Prepaid - Long Validity - Free/Cheap Data GUIDE
Good for Kids, Parents, In-Laws, Backup

I've been doing some research regarding the cheapest way to get extended validity and at least a slow speed data plan. All with minimal cost. It's an ongoing process so still a lot of ???. In my case it's for my kid who won't be making many calls nor accessing the internet except on wifi but would love to have Whatsapp active constantly. In other words, my criteria is (1) extended validity followed by (2a) slow data plan or a (2b) cheap fast data plan. I'd also like to avoid Data PAYU entirely.

Here's what I have so far. Any additions, suggestions or corrections welcome.

Who is this Guide for? People looking for:
1) Long validity and a free slow speed data plan for minimal expense. Reload and forget once a year.
2) Long validity and a cheap long validity data plan so you don't have to reload every month.
3) Long validity only with no data plan. Good for backup phones. Avoid Data PAYU for this or turn off mobile data.
4) Long validity data only plan. Good for tablets. Coming Soon.

Notes:
- Voice/SMS Rates are off-net.
- Voice calls are listed for 1 min calls. Actual charging blocks varies.
- Plans and rates change constantly so always double check.
- Only plans with voice are listed. Might add data only plans later.

Digi New Best v1 Prepaid (I went with this)
Validity 365 days - Super Long Life 38/yr (*128*1*7# Min RM43 credit to see option. )
Internet IDD Club - One-time RM10 reg fee - 64kbps free internet (Quota: 1GB/mth *138#) or
Internet: RM240/yr (Monthly plan 500MB for RM20 x 12)
Rates: 20/min 6/sms
Data PAYU: 5/MB (RM3 daily cap)
Friends & Family: Favourite Contacts 10 DiGi + 10 non-DiGi (10/min 2/sms)
Port-In Charges: None when performed at Digi Centre
Example: Load RM50 - SLL RM38 - IDDC RM10 = RM2 Credit (1 yr validity & 12GB/year 64kbps internet)
Notes:
Music Freedom RM0 for data-free music streaming (Spotify, Apple Music, etc...)
IDDIC Subscription of RM10 currently not being deducted
Eligible for Jan 2016 free data upon reload promotion

BuzzMe
Validity 365 days RM38/yr
Internet: RM5/200MB, RM25/1GB, RM60/3GB (Follows credit validity) (Also see Smarter Plan for voice+sms+data)
Rates: 18/min 10/sms
Data PAYU: 5/MB (RM? daily cap ???)
Friends & Family: 10 My BFF @ 12/min 5/sms
Port-In Charges: ???
Offers: ???
Notes: Smarter 33 - RM33 - 30mins, 30SMS, 1.5GB
Smarter 88 - RM88 - 120mins, 120SMS, 4GB
Example: Load RM50 - V365 RM38 - 200mb Data RM5 = RM7 Credit (1 yr validity & 200mb/year)
Load RM70 - V365 RM38 - 1GB Data RM25 = RM7 Credit (1 yr validity & 1GB/year)

TuneTalk
Validity 365 days RM28/yr (http://www.tunetalk.com/my/PlanRates/oneyearvalidity)
Internet: RM104/yr (Weekly plan 100MB for RM2)
Rates: 16/min 5/sms
Data PAYU: ???/kb
Friends & Family: ???
Port-In Charges: ???
Offers: ???
Example: Load RM140 - V365 RM28 - Weekly Data RM104 = RM8 Credit (1 yr validity & 5.2GB/year)
(Weekly data does not stack so will have to purchase every week)

Altel Real
Validity 365 days RM28/yr (Must reload RM30 in first 6 mths of service or validity is cancelled after 6 months)
Internet: RM100/yr (90 days 1GB for RM 25 x 4)
Rates: 16/min 5/sms
Data PAYU: 5/MB
Friends & Family: 8 @ 8/min 2/sms
Port-In Charges: ???
Offers: Validity 365 days for first single reload of RM50++ within 30 days of activation
Example: Load RM130 - V365#1 RM28 - Quarterly Data RM100 + Reload V365#2 RM30 = RM32 Credit (1 yr validity & 4GB/year)
Some forum members have experienced that the credit validity follows the data validity or whichever is longer, if that's true then we don't need to purchase V365:
Example: Load RM110 - Quarterly Data RM100 = RM10 Credit (1 yr validity & 4GB/year)

Hotlink Fast
Validity 365 days RM33/yr
Internet: ???
Rates: ???
Data PAYU: ???/kb
Friends & Family: ???
Port-In Charges: ???
Offers: ???

Hotlink v3
Validity 365 days RM33/yr
Internet: ???
Rates: ???
Data PAYU: ???/kb (RM10 daily cap ???)
Friends & Family: ???
Port-In Charges: ???
Offers: ???

XOX Prepaid Plus
Validity 365 days RM25 http://www.xox.com.my/plans/prepaid-plus/
Internet: ???
Rates: 5/first 10 sec - 15/min 10/sms
Data PAYU: ???/kb
Friends & Family: ???
Port-In Charges: ???
Offers: Port-in promo for 28mths validity

Friendi
Validity reset to 60 days with every call, sms, reload & data use.
Internet: ???
Rates: 18/min 8/sms
Data PAYU: ???/kb
Friends & Family: ???
Port-In Charges: ???
Offers: Switch to Friendi & get RM30 free airtime (Must reload 10 within 7 days)
Notes: Charges data in 1MB blocks for first 1MB and 3MB blocks thereafter.

Tron
Validity 365 days with a min reload RM10
Internet: ???
Rates: 20/min 10/sms
Data PAYU: ???/kb
Friends & Family: ???
Port-In Charges: ???
Offers: ???

Digi Smart Prepaid
No extended validity option.
Internet: Free Basic Internet
Rates: 30/min 8/sms
Data PAYU: NA
Friends & Family: Smart Buddyz: Unlimited calls/sms to 3
Port-In Charges: ???

UMobile
No extended validity option.
Internet: ???
Rates: ???
Data PAYU: ???/kb
Friends & Family: ???
Port-In Charges: ???
Offers: ???

#Hotlink
No extended validity option.
Internet: ???
Rates: ???
Data PAYU: ???/kb
Friends & Family: ???
Port-In Charges: ???
Offers: ???

This post has been edited by soonwai: Feb 10 2016, 11:41 PM

Thanks, first time I hear about Buzzme.

Do you know what happens after the 28 months? I couldn't find any info on their website for extended validity.

Yeah, I'm a bit worried about that too. What happens if it shuts down? Can we still MNP to another telco?

Depends on what you're looking for. For me currently, I'm looking at either Buzzme or Digi. What I want is the cheapest upkeep cost, long validity and always-on Whatsapp (ie: any data even low speed is OK).

That's good to hear. Not so worried now.

Thanks UN1T3D, you've been very helpful with my questions. Not just here but other threads as well.

Updated 1st post with some usage examples:

Digi New Best v1 Prepaid
Load RM50 - SLL RM38 - IDDC RM10 = RM2 Credit (1 yr validity & 12GB/year 64kbps internet)

BuzzMe
Load RM50 - V365 RM38 - 200mb Data RM5 = RM7 Credit (1 yr validity & 200mb/year)
Load RM70 - V365 RM38 - 1GB Data RM25 = RM7 Credit (1 yr validity & 1GB/year)

TuneTalk
Load RM140 - V365 RM28 - Weekly Data RM104 = RM8 Credit (1 yr validity & 5.2GB/year)
(Weekly data does not stack so will have to purchase every week)

Altel Real
Example: Load RM130 - V365#1 RM28 - Quarterly Data RM100 + Reload V365#2 RM30 = RM32 Credit (1 yr validity & 4GB/year)

Some forum members have experienced that the credit validity follows the data validity or whichever is longer, if that's true then we don't need to purchase V365:
Example: Load RM110 - Quarterly Data RM100 = RM10 Credit (1 yr validity & 4GB/year)

Ultimately decided to go DiGi. Went to do my MNP from Hotlink to Best Prepaid at a DiGi Store on Jan 31. The entire process was exceptionally fast. I was in and out in 10 mins. The actual process took less than 3 mins. Quite impressed with their efficiency.

I just gave the nice woman my number and IC. Told them my requirements. Heard some keyboard sounds and before she could finish explaining to me that I'll need to reply to the MNP SMS, the SMS already arrived on the phone. Collected my new SIM card from her. Now it's just a matter of waiting for the process to complete. Total cost: RM0.

Update: MNP completed sometime in the early evening of Jan 1. Just over 24 hrs.
Reloaded RM50
Purchased Super Long Life for 1 year validity - RM38
IDD Internet Club for always-on Whatsapp - RM10
Music Freedom for streaming from Spotify - RM0

Still left 11.51 credit. Dunno why the RM10 for Internet Club not deducted.

I believe it's:
*138*1#

You can use it for anything but it will be incredibly slow. Loading Google.com takes about 2 mins though searches come up quite quickly after that, sans images. Uber might be usable. Waze no, Waze chokes even on EDGE.

I was testing the speed at a food court earlier. Just 1 bar signal there and Speedtest was giving me around 29kbps. Now back at home and testing again and am getting much better speeds. I'll post some test results later.

I have to admit I'm confused about the results. I'm subscribed to DiGi's IDD Internet Club which is supposed to have 64kbps speed cap but I'm getting speeds up to 6mbps.

At first I thought, maybe it's using PAYU instead of IDD Club so I checked the IDD Club quota and it's going down. PAYU quota is not moving at all and my credit is still the same. I also see the data usage being registered on mydigi. Also checked that I don't have data freebies.

Have a look & tell me what you think?

Update: I think I know why. Local sites aren't capped, I think. I did a speedtest to Singtel and it was about 64kbps.
Update2: Scratch that. It seems that DiGi is not capping Speedtest's local servers. Everything else is probably capped at 64k.
Update3: Music streaming is OK for Spotify, iTunes Radio & MyFM.

Tests performed using Ookla Speedtest 3.6.1 on an iPhone 4 (No LTE, just 3G).


The above performed back at my house. 4-5 bars of signal


At a food court where I didn't realise that the signal was quite low at 1 bar.

This post has been edited by soonwai: Jan 3 2016, 02:28 AM

That's what I thought at first so I went checking for any indication of free hi-speed data in the USSD but couldn't find any. Anyway it's more than 2 days now so I will speedtest again and see if there's any change.

It should be. That's where I first came across IDD Internet Club. Couldn't find any info on Digi's website other than this not very informative page: http://new.digi.com.my/cs/Satellite/ecomm_..._Best_Club_Indo

Anyway did speedtest again and still giving hi-speeds. I guess it's safe to conclude that the Malaysian speedtest servers are not speed-capped to 64kbps.

Yeah, you're right. Only local speedtest give the high speed.

Yeah, it's pretty good isn't it. Same for me that the RM10 wasn't deducted from my credit. Mine is also valid for 10yrs.

I think it's great. My daughter loves it. She has everything she needs. And I don't have to worry about reloading every month.

You're welcome. Glad you found it useful. Very economical plan for a young kid's phone. Basic data & validity for a whole year for less than RM40. To be honest I find it unbelievable that DiGi even allows such a combo to exist.

No problem.

No problem lah. Always good to ask if you're not sure. Anyway for this IDDIC, it's not possible to get any info from the DiGi website. Only got one page with little info and a few posts from their forum and I couldn't find the TnC document for it. It's like a secret plan that DiGi don't want you to subscribe to.

If you already have a prepaid card, you can also port-in. If you port-in at a DiGi Centre, it's free. No charges for sim card, nothing at all. Don't even need to topup. In fact Digi gives you RM0.01 credit with your new SIM card. LOL.

You'll need at least RM43 in credit for the Super Long Life option to show up in the USSD menu.

And of course make sure it's DiGi Best and not DiGi Smart Prepaid.

This post has been edited by soonwai: Jan 28 2016, 04:28 PM