected so a full review is impossible.
Using Celcom broadband at my workplace, deep in the center of a building, a room enclosed with plywood partitions, with poor ventilation and no direct access to windows. Celcom displayed 1 bar of signal but surprisingly able to connect although getting snails like speed (slower than EDGE, webpage will never finish loading)
At the same location, Maxis displays excellent connectivity and speed (impressive full bars of signals). This is followed by Digi and Umobile. The weird things about U Mobile, it’s displaying only 1 signal bar, but I can get it connected with little (if any) slowdown on speed.
Generally the signal strength of Celcom is weaker than others, but if you got decent signal, Celcom is pretty fast, hovering between 1 – 1.5Mbps, though no way as fast as U Mobile and Maxis.
Verdict
Maxis possess very strong signal strength and the best signal penetration among all 3G broadband. Speed is almost as fast as Umobile, but its price tag of RM48 and smaller usage cap of 1.5GB make it less attractive than Umobile and Digi.
Digi is a balance between download and upload, suitable for users that upload photos to facebook , video to youtube, and for webmaster transferring files (FTP) to remote servers. Digi is also the cheapest, 3GB for RM33 with auto billing or RM38 without.
Umobile is a download powerhouse, speed over 2Mbps backed by 5GB usage limit. It caters to the needs of heavy downloader looking for mobility. RM20x5 rebates translated into RM48 per month and RM68 after 5 months.
Celcom might be a good choice if your area is near to the base station/transmitter and there is no obstacle that jeopardise the signal.
Download speed: Umobile (>2Mbps), Maxis (>2Mbps), Celcom (1.2Mbps), Digi (1Mbps)
Fast download and value for money : UMobile
Fast upload and value for money : Digi
Best signal strength / penetration power : Maxis
Monday, October 31, 2011
DIGI AND U MOBILE SIGNS DOMESTIC ROAMING AGREEMENT
DIGI AND U MOBILE SIGNS DOMESTIC ROAMING AGREEMENT
Shah Alam, 10 December 2009 – DiGi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd (DiGi) and U Mobile Sdn Bhd have today entered into a Domestic Roaming Agreement giving U Mobile access to DiGi’s nationwide 2G network in Malaysia.
The agreement, which is for 3 years, will see DiGi as the exclusive provider of domestic roaming traffic services for U Mobile. This will enable U Mobile to offer its customers an enhanced portfolio of voice, SMS and data services (including GPRS/EDGE) nationwide. The agreement will also ensure the establishment of seamless hand-over of voice calls from U Mobile’s 3G network to DiGi’s 2G network.
Johan Dennelind, Chief Executive Officer of DiGi said, “We have proven that our network offers high quality and stable coverage, and today DiGi offers the newest Turbo 3G (14.4Mbps HSPA) network in the market to complement our 2G network. We are pleased to extend our 2G network reach to even more mobile and internet customers through this partnership.”
“We see wholesale as a business opportunity. By prudently leveraging off our existing infrastructure, we will benefit from increased network utilization and efficiency that can generate additional revenue for the company,” added Dennelind.
Kenneth Chang, Executive Director of U Mobile explained, “U Mobile has been aggressively rolling out its own 3G network, and today U Mobile has extensive 3G coverage in some key areas.”
He continued, “This relationship will complement U Mobile’s extensive 3G coverage by providing our customers a truly competitive product offering with nationwide voice and SMS, coupled with data services and better customer experience through seamless roaming. U Mobile always aims to provide better services to our customers.”
Shah Alam, 10 December 2009 – DiGi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd (DiGi) and U Mobile Sdn Bhd have today entered into a Domestic Roaming Agreement giving U Mobile access to DiGi’s nationwide 2G network in Malaysia.
The agreement, which is for 3 years, will see DiGi as the exclusive provider of domestic roaming traffic services for U Mobile. This will enable U Mobile to offer its customers an enhanced portfolio of voice, SMS and data services (including GPRS/EDGE) nationwide. The agreement will also ensure the establishment of seamless hand-over of voice calls from U Mobile’s 3G network to DiGi’s 2G network.
Johan Dennelind, Chief Executive Officer of DiGi said, “We have proven that our network offers high quality and stable coverage, and today DiGi offers the newest Turbo 3G (14.4Mbps HSPA) network in the market to complement our 2G network. We are pleased to extend our 2G network reach to even more mobile and internet customers through this partnership.”
“We see wholesale as a business opportunity. By prudently leveraging off our existing infrastructure, we will benefit from increased network utilization and efficiency that can generate additional revenue for the company,” added Dennelind.
Kenneth Chang, Executive Director of U Mobile explained, “U Mobile has been aggressively rolling out its own 3G network, and today U Mobile has extensive 3G coverage in some key areas.”
He continued, “This relationship will complement U Mobile’s extensive 3G coverage by providing our customers a truly competitive product offering with nationwide voice and SMS, coupled with data services and better customer experience through seamless roaming. U Mobile always aims to provide better services to our customers.”
U MOBILE AND CELCOM EXTENDED DOMESTIC ROAMING AGREEMENT
U MOBILE AND CELCOM EXTENDED DOMESTIC ROAMING AGREEMENT
Kuala Lumpur, 3 September 2010 – U Mobile Sdn Bhd and Celcom Axiata Berhad [formerly known as Celcom (Malaysia) Berhad] have extended their partnership on domestic roaming arrangement for another 3-year duration. This arrangement made effective 1 July 2010, and is an enhancement of the existing agreement.
The Domestic Roaming agreement was signed by the Chief Executive Officer of U Mobile, Dr. Kaizad Heerjee, on behalf of U Mobile while the Chief Executive Officer of Celcom, Dato’ Sri Shazalli Ramly, signed on behalf of Celcom.
The existing domestic roaming agreement between the two parties was first signed in year 2007 and was a landmark agreement, being the first such agreement of its kind in the country that allowed customers to enjoy complete nationwide mobile coverage at no additional cost to the users.
Through this renewed domestic roaming arrangement with Celcom, U Mobile customers will continue to enjoy nationwide coverage and improved user experience, with seamless hand-over of voice calls from U Mobile’s 3G network to Celcom’s 2G network. Later in the year, U Mobile subscribers roaming on Celcom’s 2G network will also be able to access data services such as Mobile Internet, MMS and Content Downloads.
Dr. Kaizad Heerjee, the CEO of U Mobile said, “The seamless integration between U Mobile’s 3G network and Celcom’s 2G network will deliver an unparallel level of mobile communications to the end users who constantly need to stay connected.”
“This move demonstrates the industry’s ability to arrive at a commercial agreement that helps meet the objective of the Ministry of Information Communication and Culture to benefit the consumers by providing nationwide coverage,” he added.
“We are pleased to continue the working relationship with U Mobile on the domestic roaming front. Through this collaboration, Celcom can carry on empowering U Mobile’s customers, offering them the convenience of the widest and the best coverage in Malaysia,” said Dato’ Sri Shazalli.
With the new commercial arrangement with Celcom, U Mobile will maximize the benefits for its customers by offering competitive products and value added services riding on its 3G network which provides fast, smooth and stable connection.
Kuala Lumpur, 3 September 2010 – U Mobile Sdn Bhd and Celcom Axiata Berhad [formerly known as Celcom (Malaysia) Berhad] have extended their partnership on domestic roaming arrangement for another 3-year duration. This arrangement made effective 1 July 2010, and is an enhancement of the existing agreement.
The Domestic Roaming agreement was signed by the Chief Executive Officer of U Mobile, Dr. Kaizad Heerjee, on behalf of U Mobile while the Chief Executive Officer of Celcom, Dato’ Sri Shazalli Ramly, signed on behalf of Celcom.
The existing domestic roaming agreement between the two parties was first signed in year 2007 and was a landmark agreement, being the first such agreement of its kind in the country that allowed customers to enjoy complete nationwide mobile coverage at no additional cost to the users.
Through this renewed domestic roaming arrangement with Celcom, U Mobile customers will continue to enjoy nationwide coverage and improved user experience, with seamless hand-over of voice calls from U Mobile’s 3G network to Celcom’s 2G network. Later in the year, U Mobile subscribers roaming on Celcom’s 2G network will also be able to access data services such as Mobile Internet, MMS and Content Downloads.
Dr. Kaizad Heerjee, the CEO of U Mobile said, “The seamless integration between U Mobile’s 3G network and Celcom’s 2G network will deliver an unparallel level of mobile communications to the end users who constantly need to stay connected.”
“This move demonstrates the industry’s ability to arrive at a commercial agreement that helps meet the objective of the Ministry of Information Communication and Culture to benefit the consumers by providing nationwide coverage,” he added.
“We are pleased to continue the working relationship with U Mobile on the domestic roaming front. Through this collaboration, Celcom can carry on empowering U Mobile’s customers, offering them the convenience of the widest and the best coverage in Malaysia,” said Dato’ Sri Shazalli.
With the new commercial arrangement with Celcom, U Mobile will maximize the benefits for its customers by offering competitive products and value added services riding on its 3G network which provides fast, smooth and stable connection.
Celcom and DiGi Sign MoU for Advanced Network Collaboration
Celcom and DiGi Sign MoU for Advanced Network Collaboration
Celcom and DiGi Sign MoU for Advanced Network Collaboration
KUALA LUMPUR, 10 JUNE 2010: Celcom Axiata Berhad [formerly known as Celcom (Malaysia) Berhad] ("Celcom") and DiGi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd ("DiGi") today announced plans to explore long-term network and infrastructure collaboration in Malaysia.
The Memorandum of Understanding ("MoU") signed between Celcom, DiGi, and their respective major shareholders Axiata Group Berhad ("Axiata") and Telenor Asia Pte Ltd ("Telenor") will focus on three collaborative areas, namely operations and maintenance, transmission and site sharing, and radio access network.
The proposed active sharing model is geared towards generating significant operational and cost efficiencies for both operators by removing duplication of base station sites, addressing escalating rental fees, reducing utility bills and transmission costs, optimising deployment of base stations per area, and redeploying equipment between redundant and new sites.
The MoU is among the first such collaboration in the world with a wide and comprehensive scope. This is the first time two major network operators in Malaysia are considering extensive collaboration of network resources. A definitive agreement is expected to be reached before the end of 2010 once both parties have agreed on the long-term economic and operational viability of this collaboration.
This agreement also closely reflects an earlier accord for the sharing of network resources in Bangladesh between Axiata and Telenor Asia, through their respective operating companies Axiata (Bangladesh) Limited and Grameenphone Ltd. It signals the commitment of Axiata Group and Telenor Group to explore initiatives regarding network resources collaboration in Asia that could bring long-term significance in cost savings and environmental benefits.
The MoU was signed in the presence of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission Chairman Tan Sri Khalid Ramli. Signing on behalf of their respective companies were Dato' Sri Shazalli Ramly, CEO of Celcom; Henrik Clausen, CEO of DiGi; Dato' Sri Jamaludin Ibrahim, Managing Director/President and Group CEO of Axiata; and Sigve Brekke, Executive Vice President of Telenor Group and Head of Telenor Region Asia.
On the MoU, Mr. Clausen explained, "Maturing mobile markets like Malaysia can benefit from extensive network sharing as a key strategy to drive cost and operational efficiency. These efficiencies will in turn allow us to explore new and innovative ways to provide wider coverage at better costs for our customers, especially in facilitating the strong demand for data services nationwide. This is the main driver behind this collaboration, and we see clear advantages in moving forward together on a long-term, sustainable business model."
"With higher internet penetration, networks are becoming more data-centric than voice-centric, driving an increased capacity requirement in all points of the network infrastructure. In the long run, it is more practical to explore other alternatives to address this shift in trend. This collaboration is a new milestone not only for Celcom and DiGi, it is also a brand new chapter for the local industry and the country, positioning Malaysia as a pioneer in network infrastructure sharing. Ultimately, we look forward to improved quality of service and increased shareholder value, benefiting both the consumers and service providers" said Dato' Sri Shazalli.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Celcom and DiGi MoU for Advanced Network Collaboration Extended
Celcom and DiGi MoU for Advanced Network Collaboration Extended
KUALA LUMPUR, 10 DECEMBER 2010: Celcom Axiata Berhad (Celcom) and DiGi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd (DiGi) today announced extension of the Memorandum of Understanding to explore long-term network and infrastructure collaboration by 3 months.
The MoU was signed on 10 June 2010 between Celcom, DiGi, and their respective major shareholders Axiata Group Berhad and Telenor Asia Pte Ltd to study feasibility of collaboration in the areas of operations and maintenance, transmission and site sharing, and radio access network. The proposed active sharing model is geared towards generating significant operational and cost efficiencies for both operators by removing duplication of base station sites, addressing escalating rental fees, reducing utility bills and transmission costs, optimising deployment of base stations per area, and redeploying equipment between redundant and new sites.
Celcom and DiGi are now at an advanced stage of discussion and require an extension to finalize the feasibility study and agree on framework of the potential partnership. Both are aiming towards a binding agreement by 31 January 2011.
Celcom and DiGi Sign MoU for Advanced Network Collaboration
KUALA LUMPUR, 10 JUNE 2010: Celcom Axiata Berhad [formerly known as Celcom (Malaysia) Berhad] ("Celcom") and DiGi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd ("DiGi") today announced plans to explore long-term network and infrastructure collaboration in Malaysia.
The Memorandum of Understanding ("MoU") signed between Celcom, DiGi, and their respective major shareholders Axiata Group Berhad ("Axiata") and Telenor Asia Pte Ltd ("Telenor") will focus on three collaborative areas, namely operations and maintenance, transmission and site sharing, and radio access network.
The proposed active sharing model is geared towards generating significant operational and cost efficiencies for both operators by removing duplication of base station sites, addressing escalating rental fees, reducing utility bills and transmission costs, optimising deployment of base stations per area, and redeploying equipment between redundant and new sites.
The MoU is among the first such collaboration in the world with a wide and comprehensive scope. This is the first time two major network operators in Malaysia are considering extensive collaboration of network resources. A definitive agreement is expected to be reached before the end of 2010 once both parties have agreed on the long-term economic and operational viability of this collaboration.
This agreement also closely reflects an earlier accord for the sharing of network resources in Bangladesh between Axiata and Telenor Asia, through their respective operating companies Axiata (Bangladesh) Limited and Grameenphone Ltd. It signals the commitment of Axiata Group and Telenor Group to explore initiatives regarding network resources collaboration in Asia that could bring long-term significance in cost savings and environmental benefits.
The MoU was signed in the presence of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission Chairman Tan Sri Khalid Ramli. Signing on behalf of their respective companies were Dato' Sri Shazalli Ramly, CEO of Celcom; Henrik Clausen, CEO of DiGi; Dato' Sri Jamaludin Ibrahim, Managing Director/President and Group CEO of Axiata; and Sigve Brekke, Executive Vice President of Telenor Group and Head of Telenor Region Asia.
On the MoU, Mr. Clausen explained, "Maturing mobile markets like Malaysia can benefit from extensive network sharing as a key strategy to drive cost and operational efficiency. These efficiencies will in turn allow us to explore new and innovative ways to provide wider coverage at better costs for our customers, especially in facilitating the strong demand for data services nationwide. This is the main driver behind this collaboration, and we see clear advantages in moving forward together on a long-term, sustainable business model."
"With higher internet penetration, networks are becoming more data-centric than voice-centric, driving an increased capacity requirement in all points of the network infrastructure. In the long run, it is more practical to explore other alternatives to address this shift in trend. This collaboration is a new milestone not only for Celcom and DiGi, it is also a brand new chapter for the local industry and the country, positioning Malaysia as a pioneer in network infrastructure sharing. Ultimately, we look forward to improved quality of service and increased shareholder value, benefiting both the consumers and service providers" said Dato' Sri Shazalli.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Celcom and DiGi MoU for Advanced Network Collaboration Extended
Celcom and DiGi MoU for Advanced Network Collaboration Extended
KUALA LUMPUR, 10 DECEMBER 2010: Celcom Axiata Berhad (Celcom) and DiGi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd (DiGi) today announced extension of the Memorandum of Understanding to explore long-term network and infrastructure collaboration by 3 months.
The MoU was signed on 10 June 2010 between Celcom, DiGi, and their respective major shareholders Axiata Group Berhad and Telenor Asia Pte Ltd to study feasibility of collaboration in the areas of operations and maintenance, transmission and site sharing, and radio access network. The proposed active sharing model is geared towards generating significant operational and cost efficiencies for both operators by removing duplication of base station sites, addressing escalating rental fees, reducing utility bills and transmission costs, optimising deployment of base stations per area, and redeploying equipment between redundant and new sites.
Celcom and DiGi are now at an advanced stage of discussion and require an extension to finalize the feasibility study and agree on framework of the potential partnership. Both are aiming towards a binding agreement by 31 January 2011.
DiGi launches Malaysia's first telco prepaid card
DiGi launches Malaysia's first telco prepaid card
First simple and secure payment card with telco-related rewards exclusively for DiGi customers
Shah Alam, 16 August 2011: DiGi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd ("DiGi") today announced the launch of Malaysia's first telco-branded prepaid payment card, the DiGi Simple MasterCard. In collaboration with Alliance Bank Malaysia Berhad and MasterCard International, the new offering is the first convenient and secure cashless payment card in the market to offer telco benefits.
The prepaid card enables cardholders the simplicity to make purchases, much like a credit card, with an easy subscription process that does not require a banking account; incur fees related to credit cards, or the necessary income eligibility criteria and credit evaluation.
DiGi's Head of Financial Services, Galvin Yeo said that the DiGi Simple Prepaid MasterCard offers customers a simpler yet rewarding way to pay for goods and services, minus the complexity of owning a credit or debit card. "We have combined the purchasing philosophy of a credit card and the payment philosophy of prepaid mobile services to make it easier for our customers. DiGi users who previously were not entitled to a credit or debit card now have the option of making cashless transactions, with the added convenience of performing cash withdrawals with our card."
Exclusively for DiGi Prepaid, Postpaid and Enterprise customers above 18-years-old with valid personal identification and local mailing address, the card can be used by topping up any amount not more than RM10,000 via cash deposit machines, ATMs or online funds transfer. Subsequently, cardholders can begin making purchases at any international and local MasterCard merchants or withdrawals at selected ATMs.
While it is simple to use, the card also provides customers limited risks involved in making physical or online transactions as usage is regulated by the amount deposited and stored on the card. Moreover, the card is a secure EMV chip-based card with the MasterCard SecureCode technology. The MasterCard security feature is an added layer used to authenticate cardholders' information for online payments, helping to improve safety of internet transactions.
Galvin said, "What differentiates the DiGi Simple MasterCard from normal bank offerings is that the benefits come in the form of telco rewards." He said customers using the card will enjoy exclusive offers, discounts and privileges from DiGi. These currently include:
•Up to 60 minutes of free On Net talktime when reloading with DiGi Prepaid
•Additional 100 Bonuslink points for DiGi postpaid bill payments
•Free RM30,000 Personal Accident insurance coverage for one year
•Special buy 1 get 1 free deals from Starbucks and TGV, subject to terms and conditions.
Galvin continued, "Customers can expect to enjoy different promotions in the future as we periodically update and add on new card features, a variety of choice discounts and rewards."
"At the end of the day, it is all about delivering relevant services to our customers that meets their needs and simultaneously reward them. We believe the DiGi Simple MasterCard will deliver on this promise. This is the start of more innovative products from DiGi's financial services offerings as we aim to enable more customers to benefit from the use of mobile technology in their daily lives."
To sign-up for the DiGi Simple MasterCard, existing DiGi Prepaid customers need only reload RM15 or purchase a new SIM pack, while DiGi Postpaid customers are eligible to apply simply by making their bill payments. The card is now available at DiGi Retail Centres and DiGi Centres in the Klang Valley, and will be available nationwide by September 2011.
For more information on the DiGi Simple MasterCard, please visit: www.digi.com.my/simple.
DiGi launches Malaysia's first telco prepaid card
First simple and secure payment card with telco-related rewards exclusively for DiGi customers
Shah Alam, 16 August 2011: DiGi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd ("DiGi") today announced the launch of Malaysia's first telco-branded prepaid payment card, the DiGi Simple MasterCard. In collaboration with Alliance Bank Malaysia Berhad and MasterCard International, the new offering is the first convenient and secure cashless payment card in the market to offer telco benefits.
The prepaid card enables cardholders the simplicity to make purchases, much like a credit card, with an easy subscription process that does not require a banking account; incur fees related to credit cards, or the necessary income eligibility criteria and credit evaluation.
DiGi's Head of Financial Services, Galvin Yeo said that the DiGi Simple Prepaid MasterCard offers customers a simpler yet rewarding way to pay for goods and services, minus the complexity of owning a credit or debit card. "We have combined the purchasing philosophy of a credit card and the payment philosophy of prepaid mobile services to make it easier for our customers. DiGi users who previously were not entitled to a credit or debit card now have the option of making cashless transactions, with the added convenience of performing cash withdrawals with our card."
Exclusively for DiGi Prepaid, Postpaid and Enterprise customers above 18-years-old with valid personal identification and local mailing address, the card can be used by topping up any amount not more than RM10,000 via cash deposit machines, ATMs or online funds transfer. Subsequently, cardholders can begin making purchases at any international and local MasterCard merchants or withdrawals at selected ATMs.
While it is simple to use, the card also provides customers limited risks involved in making physical or online transactions as usage is regulated by the amount deposited and stored on the card. Moreover, the card is a secure EMV chip-based card with the MasterCard SecureCode technology. The MasterCard security feature is an added layer used to authenticate cardholders' information for online payments, helping to improve safety of internet transactions.
Galvin said, "What differentiates the DiGi Simple MasterCard from normal bank offerings is that the benefits come in the form of telco rewards." He said customers using the card will enjoy exclusive offers, discounts and privileges from DiGi. These currently include:
•Up to 60 minutes of free On Net talktime when reloading with DiGi Prepaid
•Additional 100 Bonuslink points for DiGi postpaid bill payments
•Free RM30,000 Personal Accident insurance coverage for one year
•Special buy 1 get 1 free deals from Starbucks and TGV, subject to terms and conditions.
Galvin continued, "Customers can expect to enjoy different promotions in the future as we periodically update and add on new card features, a variety of choice discounts and rewards."
"At the end of the day, it is all about delivering relevant services to our customers that meets their needs and simultaneously reward them. We believe the DiGi Simple MasterCard will deliver on this promise. This is the start of more innovative products from DiGi's financial services offerings as we aim to enable more customers to benefit from the use of mobile technology in their daily lives."
To sign-up for the DiGi Simple MasterCard, existing DiGi Prepaid customers need only reload RM15 or purchase a new SIM pack, while DiGi Postpaid customers are eligible to apply simply by making their bill payments. The card is now available at DiGi Retail Centres and DiGi Centres in the Klang Valley, and will be available nationwide by September 2011.
For more information on the DiGi Simple MasterCard, please visit: www.digi.com.my/simple.
DiGi launches Malaysia's first telco prepaid card
MAXIS AND U MOBILE ENTER INTO MALAYSIA’S FIRST ACTIVE 3G RADIO ACCESS NETWORK SHARING AGREEMENT
MAXIS AND U MOBILE ENTER INTO MALAYSIA’S FIRST ACTIVE 3G RADIO ACCESS NETWORK SHARING AGREEMENT
~Multi-billion ringgit benefits to be realized for both parties
~Greater efficiency in delivering services
~Reduce environmental impact, foster sustainability
Kuala Lumpur, 21 October 2011– Maxis Broadband Sdn Bhd (Maxis) and U Mobile Sdn Bhd (U Mobile) today entered into a landmark multi-billion ringgit agreement to share Maxis’ 3G radio access networks (RAN), making the partnership the first active 3G RAN sharing arrangement to be deployed in Malaysia. The agreement will be for an initial period of 10 years.
The agreement also encompasses LTE sharing when the spectrum becomes available and the technology is rolled out which will deliver even better benefits to customers.
This collaboration marks a milestone in the telecommunications industry in Malaysia as it shares the active telecommunication systems and operating frequency spectrum and goes beyond the existing physical (passive) infrastructure sharing which has been practiced for long time between operators in the industry.
As a result of the collaboration, Maxis will receive a significant new source of revenue and will enhance utilization of its network in areas that are currently underutilized.
At the signing ceremony, Chief Executive Officer of Maxis, Sandip Das, said: “As an industry leader in the country, this collaboration is significant for Maxis as it reflects our commitment to promote non-duplication of infrastructure. Active sharing results in greater cost savings which in turn translates to increased direct revenue for both companies. More importantly it allows us to focus on providing innovative services and giving more value to customers, while having the benefit of doing all these in a more environmentally friendly manner. As a strong advocate of network-sharing, this will add to our existing carbon footprint reduction initiatives. To date, over 54% of our base stations sites are shared with other operators. This partnership will also accelerate broadband penetration in the country, paving the way towards achieving Digital Malaysia aspirations.”
This newly signed agreement is equally beneficial to U Mobile as it enables the company to accelerate the speed of its 3G network rollout by 4 to 5 times and at the same time achieve significant cost-savings through network sharing with Maxis. The shared locations will exclude urban market centers, such asKlang Valley, Penang, Johor Bahru and Ipoh, where U Mobile is committed to continue providing high speed mobile broadband services.
At the signing ceremony, Dr. Kaizad commented, “U Mobile is delighted to bring another first-of-its-kind innovation in the Malaysian market through this Active RAN Sharing partnership with Maxis. While active RAN sharing has been successfully done by some of the most innovative operators in the world, we are delighted to be the pioneer in Malaysia, and possibly the region. This will certainly set a new benchmark in the industry.”
Dr. Kaizad further added that “This mutually beneficial partnership with Maxis will accelerate the expansion of our current 3G footprint to more than 4,000 3G sites in Malaysia by early-2013. Furthermore, the extensive savings generated from this agreement will enable U Mobile to bring even more product and service innovation for our customers while at the same time assisting the government initiative of “Broadband for All”.
The RAN partnership also responds to the Government’s call for telcos to reduce duplication of network assets, enabling operators to deliver better services. In addition, this pact promotes increased competition at the service level rather than at the infrastructure level.
Mobile operators around the world are looking for cost efficiencies across the industry. In a mature market such as Malaysia, RAN sharing can considerably reduce CAPEX and OPEX, increase the speed of network rollouts, enhance coverage and more importantly to meet the rapidly increasing demands for data and voice capacity.
MAXIS AND U MOBILE ENTER INTO MALAYSIA’S FIRST ACTIVE 3G RADIO ACCESS NETWORK SHARING AGREEMENT
~Multi-billion ringgit benefits to be realized for both parties
~Greater efficiency in delivering services
~Reduce environmental impact, foster sustainability
Kuala Lumpur, 21 October 2011– Maxis Broadband Sdn Bhd (Maxis) and U Mobile Sdn Bhd (U Mobile) today entered into a landmark multi-billion ringgit agreement to share Maxis’ 3G radio access networks (RAN), making the partnership the first active 3G RAN sharing arrangement to be deployed in Malaysia. The agreement will be for an initial period of 10 years.
The agreement also encompasses LTE sharing when the spectrum becomes available and the technology is rolled out which will deliver even better benefits to customers.
This collaboration marks a milestone in the telecommunications industry in Malaysia as it shares the active telecommunication systems and operating frequency spectrum and goes beyond the existing physical (passive) infrastructure sharing which has been practiced for long time between operators in the industry.
As a result of the collaboration, Maxis will receive a significant new source of revenue and will enhance utilization of its network in areas that are currently underutilized.
At the signing ceremony, Chief Executive Officer of Maxis, Sandip Das, said: “As an industry leader in the country, this collaboration is significant for Maxis as it reflects our commitment to promote non-duplication of infrastructure. Active sharing results in greater cost savings which in turn translates to increased direct revenue for both companies. More importantly it allows us to focus on providing innovative services and giving more value to customers, while having the benefit of doing all these in a more environmentally friendly manner. As a strong advocate of network-sharing, this will add to our existing carbon footprint reduction initiatives. To date, over 54% of our base stations sites are shared with other operators. This partnership will also accelerate broadband penetration in the country, paving the way towards achieving Digital Malaysia aspirations.”
This newly signed agreement is equally beneficial to U Mobile as it enables the company to accelerate the speed of its 3G network rollout by 4 to 5 times and at the same time achieve significant cost-savings through network sharing with Maxis. The shared locations will exclude urban market centers, such asKlang Valley, Penang, Johor Bahru and Ipoh, where U Mobile is committed to continue providing high speed mobile broadband services.
At the signing ceremony, Dr. Kaizad commented, “U Mobile is delighted to bring another first-of-its-kind innovation in the Malaysian market through this Active RAN Sharing partnership with Maxis. While active RAN sharing has been successfully done by some of the most innovative operators in the world, we are delighted to be the pioneer in Malaysia, and possibly the region. This will certainly set a new benchmark in the industry.”
Dr. Kaizad further added that “This mutually beneficial partnership with Maxis will accelerate the expansion of our current 3G footprint to more than 4,000 3G sites in Malaysia by early-2013. Furthermore, the extensive savings generated from this agreement will enable U Mobile to bring even more product and service innovation for our customers while at the same time assisting the government initiative of “Broadband for All”.
The RAN partnership also responds to the Government’s call for telcos to reduce duplication of network assets, enabling operators to deliver better services. In addition, this pact promotes increased competition at the service level rather than at the infrastructure level.
Mobile operators around the world are looking for cost efficiencies across the industry. In a mature market such as Malaysia, RAN sharing can considerably reduce CAPEX and OPEX, increase the speed of network rollouts, enhance coverage and more importantly to meet the rapidly increasing demands for data and voice capacity.
MAXIS AND U MOBILE ENTER INTO MALAYSIA’S FIRST ACTIVE 3G RADIO ACCESS NETWORK SHARING AGREEMENT
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)