Tag Archives: home fibre broadband

Maxis Rushes Out Broadband Deals – Too Little, Too Late!

Maxis just rushed out its own broadband deals, and is offering a free speed upgrade for existing customers! Find out why it’s really too little, too late.

 

New Maxis Home Broadband Deals In October 2023!

In early October 2023, Unifi announced that all broadband customers will receive a free upgrade of their Internet speeds – up to 3X their current speeds!

Weeks later – on 27 October 2023, Maxis belatedly announces new 1 Gbps and 2 Gbps broadband packages, as well as its own broadband deals to fight back. Unfortunately, they are pretty much too little, too late.

On top of introducing the new 1 Gbps and 2 Gbps (overkill) packages, Maxis announced RM10 discounts for their cheaper broadband packages.

Broadband
Speed
Old
Price
New
Price
Promo
Price *
2 Gbps (New) NA RM 319 NA
1 Gbps (New) NA RM 249 Free Max Wifi
500 Mbps RM 159 RM 159 RM 149
300 Mbps RM 149 RM 139 RM 129
100 Mbps RM 129 RM 99 RM 89

* Only for new subscribers, and applicable to the first 24 months.

However, the pitiful RM10 discount is limited to new subscribers, and even then, only for the first 24 months! After that, the price goes back to the “New Price” list above.

This is quite unlike Digi or Unifi, whose prices are not limited to the first 24 months:

Broadband
Speed
Maxis Unifi * Digi
2 Gbps RM 319 RM 289 NA
1 Gbps RM 249 RM 159 RM 269
500 Mbps RM 149 x 24
Then RM 159
RM 139 RM 149
300 Mbps RM 129 x 24
Then RM
139
RM 129 Free 6 months
Then
RM 129
100 Mbps RM 89 x 24
Then RM
99
RM 89 RM 89

* After free speed upgrade

If you are an existing customer, Maxis has announced a free speed upgrade for customers on 100 Mbps or faster packages. However, details on this free upgrade – how much faster, and when they kick in – are only coming in November 2023.

Read more : Switching From Maxis To Digi Saves Me RM1.9K / Year!

 

New Maxis Business Broadband Deals In October 2023!

Maxis also announced a new 1 Gbps business broadband package, but curiously did not offer a 2 Gbps package for business users. You would think that a business would need a 2 Gbps package more than home users, right?

In any case, Maxis is offering slightly better discounts on its business broadband packages. However, you must be a new subscriber, and you must register by 30 November 2023!

If you are an existing customer – too bad, so sad. Unlike Home Fibre customers, Maxis did not announce any free speed upgrade for their Business Broadband customers. It appears that the only way to get an upgrade and save money is probably to migrate to a different provider

Broadband
Speed
Old
Price
New
Price
Promo
Price *
1 Gbps (New) RM 189
(early bird)
RM 299 NA
500 Mbps RM 269 RM 219 RM 199
300 Mbps RM 149 RM 179 RM 139
100 Mbps RM 139 RM 119 RM 99

* Only for new subscribers who register by 30 November 2023

That said – a quick check on their April prices show that Maxis was actually offering cheaper prices back then!

The 1 Gbps package was only RM189 – RM110 less than their “new price”, while the 300 Mbps package was only RM149 – RM30 less than their new price, and just RM10 more than their October-November 2023 promo price.

 

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How To Get Special Deals On Maxis Mobile + Broadband!

If you want the very best mobile + broadband deals from Maxis, there is only one way – you must first quit Maxis! Here is how it worked for me…

 

Don’t Bother Asking For Special Deals On Maxis Mobile / Broadband!

I have been a loyal Maxis customer for many years, and every time my contract comes up for renewal, I will ask for special deals to stay on. The most I will get is a free smartphone to renew my contract for another 2 years.

But finally, I had enough. I was stuck with 0-1 bar of mobile connectivity from March until September 2023, and Maxis wouldn’t even compensate me for the poor reception. So I gritted my teeth and waited out my contract.

Once my contract expired, I quickly decided that I would save over RM1,900 per year migrating to Digi. But out of (misplaced?) loyalty to Maxis, I called their customer care hotline, and even went to a Maxis Center to check if there are any deals for me to stay on.

As usual, Maxis had nothing to offer me as a loyal customer. But there was a surprise for me this year – I will not be receiving a free smartphone to continue my contract, unless I choose to upgrade to the new Maxis 5G plans… with an increase, of course!

So learn from my experience – don’t bother asking Maxis for any special deals to stay on as a loyal customer. To be fair, other telcos likely don’t offer deals to loyal customers to stay on as well. But I have only been a Maxis customer, and can only speak from my own experience.

Read more : Switching From Maxis To Digi Saves Me RM1.9K / Year!

 

How To Get Special Deals On Maxis Mobile + Broadband!

I discovered that the only way that Maxis will ever offer me any special deals to stay on, is if I actually quit their service. And even then, Maxis only did it at the very cusp of my migration process.

When Maxis was ready to hand over my five mobile numbers to Digi, a member of their retention department called me and offered these great deals to stay on.

Existing Maxis 4G Package : RM423 Per Month

First, I should point out that my existing Maxis package bundled a RM98 principal line with four supplementary lines, and 100 Mbps fibre broadband. By bundling with broadband, my principal line has unlimited data, albeit only on the 4G network. There is no 5G connectivity.

However, Maxis only allows a single Share 48 supplementary line with 30 GB of data for the RM98 principal line. So I have to pay a ridiculous RM38 for the remaining three supplementary lines, with just 1 GB of data.

The total pre-tax cost was RM399 per month, or RM4,788 per year.

Maxis 4G Plans 4G Data Cost
Postpaid 98 Unlimited RM 98
Postpaid Share 48 30 GB RM 48
Talk and Surf 1 1 GB RM 38
Talk and Surf 1 1 GB RM 38
Talk and Surf 1 1 GB RM 38
100 Mbps Fibre Unlimited RM 139
Total Before Tax RM 399

300 Mbps Broadband Offer : RM100 Per Month

First, Maxis agreed to match Digi’s offer of just RM100 per month for 300 Mbps. That’s RM39 (28%) cheaper than my current 100 Mbps plan, and RM49 (33%) off their current 300 Mbps plan.

Over two years, I will save RM1,176! But I was only getting this special offer because I was really quitting Maxis.

Bundled
Broadband
Maxis
Normal
Maxis
Special
Digi
100 Mbps RM 129 RM 90 RM 90
300 Mbps RM 149 RM 100 RM 100

Special Maxis 5G Offer #1 : RM245 Per Month

For the five mobile lines, Maxis offered me a RM245 plan, which would give every user 120 GB of 5G data per month.

There is a 2-year contract, but Maxis will throw in five free smartphones – a Vivo Y36 (8 GB + 256 GB) or equivalent per account.

Not only does that give all of us a heck of a lot of mobile data, and a new smartphone per person, it is also RM15 cheaper than my current package!

Maxis 5G Plans 5G Data Cost
Special Postpaid 49 120 GB RM 49
Special Postpaid 49 120 GB RM 49
Special Postpaid 49 120 GB RM 49
Special Postpaid 49 120 GB RM 49
Special Postpaid 49 120 GB RM 49
Total Before Tax RM 245

Special Maxis 5G Offer #2 : RM281 Per Month

Maxis also offered me a more expensive RM281 monthly plan, consisting of a principal line with 300 GB of data, and four supplementary lines with 50 GB of data.

It would come with a more expensive HONOR 90 smartphone with 12 GB RAM and 512 GB storage, with a 2-year contract.

I should point out that the supplementary lines are not only RM10 cheaper, they come with 50X more data, and 5G connectivity!!! Makes you want to tear your hair out, doesn’t it?

Maxis 5G Plans 5G Data Cost
Special Postpaid 169 300 GB RM 169
Special Postpaid 28 50 GB RM 28
Special Postpaid 28 50 GB RM 28
Special Postpaid 28 50 GB RM 28
Special Postpaid 28 50 GB RM 28
Total Before Tax RM 281

Special Maxis 4G Offer : Only RM200 Per Month!

If I prefer to stick with 4G connectivity only, Maxis offered me a 4G-only plan for just RM200 a month, without contract or free smartphone.

Basically, my supplementary lines would now get a ton of data, and I would save RM60 per month on my existing Maxis package!

Maxis 4G Plans 4G Data Cost
Special Postpaid 48 70 GB RM 48
Special Postpaid 48 70 GB RM 48
Special Postpaid 48 70 GB RM 48
Special Postpaid 28 50 GB RM 28
Special Postpaid 28 50 GB RM 28
Total Before Tax RM 200

 

Why I Declined The Special Deals On Maxis Mobile + Broadband!

While the special deals offered by the Maxis retention department were enticing – free phones! more data! more speed! – Digi still offered a substantially better deal.

My parents, for example, do not need 50 GB of data. They just needed something more reasonable than 1 GB, and I wanted to pay a more reasonable price for their lines.

On top of that, staying with Maxis would not solve my biggest problem – poor connectivity. I have been suffering from poor reception for six months (and counting), and sticking with Maxis for another 2 years was unthinkable.

Maxis may have once been known for having “better coverage” than other telcos. But if they cannot restore proper connectivity after 6 months (and counting), it’s time to move on. I also did not like the fact that they refused to compensate me for the poor connectivity all those months.

But this article is not about dissing Maxis. I wrote this article to share with you the best way to get such special deals from Maxis.

I called them, I even spent time at the Maxis Centre to talk to the staff. There was simply NO special deal or offer for an existing customer. You must literally quit Maxis – sign an agreement to port out to another telco, and be on the verge of switching, before Maxis will ever offer you these special deals.

Even if you want to stick with Maxis, you should still quit and port out to another telco at the end of your contract. This way, you will get access to these special deals. You will only lose out if you stay loyal.

As for me, I bid adieu to Maxis, and started my journey with Digi hours later. It was easy. You should give it a try!

 

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Switching From Maxis To Digi Saves Me RM1.9K / Year!

I just saved over RM1,900 per year by simply switching from Maxis to Digi! Here is what happened!

 

Switching From Maxis To Digi Saved Me RM1.9K / Year!

My contract with Maxis just expired, and I decided to see if it was worth renewing with them, or switching to Digi. I had earlier asked my neighbours using Digi, and most of them seemed happy with their service.

So I compared the latest mobile and broadband packages from both Maxis and Digi, and I was shocked by how much cheaper Digi was, compared to Maxis. Take a look at what I found!

Existing Maxis 4G Package : RM423 Per Month

My existing Maxis package bundled a RM98 principal line with four supplementary lines, and 100 Mbps fibre broadband. By bundling with broadband, my principal line has unlimited data, albeit only on the 4G network. There is no 5G connectivity.

However, Maxis only allows a single Share 48 supplementary line with 30 GB of data for the RM98 principal line. So I have to pay a ridiculous RM38 for the remaining three supplementary lines, with just 1 GB of data.

The total cost was RM423 per month, or RM5,075.28 per year. Maxis offered to let me continue with this 4G-only package, but I would no longer get any free smartphone for a 2 year contract.

Maxis 4G Plans 4G Data Cost
Postpaid 98 Unlimited RM 98
Postpaid Share 48 30 GB RM 48
Talk and Surf 1 1 GB RM 38
Talk and Surf 1 1 GB RM 38
Talk and Surf 1 1 GB RM 38
4G Backup Unlimited RM 0
100 Mbps Fibre Unlimited RM 139
Total Before Tax RM 399
6% Service Tax RM 23.94
TOTAL PAYABLE RM 422.94

New Maxis 5G Package : RM445 Per Month

If I wanted a free smartphone with a 2 year contract, I would need to upgrade to the new Maxis 5G plans. The existing RM98 4G plan has been replaced by a new RM109 5G plan – a RM 11 per month premium for 5G connectivity.

From what I understand, tying it with Maxis fibre broadband would still get me unlimited mobile data, but only on 4G. The 5G data is limited to 150 GB, which is more than plenty especially since 5G connectivity is limited.

What I cannot understand is why Maxis continues to limit this RM109 principal line to just one RM48 Share line. If I want all four supplementary lines to have more than 1 GB of data, I would need to upgrade my principal line to their RM199 plan! Ridiculous!

The only good news is they dropped the price of their 100 Mbps broadband from RM139 to RM129. But it makes more sense to upgrade to 300 Mbps for just RM149 per month. Even so, the new Maxis package works out to an unpalatable RM572.40 per month, or RM6,868.80 per year!

Maxis 5G Plans 5G Data Cost
Postpaid 199 4G : Unlimited
5G : 300 GB
RM 199
Postpaid Share 48 30 GB RM 48
Postpaid Share 48 30 GB RM 48
Postpaid Share 48 30 GB RM 48
Postpaid Share 48 30 GB RM 48
4G Backup Unlimited RM 0
300 Mbps Fibre Unlimited RM 149
Total Before Tax RM 540
6% Service Tax RM 32.40
TOTAL PAYABLE RM 572.40

Sorry, mum and dad, you guys are just going to have to put up with just 1 GB of data if we stick with Maxis.

With their sacrifice, I can get by with just paying Maxis RM445.20 per month, or RM5,342.40 per year. That’s a small 5% increase of RM267.12 per year.

This new package would also get me one of these smartphones with a 24-month contract:

  • Samsung A14
  • vivo A78
  • HONOR 90 Lite
Maxis 5G Plans 5G Data Cost
Postpaid 109 4G : Unlimited
5G : 150 GB
RM 109
Postpaid Share 48 30 GB RM 48
Talk and Surf 1 1 GB RM 38
Talk and Surf 1 1 GB RM 38
Talk and Surf 1 1 GB RM 38
4G Backup Unlimited RM 0
300 Mbps Fibre Unlimited RM 149
Total Before Tax RM 420
6% Service Tax RM 25.20
TOTAL PAYABLE RM 445.20

Digi 5G + 4G Package : Only RM286 Per Month!

But when I checked out the Digi plans, they completely wipe out Maxis.

The Digi RM90 principal line offers free 5G connectivity, with 60 GB of data per month. Unlike Maxis, tying up with Digi Fibre Broadband does not give me unlimited mobile data, but that’s okay – 60 GB is plenty.

More importantly, Digi lets me add up to six supplementary family lines, and their cheapest RM20 family line comes with 10 GB of data per month! That goes up to 15 GB with a 1-year contract, and 25 GB with a 2-year contract!

On top of that – Digi offers 300 Mbps fibre broadband for only RM 100 per month! Granted – there is no 4G backup, but that’s RM49 cheaper than Maxis! Would you pay RM49 per month for “4G backup”? Heck, no!

The Digi package is a mix of 4G and 5G, but that’s okay, because my parents no longer have to worry about how much data they have left.

Digi Plans Data Cost
Postpaid 90 5G : 60 GB RM 90
Postpaid Family 20 4G : 25 GB RM 20
Postpaid Family 20 4G : 25 GB RM 20
Postpaid Family 20 4G : 25 GB RM 20
Postpaid Family 20 4G : 25 GB RM 20
4G Backup NA NA
300 Mbps Fibre Unlimited RM 100
Total Before Tax RM 270
6% Service Tax RM 16.20
TOTAL PAYABLE RM 286.20

And here is the cherry on the top – for a 24-month contract, Digi gives you one of these two bonuses:

  • a free smartphone worth up to RM1,099 (HONOR 9o Lite / Samsung A14), or
  • extra 60 GB of mobile data, or
  • unlimited social media data, or
  • 5 GB of international roaming data in 70 countries

Needless to say, this Digi package is a much better deal, as it only costs RM286 per month, or RM3,434.40 per year!

 

How Much I Save Over 2 Years Switching From Maxis To Digi

In the end, I switched to the Digi Postpaid 90 principal line, and gave all of my supplementary lines a decent 25 GB of mobile data.

Over a standard two-year contract, I will end up saving RM 3,281.76, and get a free smartphone worth RM 1,099. That’s a total saving of RM 4,380.76! Just think of what you can do with all that money!

If I renewed with Maxis, I would have upgraded to their new 5G plan to get that free smartphone and unlimited data. However, my parents would have to continue suffering with 1 GB of data, and I would have to pay an additional RM 3,816 over 2 years compared to Digi!

If I wanted my parents to have a decent amount of mobile data, I would have to really pay Maxis through my nose, and fork out an extra RM 6,868.80 – exactly twice of what the Digi package costs. It just doesn’t make sense to do that.

No matter how I calculate, it just doesn’t make sense (sen?) to stick with Maxis. I will save anywhere from RM1,900 to RM3,400 per year switching to Digi. It really pays to shop around!

 

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Maxis Fibre Warning : WiFi 6 Router NOT Exactly Free!

The free WiFi 6 router that Maxis is touting isn’t exactly FREE as claimed.

Here’s what I just found out, and what you should know about their “free” WiFi 6 router.

 

Maxis Fibre Broadband : What Free WiFi 6 Router?

On 18 February 2021, Maxis announced that they would make a new WiFi 6 router available for FREE to all new and existing Maxis Fibre Broadband customers!

The WiFi 6 router will be available for free from today, 18 February onwards for new customers who sign up for Maxis Fibre plans of 100Mbps and above. Existing Maxis Fibre customers will be contacted in phases for the router upgrade exercise. Maxis’ specialised Internet experts, Maxperts, will also provide free installation of the router to ensure that the WiFi is optimized for the best connectivity experience for the home.

When I wrote about it, I thought that was pretty generous of them, and a brilliant way to reduce churn and eat into Unifi’s business.

I quickly called up Maxis, eager to give it a try myself. But almost 7 months later, no one from the Maxis Fibre Broadband team called me up about this free WiFi 6 router upgrade.

Today, I found out that what Maxis announced in February was not exactly the truth. Here are the facts…

 

Maxis Fibre Warning : WiFi 6 Router NOT Exactly Free!

When Maxis first announced the availability of their free WiFi 6 router, they specifically stated that :

  • it would be made available for FREE for new customers who sign up for 100 Mbps or faster plans, and
  • existing customers would receive the upgrade in phases.

Neither are true… which is good news and bad news.

Based on my conversation with Amir from their Customer Service team, and Intan from their Fibre Broadband team on 17 September 2021, here are the facts :

  1. The WiFi 6 router is only available to new customers, and existing customers who are already (or almost) out-of-contract.

    This WiFi 6 router will not be made available to customers who are still under contract.

  2. Existing customers will not be upgraded in phases as claimed. Rather, you have to call up Maxis customer service to request for the upgrade.
  3. Existing customers MUST upgrade their existing plans to qualify for the WiFi 6 router upgrade.

    If you are on 30 Mbps, you must upgrade to 100 Mbps or higher
    If you are on 300 Mbps, you must upgrade to 500 Mbps or higher

    Existing customers MUST sign up for a 2-year contract, which introduces this penalty should you terminate the contract at any point in time :

    Early Termination Charge of RM500 or the remaining monthly subscription charges in the contract period, whichever is higher.

  4. For existing customers, the WiFi 6 router replaces your existing router, which will be taken back by Maxis.

    Since this occurs at the end of a contract, this implies that the routers are “leased” and do not belong to you even after you complete the contract.

None of the information I gleaned above were posted in the official Maxis WiFi 6 router page.

Their FAQ mentioned that the WiFi 6 router is only given free to “new installations for all plans of Maxis Fibre“, including their cheaper 30 Mbps plan.

There is NO MENTION in the Maxis website of any requirement to upgrade your plan, or sign up for a new 2-year contract, to receive this “free” WiFi 6 router upgrade.

The only reference to the Early Termination Charge is found in the Maxis Fibre Service Specific Terms & Conditions (SSTC) page, but that appears to refer to new installations.

 

Maxis Fibre WiFi 6 Router : Caveat Emptor!

As a long-time Maxis Mobile and Maxis Fibre customer, I’m very disappointed to see them quietly change the terms for what would have been a great upgrade for their loyal customers.

Forcing people to upgrade their plans when they don’t need the extra speed means you are essentially paying for the router.

That’s RM20 to RM80 extra per month, or between RM480 and RM1,920 for a 2-year contract!

Don’t be the fool who ends up paying RM80 extra per month for a “free” WiFi 6 router, unless it’s gold-plated!

I can understand if they wish to tack on a 2-year contract, but at least make it clear to customers in the website, including the early termination penalty!

There is one piece of good news though – even their cheapest 30 Mbps plan comes with the WiFi 6 router!

Pro Tip #1 : Call Maxis customer service and switch to the 30 Mbps plan, before asking for the WiFi 6 upgrade. This way, you don’t have to upgrade to a faster plan unnecessarily.

Pro Tip #2 : If you are currently on the 30 Mbps plan and don’t want to upgrade for the free router, call to CANCEL the service and migrate to Unifi or TIME (which always gives free upgrades!). Their Save team will call you up to try and salvage your business.

 

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Maxis Fibre Broadband : Get WiFi 6 Router For FREE!

Maxis just announced a new WiFi 6 router that will be made available FREE to all new and existing Maxis Fibre Broadband customers! Here are the details…

 

Maxis Fibre Broadband : Get WiFi 6 Router For FREE!

Maxis just announced the availability of a new WiFi 6 router which promises to deliver faster wireless connectivity with greater range, better signal and the capacity to support more devices.

WiFi 6, also known as Wi-Fi 6 or IEEE 802.11ax or WiFi-AX, is the next-generation Wi-Fi standard, which can deliver up to 1.2 Gb/s of wireless bandwidth.

In addition to higher bandwidth, Wi-Fi 6 boasts reduced interference, increased network efficiency, reduced latency, as well as expanded capacity to support more Wi-Fi devices concurrently.

The new Maxis WiFi 6 router also comes with built-in EasyMesh technology, allowing you to easily expand the WiFi coverage by adding more EasyMesh units.

 

Maxis WiFi 6 Router : FREE For All New + Existing Customers!

Starting 18 February 2021, Maxis will make this new WiFi 6 router available for FREE to all new customers who sign up for Maxis Fibre plans of 100 Mbps or faster.

Existing Maxis Fibre customers will be contacted in phases for the free router upgrade exercise, with free installation by their Maxperts team.

 

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12 Days Later : Unifi Statement On Game Server Issues…

12 days after the official Unifi support account on Twitter claimed that Unifi blocked some game servers, Unifi finally issued an official statement on the whole PR disaster…

Their statement was aptly named We Are Gamers Too… but honestly, this statement should have been issued 12 days ago.

 

What Happened : Unifi Will Block Games With Inappropriate Content???

The whole issue started on 6 February 2020, when Ahmad Asyraf asked the official Unifi support account on Twitter (@helpmeunifi) to check why he was unable to connect to the Rainbow Six Siege game servers on Unifi.

Shockingly, he was told that “TM will block if the games involve inappropriate content such as violent, gaming, scam, etc.

While some netizens started saying that @helpmeunifi is a fake account, that’s not true. It is a genuine Unifi support account on Twitter.

 

We Found Out What Really Happened 11 Days Ago

We got in touch with a Unifi Chat staff to clarify this, and she confirmed that the @helpmeunifi statement was correct.

It would have been easy to stop there, and start lambasting Unifi for such a policy. After all, the Malaysian government is promoting esports involving FPS games like Rainbow Six Siege!

But for us, their statements appear to be boilerplate replies by frontline staff members who have no idea if this is actually a technical issue, or a policy decision.

So we wrote to TM by email, asking them to clarify why Unifi users are unable to access Rainbow Six Siege game servers.

If it was a technical issue, what was the problem, and when will Unifi be able to restore access?

And if it was a policy issue, we wanted to know how TM came to that decision to block access to the Rainbow Six Siege game servers on Unifi, and if that was a directive by the MCMC (Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission).

This was their replies to us in two separate emails (edited for clarity) :

We are not restricting access to Ubisoft game servers. We are currently working on the issue with Ubisoft.

Our 2nd Level team is already aware of this issue, and are in the midst of investigating the cause. We cannot give you a restoration time frame, and sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused.

So, there you have it, everyone. Confirmation that TM did not actually block access to the Rainbow Six Siege game servers, or any game server for the matter.

As we suspected, the TM Unifi frontline support staff merely recited their boilerplate policy that they have the right to block access to content with inappropriate content.

 

We Are Gamers Too : Official Unifi Statement On Game Server Issues

Almost two weeks into this PR kerfuffle, Unifi finally issued an official statement on the whole issue :

We Are Gamers Too

Hi everyone, recently we’ve received feedback that some unifi users, who are avid gamers, have had some problems accessing their favourite video game servers such as EA, Ubisoft and the PlayStation Network. Understandably, this has caused some frustration. We get it and we feel your frustration. After all, we’re gamers too.

And understandably, there has been some confusion on why these problems occurred. Difficulty accessing gaming servers is not a problem for unifi users only. We’ve checked. Gamers on other networks in Malaysia and around the world are going through the same thing.

There are a number of scenarios that may affect access to game servers. They include multiple logins and wrong login attempts. This has nothing to do with the unifi network itself. Please give us a moment to clarify some misconceptions.

We Do Not Block Access To Game Servers

A number of you have reached out to us via social media and our official customer service channels asking if we block access to game servers. We’d like to make it very clear that we don’t and have no reason to do so. Video games are a big part of a lot of people, including us.

Our Network Is Built For Gamers

With a fibre optic network that spans a distance farther than the moon, the unifi network is the most extensive fixed and mobile network in the country, and we’ve designed this network to cater for the demands of gamers just like you.

Our network comprises of 12 data centres, 20 submarine cables spanning the globe and over 560,000 kilometres of fibre optic cables to offer the best gaming experience for you.

Our state-of-the-art network operations centre proactively monitors our network and continuously optimizes data routes to mitigate and eliminate congestions to further improve your gaming experience.

At the same time, we’re always adding the latest game consoles in our labs as part of our test program to find out how we can further optimize our network for the newest consoles.

In addition, we have direct peering connections to some of the biggest game brands in the world.

If You Encounter Problems, What Can You Do?

First of all, it is very likely not a problem with the unifi network. The causes for problems accessing your favourite games server may vary and we recommend that you reach out to the server provider directly to check.

Head over to the unifi community. We have an active community of unifi users that help each other. The unifi community is the best place to find like-minded users that may have encountered a similar problem and have found a solution for it. Users having problems with their PSN Network Address Translation (NAT) configuration found that the solution offered here help solved their issue.

We hope these tips will improve your gaming experience. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us on social media, via live chat or phone. Thank you.

 

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Did TM Block Games On Unifi? No, And Here’s Why…

The official Unifi support account on Twitter shocked Malaysians when it claimed that TM will block games with inappropriate content.

We confirmed that it actually happened, but that it was all a misunderstanding, and Unifi did not block access to the Rainbow Six Siege game servers.

Here is what happened, and how TM Unifi’s response kicked off the whole controversy…

 

TM Unifi Will Block Games With Inappropriate Content?

The whole issue started when Ahmad Asyraf asked the official Unifi support account on Twitter (@helpmeunifi) to check why he was unable to connect to the Rainbow Six Siege game servers on Unifi.

Shockingly, he was told that “TM will block if the games involve inappropriate content such as violent, gaming, scam, etc.

While some netizens started saying that @helpmeunifi is a fake account, that’s not true. It is a genuine Unifi support account on Twitter.

We got in touch with a Unifi Chat staff to clarify this, and she confirmed that the @helpmeunifi statement was correct.

It would have been easy to stop there, and start lambasting Unifi for such a policy. After all, the Malaysian government is promoting esports involving FPS games like Rainbow Six Siege!

But for us, their statements appear to be boilerplate replies by frontline staff members who have no idea if this is actually a technical issue, or a policy decision.

 

No, TM Unifi Did Not Block Access To Game Servers

So we wrote to TM by email, asking them to clarify why Unifi users are unable to access Rainbow Six Siege game servers.

If it was a technical issue, what was the problem, and when will Unifi be able to restore access?

And if it was a policy issue, we wanted to know how TM came to that decision to block access to the Rainbow Six Siege game servers on Unifi, and if that was a directive by the MCMC (Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission).

This was their replies to us in two separate emails (edited for clarity) :

We are not restricting access to Ubisoft game servers. We are currently working on the issue with Ubisoft.

Our 2nd Level team is already aware of this issue, and are in the midst of investigating the cause. We cannot give you a restoration time frame, and sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused.

So, there you have it, everyone. Confirmation that TM did not actually block access to the Rainbow Six Siege game servers, or any game server for the matter.

As we suspected, the TM Unifi frontline support staff merely recited their boilerplate policy that they have the right to block access to content with inappropriate content.

However, that is not the case with this sudden loss of connectivity to Ubisoft servers. And even more unfortunately, they cannot give anyone an idea of when they can restore connectivity…

 

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100Mbps ViewQwest Freedom 100 Price + Offer Analysed!

ViewQwest just launched their Freedom 100 broadband plan, offering 100Mbps download speeds with a FREE static IP!

Here is everything you need to know about the new 100Mbps ViewQwest Freedom 100 broadband plan!

 

The 100Mbps ViewQwest Freedom 100 Plan

The new ViewQwest 100Mbps plan is called Freedom 100, and comes with not just a FREE static IP address, but also proprietary ViewQwest services, including latency-based routing and a promise not to engage or enforce a Fair Usage Policy.

In other words, ViewQwest is committed to their policy of restricting Internet usage in any way, through network shaping, bandwidth caps, or strict data traffic management policies.

The free static IP will be useful for those who want to run their own personal server or NAS at home, as well as making it easier for home owners to access their CCTV networks remotely.

 

ViewQwest Freedom 100 – One 100Mbps Plan, Four Prices

ViewQwest offers a single Freedom 100 plan, with 100Mbps of download speed and 50Mbps of upload speed.

However, they will be offering it at four different price points, based on your selection of router and contract length.

  • ASUS AC1200G+ router with 24 months contract : RM 138 per month
  • ASUS AC1200G+ router with 36 months contract : RM 128 per month
  • ASUS Lyra Trio routers (2 units) with 24 months contract : RM 158 per month
  • ASUS Lyra Trio routers (2 units) with 36 months contract : RM 148 per month

To promote the new Freedom 100 plan, ViewQuest is offering three free months after the contract ends.

What this means is – you will pay the full monthly price for the length of your 24- or 36-month contract. After that ends, you will receive 3 additional months of broadband for free.

If any ViewQwest representative quotes you lower prices of RM 118, RM 123, RM 137 or RM 140, that is because they are factoring in those 3 free months.

 

ViewQwest Freedom 100 – Our Analysis

The ViewQwest Freedom 100 is certainly an interesting proposition, offering a better deal than even Maxis FibreNation plans… but only if you opt for the 36 month plan and/or the mesh Wi-Fi routers option.

With Wi-Fi Router

With a 24-month contract, MaxisONE Home Fibre is actually cheaper. Going with a 36-month contract shaves off just RM 1 per month… or a princely RM 24 after 2 years.

With Wi-Fi Router Contract Period Monthly Cost Total Cost
@ 24 Months
MaxisONE Home Fibre 100Mbps 24 Months RM 129 RM 3,096
ViewQwest Freedom 100 24 Months RM 138 RM 3,312
36 Months RM 128 RM 3,072

If we take into account the free 3 months, the ViewQwest Freedom 100 is now cheaper by RM 6.33 per month with a 24 month contract, and a more significant RM 10.85 per month with a 36 month contract.

With Wi-Fi Router Contract Period Monthly Cost Total Cost
@ 24 Months
MaxisONE Home Fibre 100Mbps 24 Months RM 129 RM 3,096
ViewQwest Freedom 100 24 Months RM 122.67 RM 2,944
36 Months RM 118.15 RM 2,835.60

With Mesh Wi-Fi Routers

If you opt for the mesh Wi-Fi routers option, ViewQwest is still slightly more expensive with a 24-month contract.

But ViewQwest has a better deal, because their ASUS Lyra Trio routers cost more than twice as much as the AIRTIES Air4830 routers Maxis uses.

With Mesh Wi-Fi Routers Contract Period Monthly Cost Total Cost
@ 24 Months
MaxisONE Home Fibre 100Mbps 24 Months RM 154 RM 3,696
ViewQwest Freedom 100 24 Months RM 158 RM 3,792
36 Months RM 148 RM 3,552

Again, the ViewQwest Freedom 100 plan is only cheaper than MaxisONE Home Fibre when you sign up for the 36-month contract.

That saves you RM 6 per month, or RM 144 after two years. But again, it gets you a better pair of ASUS Lyra Trio routers.

If we take into account the free 3 months, the ViewQwest Freedom 100 is now cheaper by RM 13.56 per month with a 24 month contract, and a very significant RM 17.38 per month with a 36 month contract.

With Mesh Wi-Fi Routers Contract Period Monthly Cost Total Cost
@ 24 Months
MaxisONE Home Fibre 100Mbps 24 Months RM 154 RM 3,696
ViewQwest Freedom 100 24 Months RM 140.44 RM 3,370.67
36 Months RM 136.62 RM 3,278.77

So if you want to use a mesh Wi-Fi network, it would make sense to choose ViewQwest over MaxisONE Home Fibre, and it would be better to opt for the 36 month contract.

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What About The Static IP?

The static IP is a bonus for those with home servers, NAS or CCTV systems, but nowhere worth the ridiculous RM 200 price they quoted.

Especially when you can get free dynamic DNS services online.

Are They Making Extra Off The Mesh Routers?

We did a quick check on the cost of the two router options, because despite what they tell you – the routers are not free. Their cost is just amortised across the contract period.

Router Retail Price Price / 24 Months Price / 36 Months
ASUS AC1200G+ RM 232 RM 9.70 RM 6.40
ASUS Lyra Trio (2 Units) RM 875 RM 34.50 RM 24.30
Difference + RM 643 + RM 24.80 + RM 17.90

As our comparison shows, they are passing along the cost of the router if you opt for the Lyra Trio mesh routers. So they are on the level in this respect.

 

ViewQwest Freedom 100 Availability

The 100Mbps ViewQwest Freedom 100 plan is available with immediate effect. However, ViewQwest has limited coverage area.

They will begin rolling out their broadband services in the Klang Valley and Johor Bahru, with other cities and areas planned across these two years.

 

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The Maxis AI Network Explained – Getting Ready For 5G!

Maxis just announced that they are getting ready for 5G with their new AI Network.

Find out what the Maxis AI Network is all about, and how it will help them prepare for 5G!

 

The Maxis AI Network Explained!

Maxis has been building a 5G-ready intelligent network with the widest fibre-optic footprint to mobile base stations across the country.

Dubbed the Maxis AI Network, it is built on the IP network architecture, with the latest software-defined networking technology.

It is capable of self-optimising data traffic along the most efficient routes, and self-heal network disruptions by anticipating and rerouting traffic around potential problem areas.

Smart Network Management

Maxis’ mobile and fibre networks are now based on the next-generation IP network. This digital  network has traffic control systems that can anticipate potential usage spikes (i.e. whether it’s festive or football seasons) and open up more bandwidth in anticipation.

This is achieved through automated data rerouting capabilities on a network built with multiple alternative routes.

Network intelligence is also now distributed at increasing points of connection across the network, and their software-defined networking (SDN) architecture ensures a low network latency and ready upgrade path to 5G.

Other Maxis AI Network Capabilities

  • Support For NB-IoT : The Maxis AI Network will provide strong support for Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) technology built with 5G-like capabilities and designed for mass-scale industrial deployments for enterprise and government.
  • Faster first call resolution : The Maxis AI Network is able to provide more accurate analysis in the event of a network outage for individual customers, leading to better first call resolution.
  • Business continuity : The Maxis AI Network’s proactive notification system is able to alert Enterprise customers on performance updates within five minutes, making it possible to trigger earlier business contingency planning.
  • Addressing mission-critical business requirements : The Maxis AI Network, through a network health dashboard app, helps Maxis service managers work on-the-go to troubleshoot issues and identify solutions for Enterprise customers.
  • Preventive maintenance : Maxis’ Project SkyEye drones capture 360-degree HD images of their network towers, which is relayed to their servers for high-speed diagnostic scanning by Maxis A.I. that has been trained for precise, efficient structural fault detection and prediction, and is capable of recommending the appropriate preventive maintenance measures.

 

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Khabar Baik! Here Are The Unifi Chinese New Year Offers!

Khabar baik! Here are the Unifi Chinese New Year offers for 2019! This is the first of several Unifi promotions under the #khabarbaik initiative by new Unifi Acting Executive Vice President, Moharmustaqeem Mohammed (Mohar for short!)

 

Apa Khabar? #KhabarBaik!

The #khabarbaik movement represents a shift in attitude and approach that seeks to spread positivity, and this has been implemented internally since the beginning of 2019. #khabarbaik is the attitude that will be embraced by every Unifi employee that will translate into positive changes for the company and its customers.

According to Mohar: “As we kick start the year 2019, this has been a very exciting juncture for unifi. We will keep listening and then, come back to market with more #khabarbaik. That is why the #khabarbaik movement is our way forward to serve Malaysia through our product offerings and design a better customer experience.

 

The Unifi Chinese New Year Offers!

During Chinese New Year, Unifi will be giving away angpows! You can collect them from your local TMpoint, Unifi roadshows, as well as in newspapers and the Unifi website.

Here are some of the freebies you will receive in your Unifi Chinese New Year angpows :

  • 8 GB of mobile data for Unifi Mobile users
  • 90-day Dimsum subscription

On top of that, from 1-8 February, Unifi users will be able to enjoy 8 new Chinese channels in the Unifi TV and Play TV services.

 

Updates On Unifi Turbo + Streamyx

Unifi will upgrade both Unifi and Streamyx speeds. In areas with Unifi coverage, existing Streamyx users will be upgraded to Unifi packages. In areas without Unifi coverage, Streamyx users will receive double their usual broadband speeds at the same price.

About 1 million Unifi customers will receive 10X turbo speed upgrades – from 10 Mbps to 100 Mbps, from 30 Mbps to 300 Mbps, from 50 Mbps to 500 Mbps, and from 100 Mbps to 800 Mbps. Unifi plans to complete this Unifi Turbo upgrade exercise by March 2019.

 

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