Having a mobile phone these days isn’t just about calling and texting anymore. There was a time when choosing a mobile phone plan boiled down to call rates and cost per SMS. Unlimited calls and messages was a rarity.
Those days are gone as mobile users leave calls and SMS behind, and concentrate on mobile data. With this in mind, mobile users tend to compare plans by looking for plans based solely on what data is being offered.
This boils down to the fact that we are simply consuming more and more data for browsing, social media and chatting. With most communications happening through data based applications, data is becoming the number 1 priority. Telco providers have begun to recognise this and are responding with more value-packed plans that focus on mobile data with additional perks for calls and text.
Previously, mobile users had to pay just below a hundred bucks just for a meagre 1GB of data a month. Which was not just expensive but definitely insufficient if you regularly stream YouTube videos, or play online games on your smartphone.
The game is changing though and we’re seeing more providers offering much better deals for data.
1. Who offers the cheapest price per GB of data?
We’ve come a long way for mobile data with the highest available data plan today at a whopping 20GB. However, it doesn’t come for cheap. There’s having enough data and there’s overpaying for data you don’t need.
First of all, if you are a regular mobile user who use your smartphone for social media, some video streaming, emailing and surfing and some online gaming – it is safe to assume that you need more than 5GB of data, or more if you do a lot of all the activities mentioned here.
High data is not very hard to come by in Malaysia, but looking for a high data plan with affordable price can be a like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Here’s a brief comparison of what’s available in the market according to mobile data:
* 7GB + 8GB (from March 15 to June 30) | * 5GB monthly Internet + 1.25GB on each weekend (5GB weekend Internet) | ||
(RM10 per GB after June 2016) | (RM14 per GB after June 30, 2016) |
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Comparing to what’s out there, U Mobile’s Hero Postpaid P70 presently offers the lowest cost per GB, as you’ll be paying only RM70 for 15GB of data during the promotional period. Though it is not the highest data quota in the market, it is definitely sufficient for most of your data needs but what’s more important is that it has by far the best value per gigabyte.
2. What about calls?
As much as we like to use WhatsApp or other chatting app for all our communication needs, phone calls still matter. Connecting with loved ones over the phone and listening to their voices beats texting and using emojis to express your love any time.
Not just to talk to your family and friends, calls are equally important for many jobs in Malaysia. Imagine a sales person having to pay for every extra minute they spend closing a deal over the phone – a huge chunk of his or her commission would probably end up with the telco company.
If making calls is important to you, then this will definitely be a consideration when choosing a mobile data plan. U Mobile’s Hero Postpaid P70, along with the other providers who offer similar packages also do offer unlimited calls to all networks.
However, other providers which give this option tend to cost more and provide less data. And in some cases, if you want more data you have to sacrifice your talk time.
to all networks Pay as you use SMS at RM0.03 per SMS to UMobile users and RM0.08 per SMS to others | and SMS to all networks | and SMS to all networks | and SMS to all networks RM0.20 per MMS |
3. What about shared plans?
In recent years, we’ve seen plenty of affordable plans with generous data going around in Malaysia. With so much data, it’s possible to share the plans with your loved ones.
Since you are already committed to paying a certain amount monthly, wouldn’t it be better to share your phone plan with your family members to save on total household mobile plan fees?
Though all providers offer shared calls and Internet with supplementary line, U Mobile has quite an attractive package for shared plan.
Known as the Hero Plus Plan, it is a combination of a P70 postpaid plan and a Share 50 member line.
Here’s what the Hero Plus Plan offers:
| Shareable monthly data | 15GB* + 3GB additional data per share line • 2 lines = 18GB • 3 lines = 21GB • 4 lines = 24 GB * 7GB + 8GB (from March 15 to June 30) |
| Calls | Unlimited call to all networks for all lines |
| SMS | Pay as you use To U Mobile network = RM0.03/SMS To other networks = RM0.08/SMS |
| Maximum supplementary lines | 3 lines per principal line |
| Price per share line | RM50 |
| Total cost per month | • 2 lines = RM70 (plan) + RM50 (share line) = RM120 • 3 lines = RM70 (plan) + (RM50 x 2) (share line) = RM170 • 4 lines = RM70 (plan) + (RM50 x 3) (share line) = RM220 |
If you find the shareable data is insufficient during certain months, you can always get a data booster at an affordable price of only RM10 for 1.5GB.
| Plans | ||||
| Data | (Shareable) | 5GB monthly Internet + 5GB weekend Internet (Non-shareable) Supplementary 500MB | (Shareable) * Data quota reverts to 7GB after 6 months | 7GB (Non-shareable) Supplementary 1GB |
| Calls | Unlimited to all networks | Unlimited to all networks Supplementary 2,000 mins (between family members only) | Unlimited to all networks | Unlimited to all networks SupplementaryUnlimited (between family members only) |
| Price | = RM120 | = RM110 | = RM236 | = RM106 * Price reverts to RM98 after June 30, 2016 |
| Cost per line | (RM63 per line after promotional period) |
Based on the comparison above, U Mobile only has one real competitor but during the promotional period, you get 7.5GB more data which is quite hefty value.
If you’re traveling about often, U Mobile’s offering is impressive. They’re the first provider to offer FREE Internet roaming, limited to 50MB Internet Roaming quota daily. This will be automatically refreshed every day. The subsequent usage is capped at maximum RM30 per day. This is great because when you’re traveling all you really need is basic chat functionality as heavier usage (like updating your Instagram) can be done once you get to wifi #latergram.
In general, Malaysians spend an average RM100 to RM200 every month on their mobile phone bill which is the second highest in the region. So a plan that halves that but with even more data, is always welcome.
The U Mobile Hero plan offers great value for money as it offers the lowest price point for a high amount of data. Don’t be stuck paying more than you should on a mobile plan that offers you minimal amount of data. Make the right choice!
Image from Mobile Advertising Watch
