Almost six months after Time rolled out Malaysia’s first 2Gbps home fibre broadband plan, it looks like Telekom Malaysia (TM) is finally responding with a new ultra-high-speed broadband offering. A page has appeared on Unifi’s website hinting at the arrival of its upcoming 2Gbps fibre broadband plan. Finally, subscribers will soon be able to enjoy speeds beyond 800Mbps on TM’s fibre network.
There are no details of the plan yet but if you’re interested, you can register your interest online by dropping your name, email, phone number and postcode. After submission, it is mentioned that you will be contacted in 14 days, which could indicate that the plan will be available sometime next month.
The biggest question many would ask is the price of the 2Gbps subscription. TM’s highest Unifi home fibre broadband offering right now is 800Mbps at RM299/month. As a comparison, Time’s 1Gbps plan is currently going for RM199/month while the 2Gbps option is going for RM379/month.
Looking at the industry norm, you can expect TM’s new 2Gbps fibre broadband plan to cost about double of their current 800Mbps offering, so you could be looking at around RM400/month. The monthly commitment would be even higher if you choose to include other services such as Unifi TV, Unifi Mobile or even device add-ons like the Sony PS5. Hopefully, TM will price their new 2Gbps below our expectations following the updated Mandatory Standard of Access Pricing.
For TM to offer 2Gbps, they would need to deploy 10G PON technology. Similar to Time, we expect the availability of the highest 2Gbps option to be rolled out in stages, so not everyone will be able to sign up on day one.
CelcomDigi has also revealed its Pakej Perpaduan Fibre Broadband plan which offers 30Mbps home fibre broadband for RM69/month. However, the plan which is aimed at B40 individuals, senior citizens (age 60 and above), persons with disability (OKU) and veterans (police and military), is only available for selected areas in Sabah.
There isn’t much info yet about CelcomDigi’s fibre offering but it is likely to follow the same RM69/month pricing for unlimited 30Mbps fibre broadband on a 24-month contract. There’s no official page on their website yet but those who are interested are told to register on their fibre page or contact them via WhatsApp.
Since the offer is limited to just Sabah, we are assuming that CelcomDigi’s Pakej Perpaduan Fibre Broadband is only offered on Celcom Timur’s fibre optic network which is capable of delivering fibre broadband speeds of up to 1Gbps. CelcomDigi is currently able to offer fibre broadband nationwide through access agreements with other fibre players including Telekom Malaysia, Time and TNB’s Allo.
As a reference, CelcomDigi currently offers 50Mbps fibre broadband for RM90/month and they are currently running a promo where users can enjoy 300Mbps fibre (Normal: RM150/month) for only RM75/month for the first 6 months. If you’re an existing subscriber of eligible Celcom or Digi Postpaid plans, they are offering 50Mbps for RM75/month, 100Mbps for RM90/month or 300Mbps for RM100/month.
As revealed by Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil, Malaysians can look forward to cheaper broadband services following the latest Mandatory Standard on Access Pricing (MSAP) which took effect on 1st March 2023. Fast forward four months later, we have yet to see any major price revision and it seems there’s a lack of enforcement from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
New MSAP for High-Speed Broadband is long overdue
HSBB Wholesale pricing under MSAP 2023
To recap, the MSAP sets the wholesale pricing for various telecommunication services, including High-Speed Broadband (HSBB) access. The last revised MSAP was enforced in June 2018 a month after Gobind Singh Deo was appointed the Communications and Multimedia Minister. The last MSAP only covered 2018, 2019 and 2020, and this means the wholesale broadband pricing has not been revised for more than two years.
As revealed by Fahmi, the price for wholesale HSBB under the new MSAP for 2023 marks a reduction of 50%. For example, the 100Mbps wholesale rate for Layer 3 HSBB is reduced from RM515 to RM254.64 for 2023, to RM217.65 for 2024 and to RM186.21 for 2025. With the lower wholesale price, Fahmi said indirectly, services provided to consumers at the retail level can be offered at a lower and more competitive price or at a higher speed.
It has been four months since the MSAP took effect, so what’s the hold-up?
TM has yet to publish its new Reference Access Offer
Following the announcement by the MCMC, several telcos have already published their revised reference access offer (RAO) to comply with the new MSAP for 2023. Besides HSBB access on fibre, the RAO covers various services including trunk transmission, network co-location, MVNO access, infrastructure sharing, domestic roaming and more.
At the moment, we noticed that the RAO has been updated for CelcomDigi, Maxis, U Mobile, Time, Allo and YTL Communications. However, TM has yet to revise its wholesale pricing as the RAO page is still under construction. After reaching out to TM, they informed us discussions are still ongoing and the RAO will be updated in due course without giving a specific timeframe.
As we all know, TM is Malaysia’s largest fibre broadband network. Besides offering fibre under its Unifi brand, other telcos including CelcomDigi, Maxis and even Astro are dependent on TM’s HSBB network to offer fibre services to more customers nationwide. This also means that a major retail price reduction would only be possible after TM reduces its wholesale price for HSBB.
There are some movements following the release of the new MSAP. Both CelcomDigi and Astro have reduced their fibre broadband pricing but it is only for areas under CelcomTimur fibre network in Sabah. Maxis has also introduced a 1Gbps Business fibre broadband plan for only RM189/month but it is only available in areas within Maxis’ own-build fibre broadband infrastructure.
Broadband prices came down almost immediately after MSAP was implemented in 2018
Price reduction for fibre broadband after MSAP was implemented in June 2018. Source: MCMC
The last major pricing shake-up for broadband took place in 2018 and consumers get to enjoy lower prices within a few months. The MSAP for 2018 was issued on 20th December 2017 and it was implemented in June 2018 after Gobind took office. The very next month, in July 2018, TM introduced its new Unifi Basic plan offering 30Mbps fibre for RM79/month (60GB quota) and they also announced a Turbo upgrade with 10x speed for existing Unifi customers. This was in line with Gobind’s promise to double the speed, at half the price.
In August, Maxis reduced its fibre broadband pricing with 30Mbps fibre plan going for only RM89/month, while Celcom also announced a price reduction in September with its 40Mbps fibre plan slashed from RM180/month to RM80/month. Time also reduced its fibre pricing in October and its 100Mbps fibre plan was slashed to just RM99/month. They also introduced its fastest 1Gbps home fibre plan at the time which costs RM199/month.
In order for prices to come down, the MCMC has to enforce and set a clear deadline for all telcos to comply with the new wholesale rates especially when the government is looking at various ways to reduce the cost of living. The Ministry of Communications and Digital needs to put its foot down and ensure that the MSAP is implemented without delay so that all consumers (not just Pakej Perpaduan targeted recipients) can benefit from the lower cost of fibre broadband.
In response to our post on the new Mandatory Standard on Access Pricing (MSAP) which took effect on 1st March, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said the reduction of broadband services can be expected after September 2023. The regulator said the MSAP can only happen once the access agreements have been concluded between the service providers.
To recap, the MSAP sets the wholesale pricing for various telecommunication services which include broadband access. It was mentioned by Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil in March, that the price of internet is expected to be reduced in 2-3 months’ time.
Mandatory Standards on Access Pricing (MSAP) yg diumum 16 Feb lalu bakal mengurangkan harga internet secara keseluruhan dalam masa 2-3 bulan ini inshaAllah.
Kerana SKMM arah harga borong broadband dikurangkan.
The MCMC stated that most access providers have or are in the process of publishing reference access offers (RAO) and the negotiations of access agreements will commence based on published RAO. These negotiations are expected to be concluded by the end of September 2023. This also means that the price reduction for broadband services can only be expected to take place thereafter.
The regulator iterated that the government launched the Pakej Perpaduan Fixed Internet Broadband plan in February to help B40 groups, veterans, the disabled and the elderly. It shared that a total of 6,066 users have taken up the offer which provides up to 30Mbps fibre broadband for RM69/month.
As we highlighted yesterday, several telcos including CelcomDigi, Maxis, U Mobile, Time, Allo and YTL Communications have already published their RAO to comply with the new MSAP 2023. However, TM, the biggest fibre broadband provider has yet to publish its RAO. According to TM, discussions are still ongoing and the RAO will be updated in due course.
With the new MSAP, the wholesale prices for broadband would be reduced by half as the 100Mbps rate for Layer 3 HSBB is reduced from the current RM515 to RM254.64 for 2023. The MSAP also included a schedule for reduced rates until 2025. At the moment, the wholesale rates remain unchanged since 2020 as the previous MSAP enforced during Gobind Singh’s tenure as Communications and Multimedia minister was from 2018 to 2020.
Once the new MSAP is implemented, the majority of Malaysians will be able to enjoy cheaper broadband or upgraded to faster speeds, not just 6,000 over users who fall under a defined category. As of Q1 2023, TM has over 3 million Unifi fibre subscriptions and Maxis has 601,000 fibre connections. Meanwhile, CelcomDigi has 107,000 fibre broadband customers.
Price reduction for fibre broadband after MSAP was implemented in June 2018. Source: MCMC
To recap, the previous MSAP was issued on 20th December 2017 and it was implemented in June 2018 after Gobind took office in May 2018. The following month, TM announced its new basic 30Mbps plan for RM79/month and offered a turbo upgrade with up to 10X speeds. This is followed by Celcom and Maxis reducing their respective broadband pricing, and Time also reduced its 100Mbps plan to RM99/month while introducing its 1Gbps plan for RM199/month. At the time, it was reported that TM appealed to the government to delay and revise the MSAP as it would hurt its earnings.
Following a recent video conference meeting with Elon Musk last week, it was reported that Anwar wants the government to order 40 units of Starlink Satellite broadband kits for schools, colleges and universities across the country. Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil said there are 3% of populated areas don’t have access to the internet and they have discussed Starlink’s participation in rural areas.
To recap, Starlink is a satellite broadband service of Space X which uses Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites. Not only it offers high-speed broadband, but the closer distance to Earth also allows a much lower latency than GEO satellites. As of the end of last year, they have launched in over 40 countries (mostly in the Americas) and have crossed the 1 million active subscriber mark. While having more satellite broadband providers is always welcomed, there are several questions about Starlink’s availability for the Malaysian market that need to be answered.
Masih ada 3% kawasan berpenduduk yang tidak mempunyai akses internet kerana masalah keluasan tanah dan beberapa isu lain di kawasan tersebut.
Dalam sesi tadi, kami turut membangkitkan berkenaan penyertaan perkhidmatan satelit Starlink terutamanya di kawasan pedalaman. pic.twitter.com/KEN2ctHGrw
In order to provide services in Malaysia, Starlink must obtain the necessary Network Facility or Service Provider license (NFP/NSP) licence. At the time of writing, we couldn’t find Starlink to Space X listed as a registered licence holder under the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC)’s database.
As we all know, using unauthorised devices or services not approved and certified by local regulators is an offence. For example, individuals caught using illegal communications devices can be fined up to RM500,000.
During former Minister and International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali’s visit to Space X last year, he shared that there are several matters that were still being considered by the government on Starlink’s policy-related proposal to introduce the internet service in Malaysia.
While it isn’t clear what policy-related matter this is, there’s a possibility that the company could be seeking 100% foreign ownership in order to set up operations in Malaysia. Malaysia currently has foreign investment restrictions on the percentage of shares a foreign entity can own as part of the licence conditions. Will Space X form a joint venture with a local partner or will Anwar’s administration waive the foreign ownership restriction for Elon Musk’s company?
As reported last year, Starlink has been collecting deposits of USD 99 from interested Malaysian users on their website despite not having the necessary licence to operate in Malaysia. The deposit amount has been reduced to USD 9 (about RM41). On its website, Starlink lists that it is coming to Malaysia in Q2 2023 but its services are still not available.
Starlink isn’t cheap
Before you get excited, take note that Starlink isn’t cheap and the pricing costs more than your typical fibre broadband service which is to be expected. Similar to wireless broadband, satellite broadband is a finite resource and Starlink also has its own Fair Usage Policy to ensure that the network can be accessed by as many people as possible.
The Philippines is Starlink’s first market in Southeast Asia and the subscription costs PHP2700 per month (about RM225). The Starlink satellite dish and WiFi router cost PHP19,999 (about RM1,663) and a shipping fee of PHP1,220 (about RM102).
What about local satellite service providers?
While it is easy to get excited about Elon Musk’s Tesla and Starlink arriving in Malaysia, let’s not forget there are local players in the satellite and space tech industry. Homegrown MEASAT is one of the dominant players at the moment which has made significant investments to launch MEASAT-3d and they are also going down to the ground to enable connectivity and digitalisation in unserved areas.
Launching a satellite is the easy part but the hard work is installing access points in hard-to-reach areas that don’t even have basic road infrastructure or electricity. MEASAT’s ConnectMe Now satellite service has been deployed at 4,000 locations without 4G and the new satellite has the capacity to connect 2 million underserved Malaysians with speeds of up to 100Mbps.
Recently, Angkasa-X has also launched its first LEO satellite and it aims to launch 500 units to cover 50% of remotely populated areas in the ASEAN region. Angkasa-X aims to form two LEO satellite constellations namely A-SEANLINK and A-SEANSAT.
When it comes to internet connectivity in Malaysia, there is fixed fibre broadband as well as mobile wireless broadband solutions such as 4G and 5G. Obviously, fibre broadband is the way to go as it provides true unlimited internet with the best reliability at a much lower price. Mobile 4G and 5G is the next best option if you don’t have access to fibre.
However, it seems that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has a different understanding of the cost and efficiencies of various internet options in Malaysia. In case you missed it, the Malaysian government reportedly had placed an order for 40 Starlink satellite kits which will be distributed to schools and universities.
In a shared video clip, Anwar said with the strong Unity Government, it was Elon Musk who requested to have a teleconference meeting with him. Anwar said they talked about several things in the video call which include Tesla and Starlink. He said if there’s no internet in Sekinchan, we can install Starlink on the roof and it can cover the area…. don’t need 5G that’s expensive and that’s mostly for the cities. Anwar said rural areas require it (Starlink) and also for rural schools and universities.
Is Starlink satellite broadband really cheaper than 5G? Let’s break it down.
Wireless 5G broadband starts from as low as RM68/month
At the moment, there are several telcos offering 5G wireless broadband in Malaysia. On Yes 5G, its “Wireless Fibre 120Mbps” is going for RM148/month on a two-year contract and they are currently offering RM99/month for the first six months. The Yes 5G plan also comes with a 5G Gateway with WiFi 6 for free on the contract.
Meanwhile, U Mobile has their U Home 5G which currently offers “unlimited” 5G broadband at RM68/month. The plan offers uncapped speeds with a Fair Usage Policy of 1TB. If you need more, you can add another 1TB of data for only RM30 which is still a bargain. The U Mobile 5G broadband plan has no contract but you’ll have to buy your own 5G router as it isn’t included.
At the time of writing, Malaysia’s 5G network by Digital Nasional Berhad has achieved a claimed 64.7% population coverage as of the end of June 2023. According to their coverage map, there’s 5G coverage in Sekinchan as well as TM fibre coverage according to Unifi’s coverage checker.
Starlink Satellite Broadband is more expensive than you think
Starlink’s Satellite Broadband service is great for areas that don’t have access to fibre or 4G/5G and you can get high-speed internet if you’re within the satellite’s coverage footprint. But you do have to pay more than other internet options.
In the US, a Starlink subscription costs USD 120 (about RM549) per month and the hardware itself costs USD 599 (about RM2,738). Meanwhile, in the Philippines, it costs PHP2,700 (about RM226) per month while the dish and WiFi router costs PHP19,999 (about RM1,675).
In terms of expected speeds, Starlink promises downloads of 25Mbps to 100Mbps for its standard fixed plan or between 40Mbps to 220Mbps for its priority option. In terms of latency, it offers between 25ms to 60ms.
While it is better than GEO satellites, it is quite a far cry from what you can get from 5G and fibre broadband in Malaysia. If you look at the monthly cost alone, Starlink is more expensive than current fibre broadband and wireless 5G plans in the market. Since Satellite is a finite resource, Starlink also has a Fair Usage Policy and the quality of service can be affected by adverse weather conditions.
Malaysia should focus on affordable access to fibre
After the end of JENDELA Phase 1, more Malaysians have access to faster broadband as there are now over 7.74 million premises passed by fibre. One of the major concerns is the pricing which the government can reduce significantly as part of its RAHMAH initiative.
As announced by Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil, the new Mandatory Standard on Access Pricing (MSAP) issued by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) in March is aimed at reducing broadband prices in the country. After four months, the MCMC said the price reduction is only expected to happen after September 2023 after access agreements have been concluded between the service providers.
On Friday, TM released its new Reference Access Offer (RAO) which outlines the wholesale pricing of its High-Speed Broadband (HSBB) network. With lower HSBB wholesale prices, consumers can expect to enjoy cheaper retail prices for fibre broadband as TM’s HSBB network is the largest and currently utilised by various broadband players including TM’s own Unifi, CelcomDigi, Maxis, Astro and ViewQwest.
TM lowers wholesale charges but only for high-volume access seekers
According to TM’s new RAO, they have set tiered pricing and the wholesale charges is only cheaper with higher monthly volume. On the lowest tier of 0-499,999Mbps, TM is charging RM8 per Mbps/month versus RM2.55 per Mbps for the highest tier of 9,000,000Mbps and above. That means providers with low monthly volume (less than 500Gbps) would have to pay RM800 for 100Mbps, while providers that can commit to a minimum of 9Tbps per month will only need to pay RM255/month for 100Mbps.
Take note that the wholesale price per Mbps is not the same as the retail broadband price due to the contention ratio, which we will explain at the bottom of this post. In short, a provider will only subscribe to wholesale bandwidth based on actual bandwidth required at any one time for the entire network as not all users will maximise their subscribed bandwidth at all times.
New MSAP should cut wholesale HSBB prices by half regardless of volume
Left: MSAP 2018, Right: MSAP 2023
Under the new MSAP issued by the MCMC in February 2023, this year’s mandatory HSBB wholesale price for 100Mbps is RM254.64/month and it is a 50.5% reduction from RM515/month under the 2020 MSAP rate which is still applicable today. According to MCMC’s schedule, the wholesale rates will continue to decline with 100Mbps costing RM217.65/month in 2024 and RM186.21/month in 2025. There’s no minimum volume stated under the MSAP and the price should be applicable to all access seekers including smaller players.
As we’ve highlighted from TM’s new RAO, the wholesale rate of RM255/month is only applicable to access seekers that can commit to a whopping 9Tbps a month. If an existing access seeker is utilising less than 4Tbps a month (e.g. 1.5 to 3.99Tbps), 100Mbps would cost them RM585/month, which is higher than the current MSAP 2020 rate of RM515/month.
Why is TM introducing a tiered pricing structure?
We’ve reached out to TM to seek clarity on the new RAO and how it complies with MCMC’s new MSAP. According to TM, the tiered pricing structure is economically reasonable as it differentiates charges based on volume utilised by access seekers. It added that this will incentivise access seekers to offer innovative solutions to end users and drive higher traffic utilisation to remain competitive in the market.
When we asked them if the pricing is the same across 2023 to 2025, TM said the tiered RAO is in accordance with MSAP 2023 at the highest volume as reflected on page 268 of the document. It confirmed that the rates are the same for 2023 to 2025 and the access seekers will enjoy better rates as they achieve higher volume in the years ahead.
As we’ve illustrated above, it appears that access seekers with lower monthly volume will have to pay more than before. E.g. 100Mbps for RM585 (1.5 to 3.99Tbps) for 2023 vs 100Mbps for RM515 for 2020. Access seekers would need to commit at least 4Tbps and above to enjoy 100Mbps for RM475, which is the minimum tier for any potential price reduction.
When we asked TM if this would result in an increase in broadband prices for consumers, they said the new RAO will bring positive price reductions across all its HSBB Layer 3 service gateway and it marks an improvement over the previous RAO rates. It added that the favourable wholesale rates will lead to vibrancy in the market and encourages competitive retail broadband offerings to Malaysian consumers.
Looks like only Unifi will gain from new RAO
With the new RAO, consumers can only expect significant price reduction for broadband if their provider can commit 4Tbps to 9Tbps a month for TM HSBB. With this tiered structure, it seems that TM’s retail brand Unifi has the upper hand when it comes to pricing as it has the largest volume among all providers in Malaysia. Based on Q1 2023 figures, Unifi has over 3 million fibre broadband subscriptions, followed by Maxis with 600,000 fibre subscriptions and CelcomDigi with 107,000 fibre subscriptions.
We asked TM for the average monthly commitment for each provider, however, they are restricted from providing such information. However, it said there’s no average monthly commitment imposed onto the access seeker for HSBB.
What’s next? Will TM reduce Unifi pricing?
After publishing its RAO, TM says it will continue to engage access seekers to ensure their offerings are tailored to meet their specific requirements and conclude the necessary service agreements as soon as possible. TM says the RAO doesn’t need approval from MCMC for publication and it was published based on the guidance provided by MSA 2022. The RAO will take effect retrospectively on 1st March 2023.
At the time of writing, we don’t know if Unifi will be offering any price reduction or free turbo upgrade as it did in 2018. According to TM, they are currently unable to divulge any details regarding future price reductions or speed upgrades, and such information will be announced in due course.
Wholesale pricing vs retail pricing
In case you’re wondering why the wholesale 100Mbps cost is higher than what retail customers are paying at the moment (e.g. 100Mbps for RM99/month or RM129/month), you’re not alone. Take note that broadband providers will only subscribe to the required HSBB wholesale bandwidth according to their average total utilisation. For example, if a provider has just ten 100Mbps customers, they will not subscribe 1Gbps bandwidth as not all customers will be fully utilising their bandwidth at all times. If the peak concurrent utilisation is only 300Mbps, they would only need 300Mbps with slightly more headroom as an extra buffer.
With the new RAO by TM, we are not convinced that consumers will get to enjoy significantly cheaper broadband prices on TM’s HSBB network. The smaller broadband players will be the biggest losers as they won’t be able to enjoy reduced rates as the more established players with larger volume. That’s partly one of the reasons why several players such as CelcomDigi, Astro and even Maxis are offering different rates if customers are covered by alternative fibre networks such as Celcom Timur, TNB’s Allo and Maxis own-build fibre network.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is currently running a survey to find out more about your broadband experience. The Broadband Quality of Experience Survey 2023 (BQoES 2023) is now live and it is running until the 31st of December 2023.
The survey is open to all broadband users in Malaysia aged 15 years old and above. You can join the survey by clicking this link or by scanning the QR code above. The questions are available in both Malay and English, and it takes approximately 15 minutes to complete.
According to the MCMC, they will not collect any personal information such as your full name, credit and debit card or banking details during the survey. However, take note that the survey form does require your IC/passport as well as your phone number that’s associated with your broadband account for validation.
The survey contains questions about your experience with various internet applications including video streaming, web browsing, mobile apps, online gaming and IP voice calls. According to the MCMC, all information submitted will be kept confidential and will be used for the purpose of the survey only. It added that the survey will facilitate MCMC to continue monitoring and improving the broadband quality of experience in Malaysia.
Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil said internet prices are expected to be reduced this coming September when the Mandatory Standard on Access Pricing (MSAP) is adopted. As quoted by Bernama, he said “Insya-Allah by this September internet prices will be cheaper … If it is already cheap, it will be even cheaper now.”
The latest MSAP was released by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) on 16th February this year and it took effect from 1st March 2023. In late March, Fahmi tweeted that the MSAP that was announced in February will help to reduce overall Internet prices in 2 to 3 months’ time. However, four months after the new MSAP took effect, there were no major changes for retail broadband plans in Malaysia.
Mandatory Standards on Access Pricing (MSAP) yg diumum 16 Feb lalu bakal mengurangkan harga internet secara keseluruhan dalam masa 2-3 bulan ini inshaAllah.
Kerana SKMM arah harga borong broadband dikurangkan.
Several weeks ago, the MCMC clarified that most access seekers have or are in the process of publishing their respective reference access offer (RAO) and negotiations will commence based on the published RAO. The MCMC said the negotiations for the access agreements are expected to be concluded by the end of September 2023. Therefore, any reduction in internet prices is only expected to take place after the agreements are completed.
The revised MSAP has been long overdue as the last major change was 5 years ago when Gobind Singh took office. The MSAP sets the wholesale pricing for HSBB and the reduction in wholesale prices is expected to enable more affordable internet options with faster speeds. In 2018, there was a major change in broadband prices with cheaper 30Mbps fibre broadband plans introduced under RM100 and existing Unifi customers were given a turbo upgrade of up to 10x.
TM published their RAO last Friday which comes with a tiered pricing structure. While the new MSAP 2023 pricing appears to be applicable only for the highest tier with 9Tbps per month, TM says all access seekers will enjoy lower HSBB wholesale prices as the latest RAO for 2023 is cheaper across the board when compared to the RAO issued in 2018.
A few months ago, TM introduced its 2Gbps and 1Gbps Unifi fibre broadband plans which start from RM349/month. As pointed out recently by Lowyat.Net, it appears that there’s a price increase as the 1Gbps plan with Unifi TV now costs RM378.90/month while the 2Gbps bandwidth (2x 1Gbps) option costs RM428.90/month.
To recap, the two new Unifi gigabit plans are only offered with a Unifi TV bundle and you can’t get it standalone. The 2Gbps bundle retails for RM459/month but it was offered with an introductory price of RM399/month. Meanwhile, the 1Gbps bundle option retails for RM409/month but it was offered with an introductory price of RM349/month.
RM29.90 extra for 2Gbps and 1Gbps Bundle
If you look at the current Unifi fibre broadband page, the 2Gbps option with Unifi TV is now offered for RM428.90/month while the 1Gbps bundle costs RM378.90/month. This looks like an increase of RM29.90/month. One notable difference is that these plans are now bundled with Unifi TV Ultimate Max which comes with Netflix Standard. To be fair, the previously announced prices were introductory and it was offered for a limited time. Those who signed up earlier will still continue to pay the same subscription fee without any changes.
Unifi says new bundled plans unlock greater value
Responding to the matter, TM has issued a statement saying that the latest offering provides customers with greater value as well as a seamless experience across Unifi services. According to the statement, “This campaign provides multiple benefits to subscribers, offering more value for money, and are geared towards elevating customer experience, including high-speed broadband and content with a diverse selection of streaming apps and TV channels.”
It added, “With the latest addition of Netflix, the new 2Gbps and 1Gbps Unifi Ultra packages include the Unifi TV Ultimate Max Pack (also available separately for all Unifi subscribers at a limited time offer of RM89.90), which gives access to 10 streaming apps such as Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, Viu, iQiyi, Lionsgate Play, and beIN SPORTS CONNECT as well as more than 70 premium channels.”
Previous Unifi Fibre + Unifi TV plan still available at Unifi Stores
While it isn’t shown on the Unifi website, TM says that the earlier launched packages are still available at Unifi Stores nationwide at their original price. TM also says Unifi customers who don’t want the extra video streaming services during sign-up will still have the option to purchase the value-added services and customise their package offering.
If your home doesn’t have fibre coverage but it is covered by Digital Nasional Berhad‘s 5G network, CelcomDigi has introduced its wireless 5G broadband plan which is now offered for RM149/month. Tied with a 24-month contract, the CelcomDigi 5G Home WiFi offers “unlimited” broadband and it is bundled with a dual-band 4G/5G wireless router. This is essentially a rehash of Celcom’s previous Unlimited 5G wireless broadband that was released early this year.
The new CelcomDigi 5G Home WiFi plan is priced at RM199/month, but they are currently offering it at a promo price of RM149/month for a limited time. Similar to U Mobile’s U Home 5G plan, there’s no mention of a speed cap and users can enjoy 5G speeds on a best effort basis.
According to the FAQ, the CelcomDigi 5G Home WiFi plan comes with a quota of 1000GB per month. After you’ve depleted this quota, your speed will be slowed down to 512kbps until the next billing cycle. To regain full speed, CelcomDigi is offering add-on packages from RM10 for 50GB for 24 hours. Alternatively, you can add on 20GB for RM40 and 40GB for RM70, which are valid until the next billing cycle.
During registration, users will have to pay an upfront payment of RM480 which will be rebated back to your account across 24 months (RM20 rebate x 24 months). Foreigners can sign up too but there’s a RM500 deposit. If you cancel the CelcomDigi 5G Home WiFi plan before the 24 month contract period is up, you are required to pay the full remaining subscription balance of the contract or a minimum of RM500, whichever is higher.
The provided 5G indoor wireless router is the ZTE MC801A worth RM1,899 and it is covered by a 24-month warranty. The WiFi 6 router supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies and it is yours to keep once you’ve completed the contract. Before you consider getting this wireless 5G broadband service, you can check if your location is covered by the 5G network.
After becoming Malaysia’s first provider to introduce 2Gbps Home Fibre broadband, Time is set to create a new milestone by being the first to offer Fibre-To-The-Room (FTTR) in the country. The broadband provider has teased that it will be offering Huawei’s FTTR technology to Malaysia in Q4 2023.
As the name implies, the solution brings fibre directly to your rooms and it promises to offer superior latency and bandwidth compared to the current Fibre-To-The-Home (FTTH) implementation. With FTTH, the fibre connection typically ends at the Broadband Termination Unit (BTU) before connecting to the WiFi router via LAN.
However, with FTTR, each satellite or node for each corner of your home is connected by fibre instead of copper-based LAN cable or WiFi. As a result, FTTR offers better responsiveness and lower ping which is beneficial for real-time applications.
According to Time’s microsite, this is a brand-new home WiFi service called Gig Speed Home is built on Huawei’s FTTR technology which pulls micro optical fibre into designated spaces, so no rooms get left behind. Time says you can expect full WiFi signal everywhere in your home that’s powered by 100% fibre and WiFi 6.
If you’re interested, Time has kicked off its registration of interest, and you can register online to get notified.
Besides mobile technologies such as 5G, Huawei is also a key player in FTTR technology which aims to address shortcomings of current FTTH technology. With FTTR, the technology aims to address bandwidth limitation issues as more fibre networks are adopting newer standards such as 10G PON which are capable of pushing higher speeds of up to 10Gbps.
Huawei FTTR F30 series routers
While gigabit LAN cables can also deliver high bandwidth, having direct fibre via FTTR can help minimise the impact of radio interference to ensure a more reliable connection for the home. For most home users, this might be an overkill but FTTR is seen as a future-proof solution for next-generation applications that require ultra-low latency.
Based on the teaser video, it looks like Time will be bundling Huawei’s FTTR F30 series routers which provide WiFi speeds up to 2Gbps. For ease of installation, Huawei has its own fibre installation kit that uses self-adhesive transparent optical cables that can be laid discreetly in your home. With this solution, Huawei claims that each point can be installed in 20 minutes.
Early this year, Globe introduced its FTTR broadband bundle in the Philippines and it is said to be the first in Southeast Asia. The Philippines fibre broadband provider currently offers 500Mbps with 1 primary and 2 satellite FTTR hubs for PHP 4,999 (about RM410), while its 1Gbps offering with 1 primary hub and 4 satellite FTTR hubs are going for PHP7,499 (about RM615).
The rates for broadband services are expected to fall significantly soon after the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) concludes its talks with wholesale broadband service providers.
Discussions had taken some time as the service providers had provided feedback saying that their profits will be affected, Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil said during a press conference at his ministry after its monthly assembly.
“I have requested for discussions to be completed next week before the end of September and it will be followed by a signing ceremony of all the companies providing broadband services at the wholesale level.
“And after that, I believe that the prices of broadband internet will fall quite significantly,” he said.
He added that discussions were also complicated by the number of parties involved.
Besides that, he said that the government of the day had successfully tackled inflation, particularly in the telecommunications sector.
Citing the latest data from the Department of Statistics Malaysia’s (DOSM) reports, he said he had found that the current rate of inflation in telecommunications here is at -3.7 per cent.
“This means that the prices for Internet, phones and so on are increasingly decreasing,” he said.
He also said that he expects 5G network coverage in Malaysia to expand to 80 per cent by the end of the year.
Before that on July 11, MCMC had reportedly said that only after the services providers had signed an access agreement could the public see a cut in retail prices for fixed broadband services.
CelcomDigi has announced their own Fibre To The Room (FTTR) in Malaysia, which provides you with a fibre connection in each room of your house. This makes them the first telco to fully offer an FTTR solution in Malaysia, with CelcomDigi claiming it’ll provide ultra fast, uninterrupted connectivity everywhere in your house.
There are three Fibre To The Room packages offered by CelcomDigi at the moment. The cheapest one is a FTTR 1+1 setup, meaning a single FTTR Master unit and a single FTTR Slave unit. CelcomDigi says this will be good for up to two rooms, and will cost you RM1,440 just for the FTTR units, with a RM480 installation fee. There’s also the FTTR 1+2 setup for three rooms, priced at RM1,800 with a RM648 installation fee, and a 1+3 setup suitable for up to 4 rooms priced at RM2,280 with a RM864 installation fee. Here’s what you get with each FTTR package:
That being said, you won’t have to pay the full FTTR price with the installation fee in one lump sum, with CelcomDigi saying that you can split it up into a 24-month easy payment plan, albeit you will only be able to do so with a Maybank or CIMB credit card. There’s no contract tied to this CelcomDigi FTTR package either, though you will be paying for this on top of your regular fibre plan already. Here’s how much the CelcomDigi FTTR plans will cost if you opt for the 24-month easy payment plan:
CelcomDigi FTTR 1+1 – RM60/month
CelcomDigi FTTR 1+2 – RM75/month
CelcomDigi FTTR 1+3 – RM95/month
However, if you do want to get CelcomDigi FTTR for your home, you will need to ensure that you’re an existing CelcomDigi fibre user with an active subscription on a 300Mbps plan or higher. You can then click here to head over to the sign up page for their FTTR packages, after which they will contact you again to discuss an installation date.
As a recap, Fibre To The Room allows each room in your household to have a fibre connection directly, offering a lower latency connection with smoother indoor roaming compared to the usual Fibre To The Home setup where the fibre connection ends at a broadband termination unit, and then gets hooked up to the WiFi router via a copper LAN cable.
Incidentally, this does also mean that CelcomDigi has beaten Time in becoming the first to offer FTTR in Malaysia, despite the latter having initially teased the solution back in August. Time had originally planned to offer FTTR in Malaysia some time in Q4 2023, and at time of writing their Fibre To The Room page on their website is still only calling for pre-registration of interested users.
With the announcement of the new packages by Unifi, consumers are now free to enjoy better connectivity online at a lower price. Not only that, but consumers can also now enjoy next-generation offerings without paying through their nose.
Unifi’s new prices for internet packages deliver the best option possible for anyone looking to connect to the internet. With prices starting from RM 89 (for a limited-time offer!), it is the right time to get on board with Unifi.
From the pakcik next door to the kakak goreng pisang, from the auntie looking to connect with her loved ones overseas to the restaurant owner looking to upgrade his customer’s experience – there is a plan for everyone with Unifi.
There are six tiers of connectivity plans, ranging from 100Mbps to 2Gbps. The prices for each package start from RM 99 (RM 89 for a limited time only!), going all the way to RM 319. Depending on whether you are a heavy user, a light user or fall somewhere in between – there is a plan that’s perfect for you. Better yet, you are not paying through the roof for high-speed internet with Unifi.
Not only new customers will benefit – even current Unifi customers have something to celebrate as every eligible customer will see their internet speeds upgraded to one tier higher, regardless of their subscribed plans. So, if you are on the 100Mbps or the 1Gbps plan – you will see your internet speed upgraded, for free.
For those looking for an all-in-one bundle, Unifi is offering a new bundle, where customers can receive 100Mbps fibre connectivity, unlimited 4G + 5G data, as well as a 5G phone for free. The bundle is for a 36-month contract and delivers great value for anyone looking to connect their lives with next-generation connectivity – without paying next-generation prices. who wouldn’t want a free phone right?
Unifi is here to create value through human-centred products and solutions that are accessible to all Malaysians. The new packages are designed to deliver the best customer experiences at the best prices.
For more info on the new Unifi price, packages and bundle, head on to unifi.com.my.
Local internet service provider Time had first teased its own fibre to the room (FTTR) solution called Gig Speed Home back in August. Since then, CelcomDigi had already launched the first FTTR solution in Malaysia, but that hasn’t stopped Time from continuing with its promise of making Gig Speed Home available by the end of the year.
Time has now finally revealed its pricing for their Gig Speed Home packages. On their website, it has listed down three different Gig Speed Home packages, with the base tier offering a main parent node and a child node for up to 1,000sq ft homes with two rooms with installation and the units priced at RM1,320 during its early bird promo with a regular retail price of RM2,640.
For three room houses up to 1,500sq ft, you can get an additional child node priced at RM1,800 for the package (RRP RM3,600) while the most expensive package with three child nodes for up to 2,000sq ft houses with four rooms will cost you RM2,160 during the early bird promotion (RRP RM4,320). It’s also worth mentioning that this is just for the Gig Speed Home packages themselves, and that you’ll still need to have a Time internet plan to use it. Time has also not revealed how long the early bird promotion will last till.
If you’re a Malaysian user of Time for over 6 months with no outstanding payment though, you can also opt for a 24-month easy payment plan to spread the load a bit. Here’s how much the three plans cost when opting for their 24-month payment plans during the early bird promo:
However, if you’re on Time’s website for yourself, you’ll probably notice that it still says ‘Preregister Now’ rather than being available right now. Instead, Time says that they will be having a roadshow at IPC Damansara from 19 October till 22 October where they will presumably be making the Gig Speed Home solution officially available. If you’re around IPC Damansara, you can also stand a chance to win a full FTTR installation, IKEA vouchers and also a full year’s worth of free internet from Time.
To take part, you’ll first have to spend a minimum of RM500 across up to 3 receipts within the same day from any outlet in either IPC Damansara or IKEA Damansara. Then, you can head over to the Time Gig Speed Home roadshow over at the Concourse level in IPC Damansara to submit your entry for a chance at winning the aforementioned prizes.
For more about Time’s Gig Speed Home and fibre to the room solution, you can check out our previous coverage of it here.
Less than a fortnight after TM launched its revised pricing for Unifi fibre broadband, CelcomDigi has now followed suit by announcing their own new pricing structure for their home fibre internet offerings.
New CelcomDigi Fibre plans pricing
Starting from 13 October onwards, this is how much CelcomDigi’s fibre options are priced at:
CelcomDigi Fibre 50Mbps – RM85/monthRM90
CelcomDigi Fibre 100Mbps – RM99/monthRM130
CelcomDigi Fibre 300Mbps – RM139/monthRM150
CelcomDigi Fibre 500Mbps – RM159/monthRM219
CelcomDigi Fibre 800Mbps – RM249/monthRM299
CelcomDigi Fibre 1Gbps – RM289/monthRM319
However, it actually gets a little cheaper if you’re an existing Celcom or Digi Postpaid user looking to sign up for one of these plans. CelcomDigi had previously already offered a Postpaid+Fibre rebate promotion, and it continues now in a new form. Essentially, under the new pricing and rebate campaign, you’ll get RM10 off on their fibre plans from 50Mbps to 500Mbps, while the 1Gbps plan will get RM20 off; the 800Mbps plan will not come with any postpaid rebate.
As such, there’s how much your net monthly fibre bill will be if you sign up for CelcomDigi’s new fibre plans as an existing postpaid user:
CelcomDigi is also offering a limited time introductory offer, where existing Celcom or Digi postpaid users with RM60 plans and above can sign up for the 300Mbps plan and get six months of fibre for free. After the first six months, you will then get the RM10 rebate for the rest of the usual 24-month contract, which is why in the above infographic CelcomDigi says that the 300Mbps plan is ‘effectively’ priced at RM97/month for the first 24 months.
What about existing CelcomDigi fibre users?
If you’re an existing CelcomDigi fibre user, the good news is that the telco will be automatically reduce your monthly bill down to the new standard fibre pricing as mentioned above. According to their terms and conditions, current CelcomDigi fibre users will see the new monthly prices reflected in their November 2023 bill.
However, if you’re also an existing CelcomDigi postpaid user, your postpaid rebates will now drop down to the new rebate values too. This means that while previously you could get up to RM50 off your bill via rebates, the discounts are now lowered along with the lower monthly fees. Nevertheless, your net bill in the end is still lower than the new retail prices of CelcomDigi’s fibre plans. Furthermore, if you’re a non-postpaid user currently enjoying their previous 6-months of offer pricing for the 100Mbps and 300Mbps plan, you can still enjoy the remaining months of the rebate on top of the new monthly pricing.
Following the enforcement of the new MSAP, Maxis has finally unveiled its revised home fibre broadband plans. Besides giving a price cut and making 100Mbps the minimum mainstream fibre broadband offering, the green telco has also introduced its new 1Gbps and 2Gbps fibre plans to the public. Maxis also claims that it is the first telco in Malaysia to offer 2Gbps fibre broadband with a WiFi 6E router.
The 2Gbps Maxis Home Fibre plan costs RM319/month and it comes with a Premium WiFi 6E-certified router. The 2Gbps plan offers an upload speed of up to 1Gbps.
According to the FAQ, Maxis’ bundled WiFi 6E router lets you enjoy 2Gbps bandwidth over LAN and up to 1.8Gbps over WiFi. With WiFi 6E, users can expect faster and more reliable wireless connection as it offers a tri-band of 2.4GHz, 5GHz and 6GHz. To take advantage of WiFi 6E, you’ll need WiFi 6E-compatible devices that support the 6GHz band. The WiFi 6 router also supports EashMesh R2 function which allows you to add on Max WiFi (RM29/month) for wider coverage for your home.
Meanwhile, the 1Gbps option costs RM249/month and it comes bundled with a WiFi 6-certified router along with free Max WiFi Mesh nodes (worth RM29/month). The 1Gbps fibre broadband plan comes offers upload speeds of up to 500Mbps.
If you need to make lots of calls, Maxis offers unlimited voice calls with a free DECT Phone if you add RM10/month.
As usual, these fibre broadband plans are tied to a 24-month contract. You can also add device bundles such as Smart TVs, PlayStation 5, Laptops and iPads on a 36-month or 24-month Zerolution instalment plan.
Maxis has finally announced its new revised home fibre broadband pricing following the enforcement of the new Mandatory Standard on Access Pricing (MSAP). Similar to TM Unifi, 100Mbps is now the new minimum fibre broadband offering priced at RM99/month. Maxis is also offering a limited-time offer of RM89/month for 100Mbps, RM129/month for 300Mbps and RM149/month for 500Mbps.
New Maxis Fibre Broadband Pricing
Here’s the new Maxis Home Fibre Broadband pricing:
All plans come with a 24-month contract and Maxis offers a WiFi 6 router for 100Mbps to 1Gbps plans. For the new 2Gbps Home Fibre option, Maxis is bundling a Premium WiFi 6E router while the 1Gbps Home Fibre gets free Max WiFi Mesh worth RM29/month.
Take note that the promo is available starting today (27th October 2023) and the extra rebate of RM10/month for 100Mbps, 300Mbps and 500Mbps plans is only for the first 24 months. According to the FAQ, the rebate is only for new Maxis Home Fibre subscribers while existing users will get a speed upgrade with no contract. Customers will be notified about the free upgrade in November 2023.
For senior citizens, disabled (OKU), veterans or those who are under the B40 group, Maxis still offers 30Mbps fibre broadband for RM69/month under Pakej Rahmah. More details about the Pakej Rahmah fibre broadband plan can be found here.
Free Speed Upgrade
The free speed upgrade for existing Maxis customers is only applicable to those who are on 100Mbps plan and above. If you’re on 30Mbps, Maxis encourages you to upgrade to the new 100Mbps plan for RM99/month where you can get 3x speed for an extra RM10/month.
Existing customers who wish to stay on their current speed and pay less on their monthly bill can switch to the new Maxis Home Fibre Plans. Similar to Unifi, any plan change will require a new contract refresh of 24 months. Similarly, customers who take up a new router or a modem upgrade will require a contract refresh.
Customers who are currently on contract who wish to change plans will be subjected to a new 24-month contract. If they take up the free speed upgrade, the contract refresh condition will be waived. Customers with an active Home Zerolution contract are not allowed to change their plans but they are only allowed to upgrade to the higher speed of the new Maxis Home fibre plans.
You rush home from a hard day’s work because today is Friday, which means tonight is family movie night. It’s time to forget about that approaching deadline for your project and just have fun watching a flick with the family. Since time is of the essence, you don’t want to waste it watching advertisements for products that are not targeted at you.
So, one of the best places to enjoy content without distracting advertisements is Netflix. It offers a huge library of local, international, and original content across multiple genres for the whole family to enjoy. Fun fact: Netflix’s first Chinese language original series, The Ghost Bride, was filmed and produced in Malaysia!
Besides that, sci-fi fans can get transported into a dystopian future with Rebel Moon, where a mysterious outsider becomes the best hope for the survival of a quiet farming village on a distant moon when the ruthless forces of the Motherworld start an invasion.
For those looking for something in the thriller genre, you can check out Gyeongseong Creature where an entrepreneur and a sleuth fight for survival and face a monster born out of human greed in Seoul’s grim era under colonial rule.
Horror genre fans can get their heart racing with Sweet Home with its second season doubling the stakes as the line between monster and human begins to blur. So the question is, can Hyun-Su and the other survivors fight to stay alive?
These examples are barely scratching the surface of the content on Netflix, so there won’t be a shortage of content for your family movie night. That said, even though there are no distracting advertisements, there’s still a chance of video buffering to pull you out of the immersion.
Unifi Home fibre broadband now comes bundled with Netflix Basic
With Unifi Home fibre broadband, you can spend less time staring at the rotating wheel and more time cheering on your favourite action hero or heroine. For RM139 a month, Unifi Home 300mbps offers enough bandwidth for the whole family during the day and buffer-free streaming from Netflix at night.
Additionally, Unifi is now bundling Netflix Basic at no additional cost with Unifi Home 300mbps broadband plan. There’s no need to subscribe to Unifi TV as a pre-requisite or pay for any additional commitments. Just make sure to select Unifi Home only.
If you have never experienced Netflix, this is a great opportunity for you to check out Netflix for free. Should you then decide to upgrade the Netflix plan to enjoy more features, you add the subscription fee to your Unifi bill for seamless payment.
New customers can enjoy Netflix Basic with Unifi Home 300Mbps by visiting Unifi’s website and selecting only the Unifi Home option. For existing customers, you can enjoy Netflix Basic at no additional cost if you upgrade to a 300Mbps plan or higher, or by extending your current contract.
(@fahmi_fadzil) 
