The best mobile plans in Malaysia

Settling down in Malaysia

If you just recently moved and settled down in Malaysia, you should know that one of the things you do not have to worry about is the mobile plan. The telecommunication industry in Malaysia is very competitive, so as a consumer, you will have plenty of options for telco service providers. 

Each telco service provider offers different mobile plans and services, so it is worth knowing what each telco service provider’s mobile plan can offer before committing yourself to one. 

What to look out for when buying a mobile plan

Before purchasing and subscribing to a mobile plan, there are a few things you should look for, such as;

Internet data

If you often run out of data or still have a chunk of unused data by the end of each month,  then you probably have been paying for a plan that doesn’t match your needs.

So why not reevaluate your data usage and find a telco service provider that can offer mobile plans that suit your needs?

Calls and texts

Do you often make calls that last longer than a few minutes? Or maybe often use message apps to text and communicate with your workplace, friends and family. If so, you will want a telco service provider that can provide unlimited calls and a data plan that allows you to use messaging apps without a data limit. 

Supplementary lines

If you often make calls to your family members, you will want to consider getting and adding a mobile Family Plan to your mobile Principal Plan. It will give your mobile plan more value by lowering the total cost, and everyone will enjoy the same benefits.

Quality of service

Though the quality of service is subjective, some telco service providers excel in some areas, such as providing high Internet speed or generous monthly data limit. However, for the broadest coverage and best service quality, Celcom is the leading telco service provider, according to OpenSignal.

Unlimited data plans

Supplementary lines

Data roaming

How to buy and subscribe to a mobile plan (Postpaid)

As an expat, you will be considered a non-Malaysian individual. So when you are buying a mobile plan, you will be charged RM500 “foreigner” deposit besides the standard registration fee for a postpaid mobile plan. The RM500 “foreigner” deposit will be refunded. The refund period will depend on the telco service provider you have registered with. As for the standard registration fee, the amount will depend on the telco service provider that you have chosen.

Besides that, you will need to present a copy of your passport, visa, proof of residency (your current living address in Malaysia) and billing information (email address, etc).

Prepaid plans comparison

As we mentioned, a prepaid plan doesn’t come with a dedicated Internet plan. You will need to subscribe to one after you have reloaded your prepaid plan. The fee will be deducted from the reload you have made. For example, if you reload RM10, you can subscribe to a 600MB Internet plan with a one-week expiration that costs RM6, and still has an RM4 balance. 

So if you only make calls and texts via an app like Whatsapp, the RM4 balance should be sufficient. However, if you often make calls using the standard call function, you will need to recharge more.

Unlimited prepaid plans

Fortunately, all telcos provide their consumers with Unlimited Prepaid Plans that can help consumers to save up on mobile plan costs. 

U-Mobile: Unlimited U40

Price: RM25 – RM40 per month

U-Mobile offers three prepaid plans for you to choose from; the U25, U35 and U40.

As you can see in the image provided above, by spending RM15 more, you can get more value for your prepaid plans.

The U40 prepaid plan offers 6 Mbps speed, 3 Mbps faster than the U25 prepaid plan. In addition to 3 Mbps Internet speed, you will also get a unlimited mobile hotspot.

Celcom X-Pax: Unlimited 38

Price: RM38 – RM45

As shown in the image above, Celcom offers four prepaid plans. If you rarely use or depend on your mobile data and hotspot, the Unlimited 38 mobile plan would be ideal for you. But if you always use mobile data and the mobile hotspot, you would want to get the Unlimited 45 prepaid plan. The Unlimited 45 prepaid plan offers 3 Mbps faster Internet speed and a free 6GB hotspot.

Tune Talk Fokus 33

Price: RM 33 – RM38

Tune Talk offers three prepaid plans, and all three prepaid plans offer unlimited Internet. The differences between the prepaid plans are their Internet speed and hotspot data amount; the cheapest prepaid plan has Internet speed up to 6 Mbps and 4GB a hotspot.

The Fokus 40 prepaid plan offers 6 Mbps faster Internet speeds and a 6GB hotspot. Bebas 55 prepaid plan offers the fastest Internet speeds out of all three prepaid plans; up to 18 Mbps Internet speed and unlimited hotspot.

So if you found yourself running out of hotspot data and can’t bear buffering and loading, Bebas 55 prepaid plan is for you.

How to buy and subscribe to a mobile plan (Prepaid)

Purchasing a prepaid mobile plan is slightly simpler than a postpaid mobile plan. You only need to present a copy of your passport and then fill up the registration form. Then you can pick a phone number and pay for a first-time reload of RM10.

However, be sure to get and remember the USSD code  (unstructured supplementary service data). So that you can easily subscribe to an Internet plan of your choice, check your prepaid balance, etc.

Before you go…

In Malaysia, there is no shortage of telco service providers. But at the end of the day, the most important thing is the coverage provided by the telco service providers.

Because good and stable Internet coverage is a must nowadays, especially if you want to manage financial-related transactions such as remittance; to send money back to your family in your home country.

That’s where Instarem comes in.

With no hidden fees and competitive exchange rates, we make it easy to send money home. Try Instarem for your next transfer by downloading the app or sign up here.

*Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational purposes only. All details are accurate at the time of publishing. Instarem has no affiliation or relationship with products or vendors mentioned.