Two quick questions - for those who are using the Maxis 3G unlimited at RM120:

(a) is the IP address assigned fixed or dynamic?

(b) when you sign up for the unlimited package, it is automatically assumed to be the HSDPA capable, correct? So if the customer only has a normal 3G data card, it's the customer's loss, yes?

Thanks!

I must have dynamic. If static, no point going for it. I do lots of direct HTTP downloads, not BT, so I should be able to enjoy loads of downloads at max speed, but I must have dynamic IP!

Also, I thought the 3Gb monthly download data limit only applied to their residential wireless broadband which you need a modem to use, and not to their unlimited data package? I am confused Can someone confirm please?

Cheers.

I was told by a Celcom dealer that if you don't buy the data card from Celcom, there is no minimum subscription. So, if you are not happy, you can terminate the service after one month.

If you sign a contract, then Celcom is legally entitled to sue you if you do not keep on paying for 12 months, or whatever the length of your contract is, even if you don't use the service at all. Otherwise, what is the point of signing a contract?

Remember that the 3Gb includes both upload and download. So if you uploads loads of attachments via email or pictures or whatnots, this should count towards the total limit

..."Currently we also upgrade the data card to a 3.5G USB device."? What do you mean? You've found a way to convert a PC Card into a USB device? Or you sell the USB HSDPA modem?

What a load of bollocks if the 3Gb is implemented for a so-called "unlimited" plan. It's like saying, "your lunch is free, but you need to pay me RM100"

As consumers, we should boycott companies that are stupid enough to do this.

Yes, I think that is more appropriate...

If mobility is so important, perhaps a datacard is much better compared to using the HSDPA modem provided by Maxsucks. That is, if they don't SIM lock the SIM to the fugly looking modem only.

If that new Maxis USB modem is a re-branded Huawei E220, then it *can* be used with a wireless router. A 3G wireless router from DLink to be exact. Model number DIR 451. Look for its specifications on the DLink Malaysia website.

I don't know how bad your experience was with Maxis, but read some of my comments over at the Izzi thread. Jump into the deep end with your eyes wide open.

To sum it up, my experience with Izzi has been like courting a pretty girl - it starts of lovey dovey with good speeds, then gets worse after a month - at first I was enjoying 120KB/s downloads from HTTP/FTP, around 80-90KB/s from P2P. It then got worse, direct downloads to 70KB/s, P2P to 30-40KB/s, now it's around 40-70KB/s for direct downloads and 20KB/s for P2P. From enjoyment it has now become suffering. Another month of "abusing" their services before I get my refund for the remaining 9 months when I cancel.

Maybe I'll try the opposite - jump ship from Izzi to Maxis

Go to the sites below and post the results here:

(1) www.whatismyip.com

(2) www.showmyip.com

(3) checkip.dyndns.org

You are not doing a proper comparison by conveniently leaving out a number of key factors in your decision making.

(1) the USB modem from Maxis is on a rental basis, you do not own it. You can buy a HSDPA PC Card modem for less than RM 400 now in lelong.com.my to be used with Celcom 3G. And you own the modem.

(2) the minimum contract period for Maxis is 18 months. If the service sucks, you have to transfer your account to someone else. Slightly more difficult to do than selling off your HSDPA modem if you had gone with Celcom. With Celcom, there is no minimum contract period. If you don't like the service, terminate it next month, then sell off the modem. There are a lot of potential buyers in lelong.com.my.

(3) as someone has pointed out before, you can do an easy payment scheme with IzziNet. Yes, you promise to pay them 12 months in advance, but by signing up for interest free monthly repayments with participating banks, you only pay on a monthly basis - no different from Maxis or Celcom in this regard. If you don't have a credit card from one of their participating banks, get one, credit cards are free nowadays anyway.

There are of course other more minor issues with Celcom's 3G service, such as having to go through one common gateway, but for the majority of users (?) this is not a major consideration, I think...

The biggest issue with many Maxis broadband subscribers now is that they find the service sucks, but find it hard to cancel because of the minimum contract period, and finding someone to transfer the account to. If you're sure that the locations you will mainly be using the Maxis service has sufficient coverage and gives you a good speed, then go ahead. Otherwise, it's a game of chance, as prasys has found out. Now he's stuck with Maxis for the next 17.5 months