A mobile phone or any other mobile device operates by connecting to the local network managed by local providers, which enables calls and messages to be directed to other devices. When you travel abroad, your mobile phone uses a roaming feature to connect to foreign networks, allowing you to make phone calls and use data overseas. However, data usage rates abroad are significantly higher than those at home. For example, a recent news report highlighted a Malaysian traveler who returned from a 12-day trip to the Middle East with an RM120,000 bill for data roaming.
To avoid exorbitant charges while enjoying network connectivity abroad, travelers can consider roaming plans offered by their local providers in Malaysia. These plans allow you to select the amount of data you need and review the fees and charges to avoid unexpected costs.
In this article, we compare roaming plans and pricing from major telcos in Malaysia.
Things to Consider Before Getting a Mobile Roaming Plan
Subscribing to a roaming plan is simple; you only need to add the roaming plan to your existing local mobile plan. This allows you to keep your phone number and avoid the hassle of changing your SIM card when traveling abroad.
However, it’s important to note that the network service may be slower overseas compared to back home, as your roaming provider may limit you to their preferred network partners abroad.
Roaming Plans Offered by Major Telcos in Malaysia
There are generally two types of roaming plans: single-country and multi-country plans.
Single-Country Plans: These plans are valid for use in one specific country.
Multi-Country Plans: These plans are suitable for travelers visiting multiple countries.
When comparing roaming plans, consider the following factors:
Data Usage Limits: Check how much data is included in the plan.
Area Coverage: Ensure the plan covers the regions you will be traveling to.
Rates and Surcharges: Review the costs associated with the plan to avoid unexpected charges.
By evaluating these aspects, you can choose the roaming plan that best fits your travel needs and budget.
CelcomDigi
CelcomDigi postpaid and prepaid 5G users are able to access roaming passes that can be purchased and activated on the app. You can select the date to activate the roaming pass while passes can be activated seven days in advance for MyDigi.
The cheapest mobile roaming plan from CelcomDigi is the 3-day Internet Pass that offers 2GB data for RM25, with a validity of three days to over 20 destinations. However, if you require more data, you can subscribe to the 7-day Internet Pass that offers unlimited internet for RM58. For longer trips, you may choose the 30-day Internet Pass that provides unlimited internet for RM98.
To avoid being charged with additional roaming charges, turn off Data Roaming in your mobile phone before the validity period ends.
| Plan | Price | Validity | Countries |
| 3-day Internet Pass (single-country) | 2GB for RM25 (You can repurchase the same plan once data is used up) |
3 days | Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, China, East Timor, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Macao, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam |
| 7-day Internet Pass (multi-country) | Unlimited internet for RM58 | 7 days | Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Macao, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam |
| 30-day Internet Pass (multi-country) | Unlimited internet for RM98 | 30 days | Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, Cambodia, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Egypt, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Laos, Latvia, Lithunia, Macau, Malta, Nepal, New Zealand, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, USA, UK, Uzbekistan, Vietnam |
Hotlink
Hotlink offers its prepaid and postpaid customers roaming passes that can be bought on the Hotlink app. To activate the pass, postpaid users can dial *100#. For prepaid users, passes are automatically activated once the prepaid line is activated.
| Plan | Price | Validity | Countries and Territories |
| Roaming Pass – Neighbouring Countries | 5GB for RM12 | 3 days | Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand |
| 7GB for RM20 | 7 days | ||
| Roaming Pass – ASEAN | 3GB for RM20 | 3 days | Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam |
| 5GB for RM30 | 7 days | ||
| Roaming Pass – Asia Pacific | 3GB for RM30 | 3 days | Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Macau, New Zealand, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tajikistan |
| 5GB for RM50 | 7 days | ||
| Roaming Pass – Europe | 3GB for RM50 | 7 days | Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovak, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, United Kingdom – 33 destinations |
| 5GB for RM70 | 14 days |
Maxis
Maxis offers six data roaming passes that are available to its postpaid subscribers. You can subscribe to the passes via the Maxis app and schedule selected passes 14 days in advance.
All of Maxis’ roaming plans offer unlimited internet with various validity periods up to 30 days with a price range from RM29 to RM119. Maxis is also the only provider that offers inflight and maritime roaming plans at RM38 per day.
| Plan | Price | Validity | Countries and Territories |
| 1-day Unlimited Data (single-country) |
Unlimited internet for RM29 | 1 day | Brunei, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Laos, Macau, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand & Vietnam. |
| 1-day Data Roam Pass (single-country) | Unlimited internet for RM38 | 1 day | Aeromobile (Inflight), Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Brazil, British Virgin Island, Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, D.R.Congo, Denmark, Dominica, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Faroe Islands, France, French Polynesia, Finland, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malta, Maritime – On-Waves, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Palestine, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Korea, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Kitts And Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & Grenadines, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Togo, Turks And Caicos Islands, Turkey, Tunisia, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uruguay, USA, Uzbekistan, Yemen Republic – 100+ destinations |
| 3-day ASEAN Plus Pass (multi-country) | Unlimited internet for RM39 | 3 days | Brunei, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Laos, Macau, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam |
| 7-day ASEAN Plus Pass (multi-country) | Unlimited internet for RM49 | 7 days | Brunei, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Laos, Macau, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand & Vietnam |
| 15-day Data Roaming pass (multi-country) |
Unlimited internet for RM89 | 15 days | Afghanistan, Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Malta, Montenegro, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovenia, Slovak, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uzbekistan – 70+ destinations |
| 30-day World Unlimited Data (multi country) |
Unlimited internet for RM119 | 30 days | Afghanistan, Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Malta, Montenegro, Nepal, United Kingdom, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovak, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Uzbekistan – 70+ destinations |
Tune Talk
Tune Talk offers Ready to Roam prepaid passes that can be purchased 30 days in advance.
| Plan | Price | Validity | Countries and Territories |
| 1-day Roaming Pass | 50 – 500 MB for RM33 | 1 day | Afghanistan, Albania, Anguilla, Antigua, Argentina, Aruba, Austria, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Bermuda and West Indies, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bonaire, Bosnia Herzegovina, Brazil, British Islands, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Cayman Islands, China, Congo, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Haiti, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Latvia, Lithuania, Macau, Macedonia, Malta, Mongolia, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Turks and Caicos, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam – 100+ destinations |
| 3-day Roaming Pass | 2GB for RM25 | 3 days | Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, India, Macau, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam |
U Mobile
U Mobile postpaid subscribers can use their existing data plans to enjoy connectivity when traveling. Specifically, U Postpaid 68 users can continue to enjoy their 300GB data at the price of RM68 in Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand. Meanwhile, U Postpaid 98 users enjoy 15GB data for the price of RM98 in over 60 destinations.
There are also U Data Roam plans that offer unlimited data from RM10 in over 70 destinations.
Existing customers with more than six months of tenure can activate data roaming on U Mobile’s app. For new prepaid and postpaid users, international roaming is pre-activated.
| Plan | Price | Validity | Countries and Territories |
| U Postpaid 68 | 300GB for RM68 | 1 month | Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand |
| U Postpaid 98 | 15GB for RM98 | 1 month | Albania, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Mongolia, Montenegro, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Zealand, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor Leste, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam – 63 destinations |
| U Data Roam 10 (single-country) | Unlimited internet for RM10 | 1 day | Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand |
| U Data Roam 36 (single-country) | Unlimited internet for RM36 | 1 day | Albania, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malta, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Timor Leste, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam – 63 destinations |
Unifi
Unifi has the UNI5G Roam Pass for UNI5G postpaid subscribers with coverage in over 100 countries. Unifi offers unlimited internet plans from the price of RM19. There are also a range of plans for those travelling to Saudi Arabia from an affordable price of RM15.
| Plan | Price | Validity | Countries and Territories |
| UNI5G Roam ASEAN Unlimited 1-day |
Unlimited internet for RM19 | 1 day | Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand |
| UNI5G ROAM Global Unlimited 1-day |
Unlimited internet for RM39 | 1 day | Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Macau, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Türkiye, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay |
| UNI5G ROAM Data 1-day |
50MB for RM39 | 1 day | Albania, Bahrain, Belarus, Colombia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Fiji, Gibraltar, Guam, Guatemala, Guernsey, Iraq, Isle of Man, Jersey, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands Antilles, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Samoa, Slovenia, Tonga, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu |
| UNI5G Roam ASEAN Unlimited 7-day |
Unlimited internet for RM39 | 7 days | Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam |
| UNI5G Roam Global Unlimited 7-day |
Unlimited internet for RM69 | 7 days | Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Macau, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Türkiye, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay |
| UNI5G Roam Middle East Unlimited 1-day |
Unlimited internet for RM15 | 1 day | Saudi Arabia |
| UNI5G Roam Middle East Unlimited 7-day |
Unlimited internet for RM45 | 7 days | Saudi Arabia |
| UNI5G Roam Middle East Unlimited 15-day |
Unlimited internet for RM75 | 15 days | Saudi Arabia |
| UNI5G Roam Middle East Unlimited 45-day |
Unlimited internet for RM125 | 45 days | Saudi Arabia |
Yes
Yes offers data roaming passes to up to 11 destinations in the ASEAN region, which can be booked on the MyYes app and activated 30 days in advance. There is a variation of 1-day, 3-day and 7-day passes from the price of RM10 to RM30 in over 10 destinations.
For those traveling to Singapore, you can enjoy free incoming calls (free outgoing calls to any Malaysian number).
| Plan | Price | Validity | Countries and Territories |
| 1-day Pass | 1GB for RM10 | 1 day | Brunei, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Laos, Macau, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam |
| 3-day Pass | 5GB for RM20 | 3 days | |
| 7-days Pass | 10GB for RM30 | 7 days |
Read Also: Celcom, Digi, Hotlink, U Mobile, Yes: Price Guide To Malaysia’s Prepaid Plans
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