I almost left Digi and port-in to Umobile

Let me tell you how I almost left Digi for (port-in to) Umobile.

The whole thing started when I realized Umobile was offering their U Mobile Borneo Postpaid Plan, which provided unlimited internet at 5G speeds, unlimited hotspot, unlimited voice calls, unlimited sms to local numbers.

All this is offered at no contract for just RM28/month.

That makes it perhaps the cheapest postpaid plan around!

Obviously, I was also enticed.

My previous Digi telco plan

I am with Digi. I have been with Digi for quite sometime. I signed up for their Postpaid 60 plan in 2021, and had a sub-line added for RM20/month.

This line gave me 25GB then, and the sub-line came with addition 10GB of data and I coould share my date with my sub-line if there was a need.

Eventually, Digi increased my data allocation to a certain figure I could not remember because I seldom utilize my data quota.  Since I never finished my data quota, I didn’t feel there was a need to take up any additional data plans and decided to not sign up for newer contracts despite the promise of rebates and more data.

At this point I was paying Digi RM84.80 every month, with two lines in my hand.

Why was Umobile’s Borneo plan enticing

Aside from offering unlimited data, speed, hotspot, calls and sms, the price Umobile was offering was very cheap. If I ported to Umobile with my daughter, I would be paying just RM76 (original plan price excluding tax), which is lower than what I am paying Digi at the moment.

There’s however two main issues with Umobile; namely their coverage in Sarawak (see map below) isn’t great (Limited to town and cities), and the unlimited data plan can’t be used in West Malaysia (If I travel to West Malaysia, I will only be allocated 10GB in Malaya).

Umobile’s lacking coverage wasn’t an issue to me because I saw it as a blessing; I also means I can’t be contacted when I am away from the city.

This meant I get more peace of mind when I am on leave.

Also, as far as I am concerned, most places I do frequent in Kuching are now covered by Umobile with 5G, and places I frequent outside of the city now have unifi fiber connectivity.

The 10GB limit is a bit of turn off, but then, I don’t travel often.

• BUY Umobile Prepaid plan, RM15/month for 2TB data

I also figured a way around both problems; I would convert my private number to Yoodo (which uses Celcom), and this would mean I could still have data where Umobile didn’t have coverage.  I could also buy add-on data with Yodoo if I happened to travel to West Malaysia.

Just in case you are wondering, my private line is using unifi prepaid and it has unlimited validity for as long as I use it every now and then.

With all that thought out, I thought I had a full proof plan, and I could save a bit once I port-in to Umobile.

Port-in to Umobile

So I set the plan in motion by porting my private number to Yoodo, and went to Umobile to request porting into their services.

The Borneo Plan doesn’t allow any sub-line, so I had to make my daughter’s line a principal line with Umobile (RM28+RM28 or RM38+RM38 is still cheaper than what I am paying Digi).  To do this, I had to go to Digi and saperate my daugther’s number from mine.

However, I soon found out that in order to make my dauther’s number a principal line, I had to subscribe to CelcomDigi’s (CelcomDigi is the new name for Digi after they merged with Celcom) new principal line postpaid plan which cost a minimum of RM70/month excluding tax (see the options below).

So I opted to terminate her line instead, and asked her to get a new number with Umobile. Lucky she agreed.

With my daughter’s line settled, mine was next.

I told Umobile I wanted to port out and they asked me to pay an advance payment of RM38 (which is the original price of the Borneo Plan).  This advance payment will be refunded in the first month bill.

Umobile issued me a SIM card and told me to wait for an SMS from Digi to complete the port-in to Umobile.

I’ve done porting in-out before, so I am familiar with the process.  Now I just had to wait for that all important SMS from Digi, and I would soon be on Umobile.

• READ how I ported out of Maxis

Digi countered

This was when things got interesting.

After I confirmed my intention to port-in to Umobile via SMS, Digi called.

They asked why I was porting out and I told them it was because of cost (and to some extend their service).

Then, the telemarketer offered to pay back the advance payment of RM38 I paid Umobile, and gave me a choice of two plans, which she claims isn’t available in stores and only offered by the HQ;

• Plan A: Unlimited data, voice calls and SMS but speeds capped at 6Mbps
• Plan B: 30Gbps 5G speed, with unlimited voice calls and SMS

Both plans will not bear any contract and will be priced at RM37.10 (including tax).  It took me a while to decide, but I opted to stay on with them and took Plan B.

I hardly use more than 10GB/month when on the go, and I do not mind topping up if I needed more quota as well. I do want speed.

So I opted to stay with Plan B because like it or not, Digi (or CelcomDigi) has one of the widest coverage in Malaysia (see map below), and Plan B still allows me to save because I will now be paying RM37 (Digi with tax) + RM28 (Umobile sub-line without tax) = About RM65.

Add my personal number which I’d maintain for RM3/month and I’ll be spending RM69. Still lower than previously. If the Umobile promo is over, I will end up paying RM79, which is still lower or the same with my current bill, but now with more data and three lines.

• BUY Digi Prepaid, the lowest Digi plan

Conclusion

So that said, I know CelcomDigi hasn’t been up to par in terms of service of late, but I think they will improve as time passes.

Aside from that, I’ve used all telcos in the past, and all are almost equal in terms of service.

Thanks to Mobile Number Portability (MNP), I’m not worried about any telco serving me poorly because if they suck or became too expensive, I’d just port out like what I almost did with Digi.