Wireless Broadband ISP

Am hunting around for a Wireless Broadband ISP, as due the the mobile factor in my career choice, having a wire broadband will give the telecom contractors much of my hard earn money ever time I move.

As such with the current state of wireless broadband (wimax or others), we have currently 4 suppliers ie Mr Potong (P1), Celcom, Maxis, and new boy on the block Digi. 3 others have the lisence but have not roll out anything yet.

All the service provider is not having a contract period......... espeically if you purchase the modem.

Service area.

I did not take P1 in to consideration, as there are many places it do not have coverage....... (ie out of major towns .......... my career path may take me to smaller towns ....... like currently even if I want to take P1, there is no service in my area. other then that Celcom has the best coverage, Maxis is 2nd and in last place is Digi.

Score is Celcom = 10, Maxis = 8, Digi = 6

Type of Service and Pricing

I am only looking at Basic service for the Post Paid Wireless broad band, (to qualify the the Income tax relief) and all 3 service providers have it.

Celcom is price at RM68, Maxis is price at RM78 with a RM 10 rebate for the 1st years, and Digi is at RM58.

Score is Celcom = 18, Maxis = 14, Digi = 14

Speed

Speed is not that inportant for me for this package as my main LSP is atmy work place, and this broadband service is mainly for the my family usage, and for my off day.

For the Basic Package

Celcom - 384 kbs
Maxis - no speed mention / no cap mention
Digi - 700kbs

Score is Celcom = 24, Maxis = 24, Digi = 26

Cap in Usage Volume

Celcom - 5mbs per month
Maxis - 2mbs per month
Digi - 3mbs additional charges if use more then this limit

This is bad!

Final Score is Celcom = 34, Maxis = 28, Digi = 28

Conclusion

In other words, Celcom is the best choice of me in terms of Mobility, highest usage volume, at the 2nd highest price basic package, and the lowest promise speed. I am targeting if i have the spare funds, to get the package in a few months time.....

Just wondering Lowest promise speed, but the highest cap in usage volume, what will it mean it with a higher promise speed but a lower usage cap?

My Digi Experience – So Far ........

@snapshots

Conclusion: Mix but Generally Excellent, Fast, Efficient when it works, when it flops it flops...

1. Just received my first bill from Digi and the dealer that did my registration got it wrong in my call plans, Other than calling digi help line the dealer was completely unhelpful and even dare to suggested if I am not happy they can terminate the line for me. But Digi Service is top notch, within just 30 min of the call (and this is after 5pm), a sms came to confirm my new plan..........

2. When paying the bill, at another dealer, before I could even get the receipt, the SMS arrive confirming payment. time was after 5pm. Now that also Top Notch and that fast, my previous service provider ...... took a few minutes usually......

3. On a Sunday, after I complaint on the Plan the Dealer registered via the ”Contact Digi” at digi.com, within 5 hours, I received a E mail saying that they will rebate me for the difference. Now how many companies will handle this type of money matters on a Sunday? Again Top Notch.

4. The “OCS” does not score so high. I have been trying to register for the “OCS” from the 1^st Jan 09, I could not even register till Sunday (18^th), then I was waiting for the SMS for the TPIN, Did not get it at all, I again register today(20^th). Within 30 seconds after hitting the enter key, my SMS when off and there was the TPIN. I when in to Family and Friends and “tried” to register my frequent call number- no luck..... I tried in the afternoon, it works then, response sms was also very fast. Further, the digi web seems to be very sluggish.

All I can say is, when Digi Service Work, they can be extremely good and extremely fast, but when they flop I personally feel very let down, We cannot use the excuse “they are like that” when comparing with other service providers, it’s disappointing as overall they are extremely good. I am not talking of Dealers, Of course efficient control over the dealers service will be difficult to say the least if not downright impossible.

So Digi have been scoring 10,10,10,6 for a total of 36points , with an average of 9 points..... the Dealer I will rate them as only 2 points for the foul up over the lucky number, (see earlier post here), the foul up over my call plans, the foul up over suggesting to cancelled my new number. Just that The Fat Yellow Fellow is just not following me around all over the place at my work place, at certain place he goes MIA ....... he may be stepping out for a cigg.... but comes looking for me soon.

Switching Back to Digi

I was one of the pioneer Digi prepaid users, after around 6 years with Digi prepaid, I migrated over to Digi Post Paid, as my prepaid bills increase to over RM50 a month, They had a special offer at that time, New Hand Phone for Free, or Subsidise, Monthly line charge of RM30 and call charges of RM0.15 per min anywhere in Malaysia, for a contracted period of 2 years.

After about 3 years, when I started working out in the country side, I discovered that Call Reception at my work place was poor, there were many spots where I cannot get any reception at all. That when I change to Maxis.

The Promoter explain to me that I will get a RM20 rebate per month, for the first year, and the RM10 rebate per month, for the second year, with Line charge of RM30 and RM0.15 per min anywhere in Malaysia, with a contracted period of 2 years. Actually the charges were RM0.30 per min but what choice I had then? I was the only one using Digi at that place and I cannot be contacted. I also got a sub line for my wife.

Maxis Reception was ok, still there were certain spots deep within the building without reception, but that normal, there were one instance where I was billed for the Special SMS which I did not ask for, but that was sorted out fast.

It has been 2 years already, Digi Reception in the area have improved, there are digi users at my work place now and with Digi new Easy Plan, RM20 a month for line, RM0.20 per min for call, sub line at RM10 per line, works out cheaper then my current Maxis plan. That will work out to savings of around RM20 per month on an average. So it’s time to switch back especially my work place is kind enough to give me a company line and phone.

I registered at one of the Neighbouring Hand Phone Shop, requesting for a paired number, for me and my wife, 016 – XXXABCD, they check and suggested some modifications, and was quickly assign and the 2 sim card was given out, I went home happy till I got a SMS. Number given were a “Lucky” number, Need to Pay RM100 each, I said no way and when back to the Shop and got it sorted out, by getting another paired number that not so “Lucky”.

Any way I am waiting for the 016 line to be activated, and for the fat yellow guy to start following me around and then I am going to Maxis to get my Maxis Line Terminated.