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Maxis, Celcom, Digi, Yes, U Mobile And Yoodo: Price Guide To 5G Telcos In Malaysia

Experience 5G speeds with packages as low as RM3 per day.

 

We’ve been hearing the buzz surrounding the fifth generation (5G) network ever since the 2010s – how 5G would let us download an entire high-definition movie in less than a minute and etc. The arrival of 5G mobile network has proved to be a huge leap from the previous generations of networks – 1G, 2G, 3G, and 4G LTE – as it delivers much more connectivity than ever.  

In 2021, Digital Nasional Berhad was set up by the Ministry of Finance to ramp up the rollout of 5G network in Malaysia. A check on Digital Nasional’s website showed that 5G coverage is now present in big cities throughout Peninsular Malaysia including Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Ipoh, Kota Bharu and Muar.  The average 5G upload speed is 38.1 Mbps, which is high compared to an average 4G upload speed of 6.3 Mbps. 

In general, anything above 100 Mbps is considered high speed connectivity. According to NordVPN, a person generally requires 40 to 100 Mbps to stream 4K video content, peruse high-definition videos or game on mobile devices.  

Now that telcos in Malaysia have come up with 5G packages, let’s explore the pricings and features of these packages. 

How Different Is 5G? 

Back in the 2000s, mobile technology had a breakthrough with 3G network that enabled us to do more on our mobile phones – send text messages, images, videos and access the internet. Before that, we were only able to send messages in text form.   

Then, came the era of 4G network which improved internet speed by 10 times – meaning no lagging when watching a TV show or downloading huge files. 

With each new generation of mobile network, there’s greater improvement in speed and quality. The average download speed of 3G networks is 3.7 Mbps while 4G users enjoy a significantly higher speed at 13.4 Mbps. 

With 5G, the average download speed in Malaysia is much higher at 284.9 Mbps, which is around 20 times faster.    

According to Digital Nasional Berhad, 5G offers the following: 

  • 10x to 100x faster speeds so downloading and uploading large files becomes easier than ever 
  • 1,000x more connections than 4G. 5G can connect one million devices at a time in a space of one square kilometre. 
  • 5x quicker transmission response so information reaches you efficiently 
  • 5x more energy efficient compared to earlier generations 

Digital Nasional Berhad has started rolling out 5G plans in stages since 2021, targeting capital locations in Putrajaya, Cyberjaya and Kuala Lumpur. It aims to provide 80% 5G coverage in populated areas throughout the nation by end of 2023.  

How Much Do Malaysian 5G Packages Cost? 

Nearly half of the Malaysian population are thinking to subscribe to 5G network by 2023 and  25% of them have already bought 5G smartphones. 

There are some things to consider before switching to 5G. First, find out if the area that you’re living in has 5G coverage. Then, you will also need a mobile phone that supports a 5G network. 

Telco 

 

Package  Prepaid Plan  Postpaid Plan 
Maxis 

 

4G & 5G  RM3 per day to RM60 per month  

(3GB to 70GB) 

RM79 to RM199 per month  

 

(80GB + 40GB to 200GB + 100GB) 

 

Celcom  4G & 5G 

 

RM3 to RM6 per day; RM12 per week 

 

(4.5GB to 30GB) 

 

Free to RM20 per month  

 

 

(30GB to 90GB) 

Digi  4G & 5G 

 

RM20 to RM48 per 30 days 

 

(15GB to 85GB) 

RM40 to RM150 per month 

 

(30GB to 135GB) 

 

Yes  4G & 5G 

 

RM30  

 

(12GB) 

RM58 to RM178 per month 

 

(20GB to 110GB) 

 

U Mobile  4G & 5G 

 

RM25 to RM50 per month 

 

 

RM38 to RM98 per month 

 

(60GB to 1,000GB) 

 

Yoodo  5G  RM18 to RM98 per 30 days 

 

(10GB to 200GB) 

Currently, all of the telcos mentioned above have plans with both 4G and 5G networks. Celcom offers a 5G Booster that cost RM10 to RM20 per month while Yoodo lets existing users subscribe to its 5G Pass for RM5 per month provided that they subscribe to any plan from RM18 to RM98. 

Unlike the other telcos that have separate prepaid and postpaid plans, Yoodo offers a hybrid plan that combines the functions and monthly features of a postpaid plan and payment flexibility of a prepaid plan.  

You will see on Yoodo’s website that it lets users customise their plan according to their needs down to the number of SMS sent. The more functions you require, the more expensive your plan will be.  

Do You Need 5G? 

Nowadays, as we live in a highly connected society, many households would have more than one digital device connected to the internet. High internet usage especially for those working from home can lead to a congested network which leads to the lagging we experience when watching a movie or playing games.  

 The 5G network is capable of supporting multiple users at one time without lags. Not only delivering faster speeds, 5G also improves the quality of videos in terms of clarity and resolution.   

 Plus, as we progress, previous networks like 3G will be discontinued in the future. 

 The decision of whether to subscribe to 5G or not really depends on one’s needs and usage of internet. Some plans are offering users access to 5G for an affordable extra fee on top of existing plans. 

 Featured Image Credit: Digi 

 

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