been searching the forum and have different answers for the same question, called MAXIS and the person so blur that I can be a better MAXIS CS than her..anyway, the thing is i never actually check my unbilled amount before, my question is how MAXIS calculate the unbilled amount daily? Does it includes the data or just sms and call? Looking at the unbilled RM700++ on my account, i guess it should include data and deduct with my iValue data when they issue the bill later, rite?? thanks!

i facing the same problem today after extended my iValue1 plan today to buy iPhone 4. Talked to CS and asked her to speed up the billing to next week instead of 14th to check, she promised wont cut my line in 24 hours....sucks man

the problem with the line cut and overcharging is caused by MAXIS billing system unable to COMBINE the old iValue plan with the new iValue plan. Example: If your monthly bill is on the 14th with iValue1 500MB, prorated will be 16.6MB a day. So up to the day before you upgrade your plan to the new iValue1 1GB, say 24th, you have total around 166MB to use. If you exceeded that, say 200MB, the extra 34MB will be 34,000KB x RM0.05=RM1700. Since MAXIS cap at RM250, the billing system will send an sms saying you exceeded the limit and cut your line in 24hour. So the fair billing system should be (the old plan prorated up to the date of upgrade + prorated new plan up to the next bill). Eg. 166MB (old plan) + 33MB (new plan)x20days = 832MB. So they should only bill you next month with new limit of 832MB combined!

hope this clear for all of you who need to speak to the blur-blur MAXIS CS, it sucks when customers have to educate and explain the actual situation to the telco!!!! in fact if we are don't bising, they will just pretend nothing, and charge you that amount as many has voiced here and at the MAXIS facebook page...PLEASE SHOUT THE CLEAR PROBLEM HERE AT THEIR FACEBOOK WALL SO THEY WILL HERE THE PROBLEM FROM EVERYONE, SPAM THEIR WALL/DISCUSSION PAGE IF YOU HAVE TO!!!

To be fair, MAXIS data counter will always be more accurate than the iPhone data counter because they are the source. The problem is more of their CS conveying this fact to the customer, instead of sounded like blaming Apple, the customer and everyone, they should tactfully educate and explain the actual situation clearly and offer good usage advice....gosh, this is Customer Service 101...

For me, I usually allow for 50MB discrepancy, so when my data reach 450MB shown on the iPhone, I will be abit careful with my usage or turn off data for those who really dont want to have a shock (iOS 4 and above). With the recent MAXIS addition of SMS 500MB reminder, we know we are almost reaching the limit. So I have never face any problem with my data bill and with the upgrade to 1GB when i purchased the iPhone 4, it will be less stressful tracking all this nonsense...

Problem only happens when we CHANGE or UPGRADE our plan as mentioned in my previous reply.

So, its all because of either MAXIS billing database system pretty obsolete or complicated to be updated or they just don't bother rectifying until we scream and shout everywhere...DIGI knows very well of this and use it to their advantage in promoting their No Bill Shock feature, throttling speed after reaching limit, which makes helluva more sense for customers!

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Added on September 25, 2010, 7:28 pmOh boy, actually that is NOT TRUE!

Whether 3G or EDGE you still use data, hence possible leak...the correct switch to avoid data usage is SETTINGS>NETWORK>TURN OFF CELLULAR DATA

This post has been edited by sunyen: Sep 25 2010, 07:28 PM

Not sure but MAXIS maybe will upgrade your old iValue1 to 1GB after iPhone 4 promotion few months later. They probably won't do it now since they want ppl to buy/upgrade to iPhone4!

Cellular data option is for iOS 4 onwards.
You need to ON data (3G or EDGE or GPRS) to use MMS.
WIthout data you can only call and SMS.

3G, EDGE and GPRS are DATA connection with different speed.
So turning OFF Cellular Data in iOS4 will cut this off completely. A feature included by Apple to help avoid over usage of data.

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Added on September 26, 2010, 8:49 amPersonally I think we need to be careful with the marketing tactic of any telco with their enticing PRICE ads. It all boiled down to coverage first then contract commitment than only the price/bill. What good if the price is RM200 cheaper but tied to the telco for 24months, what good if the coverage at your area is bad, etc. SO if your area no 3G coverage, you ll not be able to fully able to optimize your phone and wasting time.



This post has been edited by sunyen: Sep 26 2010, 08:49 AM

Explained from my previous post:

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Added on September 26, 2010, 4:58 pmNo such feature from maxis at the moment but you can track on your own: If your monthly bill is 14th, reset your iPhone data counter to zero beginning 15th, allow for discrepancy 50mb (ie. If your plan is 500mb, try stop using when reaching 450mb)..also maxis will send reminder when you hit 400mb, so track from there...so far quite accurate for me plus minus 20mb

This post has been edited by sunyen: Sep 26 2010, 04:58 PM

Read my previous post explanation, problem at maxis billing system many who upgrade had the same problem, you don't need to off your data, you are running a new plan data with 33mb a day until your bill if you signup iPhone 4 ivalue1

The prorate is for data as it is the only reason that give you bill shock because it's rm0.05/kb! We ONLY have to prorate for the first month because the usage will not be full 1 month unless you upgrade plan ngam ngam the day your bill comes out. This prorate for first month makes sense to adjust everything to your current billing date. A good MAXIS salesperson will calculate and tell you clearly not to think you can surf 1gb till next bill but the prorate them like for example 830mb.

Subsequent month you don't have to worry because they will NOT be a prorate per day. It will be calculated as a whole month, meaning you can use as much as you like any day of the month provided they doesn't exceed 1gb for the whole month.

Your RM225 bill is because RM100 monthly iValue 1 + rm85 over usage data charge + extra call/SMS up to that day

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Added on September 26, 2010, 10:03 pmNot just iPhone 4 but any plan upgrade. To put it in clear short answer:

"MAXIS billing system can't COMBINE prorate of old and new plan total data allowance when you upgrade your plan"

So it's a problem MAXIS need to address on their system.

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Added on September 26, 2010, 10:10 pmI told them not to bar my line until the bill statement comes put because they can't check daily usage which is totally stupid. I dont mind customer cant view the daily breakdown but they themselves should at least can view from their end to verify

If you have paid, tell them the explanation from my previous post and they should debit back to your account. For those who yet to pay, ask them to waive it for u...

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Added on September 26, 2010, 10:22 pmIf you have turned of cellular data from 1pm to 4pm it definitely from call or SMS. Actually if you still within data limit say 1gb in any days of the month, you don't have to worry much about data leaks from iPhone as notifications, gps etc usage is very negligible unless you watch YouTube non-stop. Apple multitasking and background activities use very little data when the device is idle to conserve battery life.. app are basically frozen when your device in standby, that's the new kind of smarter multitasking technology available in iPhone..eg. App like twitter tweets will not update when it's in standby..and notifications system send from apple server and drain very little data if any and minimal battery drain..hope this clear up sone confusion

This post has been edited by sunyen: Sep 26 2010, 10:22 PM

The other factor is MAXIS unbilled amount shown on the website or sms check might possibly taken not counted from 1-4pm. I dont think it's realtime and reliable measure

You see guys if we make noise by everyone calling them and posting on forums and their Facebook page, they will GET it! Or else they will just buat tak tau...But what the CS said is half correct, right is their system is cacat but wrong that it causes iPhone data shoot up

Whether you use iPhone 4, galaxy s, nokia, htc android or whatever the problem will still occur when u upgrade plan, just read some discussion at maxis Facebook discussion page. When they are crazy many ppl buying iPhone 4 these few days, it "sounded" like problem with iPhone which is totally absurd!

"It's MAXIS billing system error, not the phone"

Yes, iPhone will ALWAYS use wifi over 3G if it's available regardless of whether your cellular data is on or off.
If you have a data plan, you don't have to worry much about turning cellular on or off. I am a heavy Internet user browsing webpage but I don't watch videos, I leave cellular data on all the time because 500mb just about right each month, the new 1gb even better I don't need to border with any of this tracking anymore especially with MAXIS reminder SMS when you 100mb away from limit.

So they only time you need to care about turning cellular data on or off are:

1. You don't have data plan, meaning paying RM0.10/10KB.
2. You are oversea avoiding roaming charges.
3. You know you are almost reaching your limit

Hope this helps

This post has been edited by sunyen: Sep 27 2010, 02:48 PM

This is completely untrue.

To calculate:

A day data for 1GB plan = 1000MB/30 days = 33MB
24th to next month 14th = 20 days
Total prorated data you can use until next bill = 33MB x 20 = 667MB

*note: all smartphone (iPhone, Symbian, Android, BB) counter will not be accurate because all telcos charge RM0.10/10KB block not 1KB block, so allow plus/minus 50MB

This post has been edited by sunyen: Sep 27 2010, 03:29 PM

you can read the previous posts for explanation on this.

not sure you reading the right post but many ppl got the exact same rm260-rm280 bill shock, in fact many members here, maxis fb page and oso all of my friends who bought the iphone 4 this week...with your plan, you didn't use RM300 for 3 days, i repeat, you didn't use RM300 for 3 days..it's MAXIS billing system problem of unable to COMBINE old and new plan data limit, which they have personally contacted me to explain and acknowledge and posted at their FB page and oso emailed to all who submit enquiry, which to give credit to MAXIS, its quite a responsive service..if you haven't call them, just call them as ask and they will waive and debit back to your account next month.

its totally a must to signup a data contract if you use any smartphones (iphone, android, bb, symbian)
because all telcos charge RM0.10 per 10KB, it takes merely 80MB to easily reach $800 with no data contract, and that is super minimal web surfing!

some facts on iPhone/Android's multi-tasking and data usage (its very different from the old smartphones's way of multitasking), if anyone ever see the same question/enquiry/complain being discuss again and again, please remember and explain with these actual facts:

1. Running background applications CANNOT/WILL NOT continue to use your data connection unless they are completing a task or using VOIP.
2. The ONLY ways an app multitasks is the following:
•Background Audio (NO data connection)
•VOIP (data while in use, negligible data used to maintain connection)
•Location (which notifies you with the compass arrow next to the battery icon, NO data connection)
•Local Notifications (all local, NO data connection)
•Task Completion (if you started something like sending an email, flickr upload, update app, download podcast, it will complete, but once that's done, no more data connection)
•Fast App Switching (app suspends/frozen in memory, no data connection)

Battery can be affected (minimal with iOS4), but unless your using VOIP, it is near impossible to have large data transfers unknowingly in the background.
And finally third-party apps CANNOT grab new updates while in the background (eg. Twitter) unless they're in the foreground (active).

The most common way your data is high is viewing online video (#1), streaming music and downloading app (iPhone will block above 20MB app download if you are on 3G).
Map data usage is about 3-4MB for 30 minutes drive. PAPAGO Map (NO data connection because they didnt use AGPS), TomTom & other GPS (about 3-6KB for initial AGPS lock)

Hope this clear some misconception/confusion.

Mail is very minimal and attachment is not automatically downloaded. with my ivalue1 plan previously, my gmail using EXCHANGE is ON 24/7/365 and i never have any bill shock...the ONLY one time i got bill shock is showing off World Cup match using Astro B app, which is myself padan muka LOL

And if you know you ARE going to download a 19MB app, you know you will use up 19MB of data regardless of the plan is expensive or not, common sense lor to discern this and its our responsibility as user to KNOW what is alot and what is little..like you go TGIF, you know your pocket got RM50, you wont go order steak that cost RM88 rite? you oso have to know your pocket only got RM50 rite? same logic.

This post has been edited by sunyen: Sep 27 2010, 06:52 PM