Wah Pack RM80.00 minus RM15 rebate that they give you as a retention offer = You pay RM65.00 per month
Lol, they rather give you retention offer than letting you switch to Astro One: Entertainment Pack, because it is considered as a reduction in monthly fee. Very smart
So it seems to suggest that to some extent, they actually do not encourage existing customers to switch to Astro One packs
Hmmm....

Btw nanakopy87, sometimes their CS agents are quite a headache to deal with.

Try private message their Astro Facebook page.
It will be a automated chatbot at first, you just type Hi, then select language if being asked, then type "agent".
Scroll to the right and select "Upgrade Package"
Wait for an agent to attend you.

OR

Try send them an enquiry form https://support.astro.com.my/feedback-form

Reason because: Get a black-and-white copy of you requesting to switch to Astro One: Entertainment Pack AND also remain on your existing Astro box.
You can say that you previously called, but the agent seems not helpful. And then see what's their email reply afterwards.

I notice that CS agents that attends customer through Facebook or email, are somewhat better than those who calls in to 03-95433838 centre and WhatsApp live agents.
Also, I notice that sometimes their replies via email has this "Service Recovery Unit" at the bottom of the email (followed by agent's name). That "unit" sounds somewhat more convincing to me in answering customers enquiries.

I suspect they hired 3rd party customer service vendors to attend inbound customers from 03-95433838 and WhatsApp live agents, which explains the disparity in agent's service quality and the agent's knowledge in Astro products.

This post has been edited by joshhd: Dec 16 2024, 03:06 AM

No, you cannot remove Kids addon via CH200.
If you try do it on My Astro, you will notice that the "Kids" is preselected and greyed out (cannot unselect).

The only way is by calling customer service.

Also, you will be imposed with a one-time RM10 switching fee when removing content addon, since it is considered lowering your current monthly fee.

May I know which pack you're currently on?

This post has been edited by joshhd: Dec 16 2024, 12:35 AM

Sure. You can check it anytime through My Astro https://myastro.astro.com.my/ or the mobile app.
For sure they've seen this coming...

i have no idea why they force everyone to use their ulti/ultra box. Is it very difficult for them to maintain the updates for the old decoders?
Because it has been years that they actually discontinued mainstream software support for the old HD and PVR box already, and they put more focus and budget to improve Ulti/Ultra Box software instead.
So if you ever see new "software update" for HD or PVR box, then it's likely just a critical or security related updates, not a new feature whatsoever.

ohhh didn't know that the agent on facebook is better! i'll try that out next time when i need to contact them again. thanks for your suggestion!
They have different CS teams handling for calls, emails, WhatsApp, and other chatbots like Facebook or Astro website, that's why.
So do expect that the overall quality of the agent will be different.

Not neccessary... It could be their landline phone number telco used is Maxis.

Like for example, your house telephone number is powered by TM.

alexleow81
1) Your latest Astro bill is out already? Can you share a screenshot here on how does the "DTH Subscription Penalty Charges for RM354.17 stated on order summary" look like?
2) Before you switch to Astro One: Sports Pack, which pack were you previously on?

Before you switch from Premium Pack 2 to Astro One: Sports Pack, your contract was already over, is it?
If yes, then switching to Astro One should not incur any penalty charges.

And yes, it is correct that if the monthly fee becomes lower than what you're paying now upon switching to Astro One pack, an RM10 switching fee will be imposed.

Besides your Premium Pack 2, do you have other charges in your bill? Like Multiroom or something?
I mean, that figure must be coming from somewhere...
nexona88 Woah, not so fast.... The bill also haven't out yet, why so fast bring MCMC into the picture lol?
Until alexleow81 show us a screenshot on how does the "DTH Subscription Penalty Charges for RM354.17 stated on order summary" look like, it's difficult to say where went wrong here...

I suggest wait till the bill comes out first, then see how.

Can anyone tell me the different between RM49.99 Astro one package vs the old RM59.99 starter pack. What did I loose & gain?
By moving to Astro One: Entertainment Pack, you'll gain no new channels, but you'll lose Moonbug Kids CH618. If you need that channel, you'll need to add Kids RM9.99 addon.

Also is there any way to check how many months I got left with Astro contract?
Yes. You can check it on My Astro.

This post has been edited by joshhd: Dec 19 2024, 01:28 PM

Astro One Packs (Dec 2024)

https://product.astro.com.my/tv

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Say goodbye to confusing packs! On the 9th of Dec 2024, Astro have announced its new package offerings and introduced “Astro One” branding, consisting of only 3 packs below:

Astro One: Entertainment Pack = RM49.99 = This is the basic and cheapest Astro pack today, including all your essential channels
Astro One: Sports Pack = RM99.99 = On top of what you get from Entertainment Pack, you get complete Sports channels
Astro One: Epic Pack = RM199.99 = Full channels, bundled with 6 streaming apps, including Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, Max, etc

Subscription Rate Card

Packs

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Channel List

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Why Astro introduced new packs?
Back on 9 Nov 2021, Astro initially introduced 9 packs, and then eventually became 14 packs, which many find it confusing and complicated. To rub salt into the wound, they even introduced auto contract renewal, where the contract would auto-renew itself indefinitely (as if they tie your legs to subscribe to Astro forever), and many customers are upset about this. It is believed that those packs are “deemed failure” to some extent.
Fast forward to 9 Dec 2024, Astro discontinued those packs and introduced new and simplified pack offerings into only 3 packs.

How do I know if I’m on the legacy pack or the new pack?
Here are some examples for your reference:

Pack category	Pack names
Legacy Packs (1996-2021)	Any packs that mention "Family" (e.g. Family Lite/Extra/Special/Chinese Family/or something like Family+2Mini+Sp+Dy+Mv), Starter Pack, Value Pack 1/2/3/4/5, Starter Pack Plus, Value Pack Plus 1/2/3/4, Super Pack Lite 1/2/3/4 (Movies/Sports), Super Pack 1/2/3/4, Super Pack Plus 1/2/3
New Packs (2021-2024)	Primary Pack, Entertainment Pack, Movies Pack, Sports Pack, Entertainment Plus Pack, Movies Plus Pack, Sports Plus Pack, Premium Pack 1/2/3/4/5, Platinum Lite, Platinum Pack

Note: The naming convention of “New Packs” is no longer accurate in today’s context, because obviously those packs are not “new” anymore as it is replaced by the latest Astro One packs. Should I call them “2021 packs” since those were introduced in 2021?

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Existing legacy pack or 2021 pack customer? Here are 10 things you should know about the new Astro One

1) Today, you’ve already been getting the equivalent of channels from "Astro One: Entertainment Pack"
Even if you don’t switch to the Astro One pack, ALL Astro customers today (except the very old “Family” packs) are already getting the same equivalent of channels from Astro One: Entertainment Pack (RM49.99), all thanks to the Astro’s Big Thank You campaign announced on 28 Nov 2024, which is just 1-2 weeks before Astro One pack launch on 9 Dec 2024.

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In Astro’s Big Thank You campaign, they made the existing 18 subscription-required channels to be “permanently free” such as tvN (CH395), K-Plus (CH396), Astro Showcase (CH413) and more. This has benefited all Astro customers (except those on the old “Family” packs),

In certain scenarios, this has significantly impacted the comparison between the legacy packs, 2021 packs, and Astro One packs, bringing them closer in value.
So, you don’t need to ask around questions like “If I switch to Astro One pack, does it include <insert channel name> or not, or need to subscribe to something extra?”…
Just refer to the channel listing for Astro One: Entertainment Pack above, then you’ll see all the essential channels are already included.
If the channels you’re looking for aren’t included in Astro One: Entertainment Pack, such as kids or sports channels, then you can look at the content addons or higher tier packs.

There are many other important things to know about Astro’s Big Thank You campaign.
Learn more here: https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...#entry110872977

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2) 24-month contract only. No more auto contract renewal nonsense
This time with the Astro One packs, there will only be a 24-month contract option, and no such thing as auto contract renewal.
Meaning, if you subscribe Astro One pack in Dec 2024, then the contract will end in Dec 2026, and that’s it.
After Dec 2026, you will have no contract (unless you make changes to your pack that trigger re-contract, then it’s a different story). It’s just like how a 24-month contract rule out there works...

Astro used to offer 0-month, 12-month, and 24-month contract options for TV packs launched in 2021, as well as the auto contract renewal rule.
The eventual result? Not many customers opted for 0-month and 12-month contract options as it is more expensive, and the auto-contract renewal has obviously made many customers upset with Astro in general.
Eventually, Astro discontinued auto contract renewal on 1 May 2024, and the contract discount has become a perpetual discount.
This is indeed a win for customers who are on the 2021 pack.
If you'd like to know more regarding the discontinuation of auto contract renewal, you can refer here: https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...#entry109707353

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3) You can still subscribe/remove addons even if you're NOT in Astro One pack

Unlike back in those days when the 2021 packs were launched:

• Whatever existing pack/addons you have becomes "frozen"; not allowed to add add-ons, remove add-ons, add Multiroom, or upgrade Astro box. They don’t allow you to make such changes until you switch to the 2021 pack.
• Back then it was that “brutal” and “rigid” and they do this out of desperation, to push customers to move to the new 2021 packs (back then) so that they can be tied with never-ending 12/24 months contract (refer company’s financial performance).
• As time goes by, having such practice appears to be not delivering the expectation they were hoping for, hence they've eventually loosen up those draconian business rules, including discontinuing auto contract renewal, and things became much more flexible now

Today:

• Even if you're on the legacy or the 2021 packs, you are still allowed to subscribe to content addons like Kids RM9.99 or Sports RM42.99 (this addon is not available to Astro One pack customers), apps addons or even add Multiroom as well.
• If you want to remove your existing add-ons, you'll have to call the customer service to do so. And yes, the infamous one-time RM10 switching fee will be imposed as usual.
• Some content add-ons have been discontinued/no longer sellable, such as Korean, Horror, and Indonesian Favourites, as the channels from those add-ons have been included for every Astro customer (except "Family" pack customers), all thanks to the Astro’s Big Thank You campaign.
• Also, Disney+ Hotstar’s 3-month option (RM54.90) is no longer available for new take-ups on Astro.
• Those who are still paying for those no longer sellable add-ons will continue to pay as-is unless you call customer service and tell them to remove them.

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4) Want to watch HBO channels? Subscribe to Max app. Already subscribed to “Movies”? Consider keeping it...

• Unlike the legacy pack or the 2021 packs, there’s no more “Movies” pack in the world of Astro One.
• If you want to continue watching HBO channels upon switching to Astro One packs, you need to subscribe to the Max app, because the Max app is bundled together with the HBO linear channels (CH411, 412, 414, 415), and it cannot be subscribed separately.
• In other words, regardless of what pack you’re currently on, as long you can watch HBO linear channels on Astro today, then you are automatically entitled to the Max app (previously HBO GO, and it has been like this since its launch in 2019). So, this is not something new also… It’s just that many people aren’t aware or paying attention to this...
• Alternatively, if you don’t want to subscribe to it as an add-on, you can go for Astro One: Epic Pack RM199.99, as it is the only Astro One pack that bundles HBO linear channels today. If opting Epic Pack seems overbudget for you, then I’d suggest subscribe to the Max app addon instead.

If you’re on the legacy pack or 2021 pack where “Movies” is included in the subscription (e.g. Super Pack, Premium Pack 1,…), you are at an advantage and fortunate as you not only get HBO channels (CH411, 412, 414, 415), but also Disney+ Hotstar Basic and Max Standard.
If you subscribe to those 2 apps separately, the total price is likely to be more than what you pay for “Movies” for the legacy pack or the 2021 pack today. Example:

Example 1:
Legacy Pack >> Starter Pack RM61.32 + Movies addon RM30.00 = RM91.32
Astro One Pack >> Astro One: Entertainment Pack RM49.99 + Disney+ Hotstar Basic RM16.94 + Max Standard RM31.39 = RM98.22

Example 2:
Legacy Pack >> Super Pack 3 RM151.00 / RM163.00
Astro One Pack >> Astro One: Sports Pack RM99.99 + Disney+ Hotstar Basic RM16.94 + Max Standard RM31.39 + [Decide which add-ons you need, since Super Packs comes with 3 Mini packs of your choice: Kids RM9.99 + Variety RM9.99 + News & Documentaries RM14.99] = RM183.19 excl tax if add all 3 add-ons mentioned. If you need more cloud recording hours than the default 200 hours, add RM5.99 for Astro GO+ where you’ll get 1500 cloud recording hours, and 4 device concurrency of Astro GO.

Example 3:
2021 Pack >> Premium Pack 1 RM129.99
Astro One Pack >> Astro One: Sports Pack RM99.99 + Disney+ Hotstar Basic RM16.94 + Max Standard RM31.39 = RM148.22

Example 4:
2021 Pack >> Premium Pack 3 RM154.99 (RM159.49 from 1 Mar 2025)
Astro One Pack >> Astro One: Sports Pack RM99.99 + Disney+ Hotstar Basic RM16.94 + Max Standard RM31.39 + Netflix Standard RM46.20 + Viu Premium RM7.78 (if you still need this) + Variety RM9.99 + Kids RM9.99 = RM222.28
or
Astro One Pack >> Astro One: Epic Pack RM199.99 + Viu Premium RM7.78 (if you still need this) = RM207.77

All prices shown above excludes Service Tax.

As you can see, keeping "Movies" in your subscription is indeed an advantage, especially if you want Disney+ Hotstar and Max.
For this scenario, rather than switching to the Astro One pack, it is better to remain on your current pack. Because remember, once you move to the Astro One pack, you can’t return to your previous pack anymore. It will be a one-way-no-return ticket.
Unless, your goal is to reduce your monthly fee, and you don’t need Disney+ Hotstar or Max or are willing to sacrifice some of your streaming apps or channels, then it’s a different story.

On another note, if your Astro subscription today (regardless of legacy pack or 2021 pack) does not have “Movies”, you can subscribe Max Standard or Disney+ Hotstar as an individual app add-on.

IMPORTANT INFO REGARDING MAX APP ON ASTRO
At the time of writing (Dec 2024):

• Anyone who subscribes to the Max Standard RM31.39 (excl. tax) add-on through Astro, or who has never created/linked an HBO GO account with their Astro subscription before 17 Nov 2024, will not be able to link their Max account with Astro for the time being.
• You can link the Max account with your Astro subscription once it is technically ready on Astro's side, estimated around Jan/Feb 2025.
• If you subscribe to Max Standard today, you can still watch HBO linear channels and stream selected Max content via On Demand and Astro GO.
• Max Ultimate plan (app addon and bundle upgrade) is not yet available on Astro, but it will be available eventually.

I have been informed that this is due to technical readiness and time constraints on Astro’s side, as Astro have to prioritise the overall effort for the launch of Astro One pack instead. More info here: https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...ost&p=110772447

UPDATE: Effective 15 Jan 2025, you can now link Max account with your Astro subscription.

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5) Subscribing to Astro One: Epic Pack gives you Multiroom (Smart TV)
For the first time ever, you get an entitlement to Multiroom (Smart TV) when subscribing to a pack, eliminating the need to add it as a separate standalone service addon (Current ongoing price RM14.99/month, original price RM29.99/month), and it is only on the most expensive Astro One: Epic Pack (RM199.99).

In case you don’t know:

• Multiroom (Smart TV) allows you to enjoy Astro content/channels (just like Ulti/Ultra Box) but in the form of a smart TV app (rather than an Astro box), where you can use it at another smart TV in another room of your house.
• If you’re able to search and install the “Astro” app through the Google Play Store from your Android TV’s app store, or the app store from your Samsung or LG TV, then basically you can enjoy this already.
• The OS version of your smart TV must be Android 8 and above, or Tizen 4.0 and above (for Samsung TVs 2018 and newer) or webOS 4.0 and above (for LG TVs 2018 and newer).
• The official supported TV brands are Samsung, LG, Sharp and Sony.
• If you manage to install the smart TV app other than the 4 brands mentioned (or even on Android TV box/stick), the operation may not be guaranteed and you would not receive customer service support for this (if technical issue arises), since it is not under their "official supported TV brands".
• If you are using a 4K UHD TV, you can enjoy 4K UHD streaming quality on this 2 channels: Love Nature CH549 and Astro Sports UHD CH805, as well as selected On Demand content in 4K UHD.
• Remember, the Multiroom (Smart TV) service is meant to be as a supplementary or companion app (just like Astro GO), rather than literally replacing Astro box altogether.

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6) Should you move to Astro One pack? What are the channels you may lose without subscribing to additional add-ons?
You want to know whether should you move to the new pack, hoping to pay less for Astro… But it really depends on your pack subscription, and what are the addons you’re currently paying for. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer here, as everyone’s needs are different.
You can refer to the table I prepared below, and decide for yourself, whether is it worth it or not.

DISCLAIMER: Please double-check your Astro bill to see which pack and add-ons you’re currently paying for first, as that should be your single source of truth when comparing the costs of switching to your preferred Astro One pack.
The table below is for reference purposes only.

Legacy Packs

Pack name	Price	Which Astro One pack has the similar/closest offerings to my existing pack?	You might lose some existing channels if you don't subscribe to these addons:	You might lose these existing apps if you don't subscribe to these apps addon:
Any "Starter Packs"	RM61.32	Astro One: Entertainment Pack (RM49.99)	Kids1 +RM9.99	N/A
Any "Starter Plus Pack"	RM68.82	Astro One: Entertainment Pack (RM49.99)	Kids1 +RM9.99	Disney+ Hotstar Basic +RM16.94
Value Pack 1/2/3	RM80.00	If you don't need Premier League (CH811-814, 817) then Astro One: Entertainment Pack (RM49.99). If you need Premier League (CH811-814, 817) then Astro One: Sports Pack (RM99.99)	Kids1 +RM9.99, Indian Favourites +RM14.99 if you're on Value Pack 2	N/A
Value Plus Pack 1/2/3	RM87.50	If you don't need Premier League (CH811-814, 817) then Astro One: Entertainment Pack (RM49.99). If you need Premier League (CH811-814, 817) then Astro One: Sports Pack (RM99.99)	Kids1 +RM9.99	Disney+ Hotstar Basic +RM16.94
Value Pack 4 (Selection Pack)	RM80.00	If you don't need Premier League (CH811-814, 817) then Astro One: Entertainment Pack (RM49.99). If you need Premier League (CH811-814, 817) then Astro One: Sports Pack (RM99.99)	Your current pack comes with 1 mandatory selection of Mini package (News/Learning/Kids/Variety). Decide based on your needs: Kids1 +RM9.99, Variety +RM9.99, or News & Documentaries +RM14.99	N/A
Value Plus Pack 4	RM87.50	If you don't need Premier League (CH811-814, 817) then Astro One: Entertainment Pack (RM49.99). If you need Premier League (CH811-814, 817) then Astro One: Sports Pack (RM99.99)	Your current pack comes with 1 mandatory selection of Mini package (News/Learning/Kids/Variety). Decide based on your needs: Kids1 +RM9.99, Variety +RM9.99, or News & Documentaries +RM14.99	Disney+ Hotstar Basic +RM16.94
Value Pack 4 (Fans Pack)	RM107.00	Astro One: Sports Pack (RM99.99)	Your current pack comes with 1 mandatory selection of Mini package (News/Learning/Kids/Variety). Decide based on your needs: Kids1 +RM9.99, Variety +RM9.99, or News & Documentaries +RM14.99	N/A
Value Pack 5 (Stars Pack)	RM99.00	Astro One: Entertainment Pack (RM49.99)	Your current pack comes with 1 mandatory selection of Mini package (News/Learning/Kids/Variety). Decide based on your needs: Kids1 +RM9.99, Variety +RM9.99, or News & Documentaries +RM14.99	Disney+ Hotstar Basic +RM16.94, Max Standard2 +RM31.39
Any "Super Pack Lite (Sports)"	RM115.00	Astro One: Sports Pack (RM99.99)	Your current pack comes with 1 mandatory selection (2 for Super Pack Lite 4) of Mini package (News/Learning/Kids/Variety). Decide based on your needs: Kids +RM9.99, Variety +RM9.99, and/or News & Documentaries +RM14.99	N/A
Any "Super Pack Lite (Movies)"	RM120.00	If you don't need Premier League (CH811-814, 817) then Astro One: Entertainment Pack (RM49.99). If you need Premier League (CH811-814, 817) then Astro One: Sports Pack (RM99.99)	Your current pack comes with 1 mandatory selection (2 for Super Pack Lite 4) of Mini package (News/Learning/Kids/Variety). Decide based on your needs: Kids +RM9.99, Variety +RM9.99, and/or News & Documentaries +RM14.99	Disney+ Hotstar Basic +RM16.94, Max Standard2 +RM31.39
Any "Super Pack"	RM151.00 / RM163.00	Astro One: Sports Pack (RM99.99)	Your current pack comes with 3 mandatory selection of Mini packs (News/Learning/Kids/Variety). For Super Pack 4, all 4 Mini packs have been included. Decide based on your needs: Kids +RM9.99, Variety +RM9.99, and/or News & Documentaries +RM14.99. And also, Indian Favourites +RM14.99 if you're on Super Pack 2 or 4	Disney+ Hotstar Basic +RM16.94, Max Standard2 +RM31.39
Any "Super Pack Plus"	RM183.00	Astro One: Sports Pack (RM99.99)	Super Pack Plus has all 4 Mini packs included. Decide based on your needs: Kids +RM9.99, Variety +RM9.99, and/or News & Documentaries +RM14.99. And also, Indian Favourites +RM14.99 if you're on Super Pack Plus 2 or 4	Disney+ Hotstar Basic +RM16.94, Max Standard2 +RM31.39

Remarks:
¹ Add Kids if you still need Moonbug Kids CH618. By adding Kids, you'll also get complete kids channels as well (CH612-620).
² Add Max app to continue watching HBO channels CH411, 412, 414, and 415, as both the app & HBO linear channels are bundled together.
Note: All prices shown above (including both content & app addons) are excluding Service Tax. Remember to add 8% (Service Tax) of the total amount on your own upon calculation, or 6% (Service Tax) if your Astro subscription includes broadband service (e.g. Astro Fibre/Maxis/Allo/CTS).

2021 Packs
Netflix Malaysia has increased all of its plan prices effective 14 Nov 2024. All Astro packs that have Netflix bundled in them, will experience a price hike from 1 March 2025 onwards.

Pack name	Price (Today until 28 Feb 2025)	Price (From 1 Mar 2025)	Which Astro One pack has the similar/closest offerings to my existing pack?	You might lose some existing channels if you don't subscribe to these addons:	You might lose these existing apps if you don't subscribe to these apps addon:
Primary Pack	RM59.99	RM59.99	Astro One: Entertainment Pack (RM49.99)	You won't be losing any channels	N/A
Entertainment Pack	RM89.99	RM89.99	Astro One: Entertainment Pack (RM49.99)	Kids +RM9.99, Variety +RM9.99, Indian Favourites4 +RM14.99	Viu Premium3 +RM7.78
Movies Pack	RM94.99	RM94.99	Astro One: Entertainment Pack (RM49.99)	Max Standard2 +RM31.39	Disney+ Hotstar Basic +RM16.94, Max Standard2 +RM31.39
Sports Pack	RM99.99	RM99.99	Astro One: Sports Pack (RM99.99)	You won't be losing any channels	N/A
Entertainment Plus Pack	RM129.99	RM134.49	Astro One: Entertainment Pack (RM49.99)	Kids +RM9.99, Variety +RM9.99, Indian Favourites4 +RM14.99	Netflix Standard +RM46.20, Viu Premium3 +RM7.78
Movies Plus Pack	RM129.99	RM134.49	Astro One: Entertainment Pack (RM49.99)	Max Standard2 +RM31.39	Netflix Standard +RM46.20, Disney+ Hotstar Basic +RM16.94, Max Standard2 +RM31.39
Sports Plus Pack	RM129.99	RM134.49	Astro One: Sports Pack (RM99.99)	You won't be losing any channels	Netflix Standard +RM46.20
Premium Pack 1	RM129.99	RM129.99	Astro One: Sports Pack (RM99.99)	Max Standard2 +RM31.39	Disney+ Hotstar Basic +RM16.94 & Max Standard2 +RM31.39
Premium Pack 2	RM149.99	RM154.49	Astro One: Sports Pack (RM99.99)	Kids +RM9.99, Variety +RM9.99, Indian Favourites4 +RM14.99	Netflix Standard +RM46.20, Viu Premium3 +RM7.78
Premium Pack 3	RM154.99	RM159.49	Astro One: Entertainment Pack (RM49.99)	Max Standard2 +RM31.39, Kids +RM9.99, Variety +RM9.99, Indian Favourites4 +RM14.99	Netflix Standard +RM46.20, Viu Premium3 +RM7.78, Disney+ Hotstar Basic +RM16.94, Max Standard2 +RM31.39
Premium Pack 4	RM124.99	RM124.99	Astro One: Sports Pack (RM99.99)	Kids +RM9.99, Variety +RM9.99, Indian Favourites4 +RM14.99	Viu Premium3 +RM7.78
Premium Pack 5	RM124.99	RM124.99	Astro One: Entertainment Pack (RM49.99)	Max Standard2 +RM31.39, Kids +RM9.99, Variety +RM9.99, Indian Favourites4 +RM14.99	Viu Premium3 +RM7.78, Disney+ Hotstar Basic +RM16.94, Max Standard2 +RM31.39
Platinum Lite	RM164.99	RM164.99	Astro One: Sports Pack (RM99.99)	Max Standard2 +RM31.39, Kids +RM9.99, Variety +RM9.99, News & Documentaries +RM14.99, Indian Favourites4 +RM14.99	Viu Premium3 +RM7.78, Disney+ Hotstar Basic +RM16.94, Max Standard2 +RM31.39
Platinum Pack	RM194.99	RM199.49	Astro One: Epic Pack (RM199.99)	You won't be losing any channels	Viu Premium3 +RM7.78

Remarks:
² Add Max app to continue watching HBO channels CH411, 412, 414, and 415, as both the app & HBO linear channels are bundled together.
³ Add Viu Premium if you need it, especially if it was your 1x Asian Favourites selection
⁴ Add Indian Favourites if you need it, especially if it was your 1x Asian Favourites selection
Note: All prices shown above (including both content & app add-ons) are excluding Service Tax. Remember to add 8% (Service Tax) of the total amount on your own upon calculation, or 6% (Service Tax) if your Astro subscription includes broadband service (e.g. Astro Fibre/Maxis/Allo/CTS).

In case you want to know which channels are included in the particular add-ons, you can refer here…

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Note: Sports RM42.99 add-on is available to legacy and 2021 pack customers only, and it’ll become ineligible to you to subscribe as an add-on once you move to any Astro One pack (e.g. Astro One: Entertainment Pack).

Pack name	What is the “extra” stuff I’ll get by switching to the Astro One pack?
Astro One: Entertainment Pack	You won’t be getting anything extra than what you have today (unless you subscribe to other add-ons, of course)
Astro One: Sports Pack	You get complete Sports channels, including Sports Extra channels (Golf, Rugby, Cricket) and also Indian Favourites
Astro One: Epic Pack	You get 6 streaming apps (e.g. Netflix Standard, Disney+ Hotstar Basic, Max Standard, IQIYI Standard VIP, beIN Sports Connect, BBC Player), Astro GO+ (4 device concurrency, 1500 hrs cloud recording) and Multiroom Smart TV

Astro GO device concurrency
Read this if you are particular in Astro GO's device concurrency:

4 device concurrency of Astro GO means you can stream Astro GO on 4 devices at the same time. Not to be confused with “device logins”.

All legacy pack customers have been enjoying 4 device concurrency of Astro GO for a very long time.
For the 2021 packs, if you are not on the Platinum Pack or subscribed to Astro GO+ (RM5.99/month), then you’d only get 2 device concurrency of Astro GO.

Compared with Astro One packs, you get 2 device concurrency for the Entertainment Pack and Sports Pack, and 4 device concurrency for the Epic Pack.

So if you want to switch from any legacy pack to either Astro One's Entertainment or Sports Pack, do note that you will sacrifice your Astro GO's device concurrency from the default 4 to 2, unless you subscribe to Astro GO+ addon for RM5.99/month, which allows you to enjoy 4 device concurrency of Astro GO and 1500 cloud recording hours.
But if you opt for Epic Pack, then don't have to worry as Astro GO+ is already included.

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7) Billing cycle for app addons would not match your Astro’s bill cycle date
It will be based on the day you subscribe to the app, not your Astro’s bill cycle date. This will impact how the bill proration works for app add-on purchases, especially for app removal/downgrades.

Subscribe app or upgrade app plan
Subscribing an app or upgrading the app tier will take effect immediately, and prorated charges will apply.

For example, the billing date of your Astro bill is the 10th day of the month (e.g. 10 Jan to 9 Feb)
You subscribe to Disney+ Hotstar Basic addon on 15 Jan. Therefore, the billing cycle for Disney+ Hotstar Basic itself shall be from 15 Jan to 14 Feb.

Result:
Prorated charges will apply for Disney+ Hotstar Basic, starting from the day of purchase.
The above scenario shall apply similarly for app tier upgrades (e.g. upgrade from Disney+ Hotstar Basic to Disney+ Hotstar Premium, where proration of both apps plans will be charged accordingly.

Remove app or downgrade app plan
Removing an app or downgrading the app tier will only take effect on the next billing cycle, and there will be NO prorated charges.

For example, the billing date of your Astro bill is the 10th day of the month (e.g. 10 Jan to 9 Feb)
You subscribe to Viu Premium addon on 15 Jan. Therefore, the billing cycle for Viu Premium itself shall be from 15 Jan to 14 Feb.
However, on 24 Jan, you remove/cancel the Viu Premium app from your Astro subscription using My Astro.

Result:
The removal of your Viu Premium subscription will take effect only at the end of the app’s billing cycle (14 Feb), not on the day you remove the app (24 Jan) or at the end of your Astro’s billing cycle (9 Feb). Consequently, you will still be charged in full according to the app's billing cycle (15 Jan - 14 Feb) for the app you removed.

This scenario also applies similarly to app tier downgrades (e.g. downgrading from Disney+ Hotstar Premium to Disney+ Hotstar Basic), where you will be charged in full for the Premium plan for Jan, while you will be charged in full for the Basic plan for Feb.

What if your Astro account got suspended (e.g. due to non-payment, forgot to pay)?
For example, the billing date of your Astro bill is the 10th day of the month (e.g. 10 Jan to 9 Feb).
You subscribe to Viu Premium add-on on 15 Jan. Therefore, the billing cycle for Viu Premium itself shall be from 15 Jan to 14 Feb.
However, your Astro account was suspended starting 10 Feb due to outstanding payments from previous months.

Result
You can still use Viu Premium until the end of the app’s billing cycle (14 Feb), even though your Astro account was suspended on 10 Feb. You will still be charged in full for Viu Premium, no proration whatsoever.

If you clear the overdue amount of your Astro account BEFORE the end of the app’s billing cycle (14 Feb), then your Viu Premium subscription shall remain uninterrupted and will continue for the following months (15 Feb - 14 Mar) as per usual cycle.
However, if the overdue amount remains unpaid, your Viu Premium subscription will automatically stop renewing and may be downgraded to the Free tier (if applicable) at the end of the billing cycle (14 Feb).

If you clear the overdue amount of your Astro account at a later date (e.g. 20 Feb), your Viu Premium subscription will restart with a new billing cycle, which will be from 20 Feb to 19 Mar, rather than the previous cycle of 15 Feb to 14 Mar.

Please bear in mind that:

• The above is only applicable for app add-ons.
• If you’re obtaining app subscriptions through pack bundles and your Astro account is suspended, usually the respective streaming app will also be suspended on the same day. Once your Astro service is resumed, the apps will also resume.
• Different apps may have different behaviours and rules regarding proration and plan changes.
• Although it'll less likely to happen, but if you notice that the app’s account subscription is still not active (or not on your subscribed plan tier) even though your Astro account has resumed from suspension, you may need to link the app’s account with your Astro subscription again (as if you are newly subscribing to the app). If all else fails, contact customer service for assistance.

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8) Don’t waste your time using My Astro if you intend to pay less for Astro when moving to Astro One pack
Astro expects some existing customers to be interested in switching to the Astro One pack, because there is a high chance that customers could pay less than their current subscription.
At the same time, they may either sacrifice some channels or apps they don’t mind losing, or they might not lose anything upon switching, even if it means committing to a new 24-month contract.

When you try to switch to the Astro One pack through My Astro, you can tick/untick addons, add fibre plan, add Multiroom, etc.
But as you proceed to the next step, it will perform a before/after comparison of your monthly fee in the background.
If it detects that your selections result in paying more than what you’re paying today, then it will let you proceed to the next step as usual.
But if it detects that your selections result in paying lesser than what you’re paying today, they will not allow you to proceed and then tell you to contact customer service “for further assistance” instead.

Just because My Astro doesn’t allow it, that doesn’t mean there’s no other way for you to do it. It’s just that they intentionally make it difficult and inconvenient, to discourage you from proceeding, hoping that you would eventually give up.
If you’re considering switching from your existing pack to the Astro One pack to lower your monthly subscription fee, you'll have to call customer service.

However, there is an exception: My Astro now allows you to easily remove app add-ons, even if you are on the legacy or the 2021 pack.

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9) You can remove app add-ons via My Astro; there’ll be no RM10 switching fee
Subscribed to Viu Premium (example), and now feels like want to cancel it, and then subscribe to Disney+ Hotstar (another app)?
You can do it easily through My Astro, by ticking or unticking the apps that you need or don’t need, and then just submit the order.
Usually, subscribing to an app or upgrading the app’s plan tier takes effect immediately, while downgrading the app plan tier will take effect on the next billing cycle date.
Although removing/downgrading apps on Astro means your overall monthly fee will become lower, Astro seems to want to provide easy access to the customers to do so, in the name of “flexibility”, by not imposing an RM10 switching fee, so you can have peace of mind in making changes to your apps anytime. Maybe because app subscription money goes to the respective streaming apps rather than Astro earning it, so they give some leeway on this? 😪

But remember, the above only applies to standalone apps addon.
At the time of writing (Dec 2024), My Astro does not allow removing content add-ons and pack downgrades.
Even if you call customer service for assistance, an RM10 switching fee will still be imposed if you make changes to your subscription that result in a lower monthly payment for reasons such as removing content add-ons (e.g. Kids, Variety…) or downgrading packs.
For the avoidance of doubt, for example, if you attempt to remove app add-ons and content add-ons at the same time, then an RM10 switching fee will be imposed. Not because of removing the app addon, but because of the content addon removal involved.

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10) Call customer service if you intend to move to Astro One pack to pay less for Astro, then you might get a retention offer
If you intend to switch to the Astro One pack where the new monthly fee would be lower than what you’re paying now, just give up the idea of doing so through touchpoints like My Astro, WhatsApp, any chatbot agents, email, or enquiry forms.
It’s because their response will be the same: they will tell you to call customer service at 03-95433838 “for further assistance”.
If you feel lazy or hate talking to customer service for various reasons, then unfortunately, that’s the only official way... 😪

If you manage to talk to the agent, and you tell them you want to switch to Astro One pack, they will likely propose retention offers to you.
So far, I see their retention offer is a monthly rebate for XX months. This is according to some of the previous user's posts here, like this one here and this one here.
Both of them are on Value Pack and have been offered and agreed to RM15 monthly rebates for 24 months, and no new contract either.
I guess the monthly rebate amount would be higher if you are on the more expensive pack (e.g. Super Pack or Platinum) and lower if you’re on the cheaper pack.

Oh well… Seems like if you want a monthly rebate “as a loyal customer”, you’ll have to ask for it, by calling customer service and telling them you want to switch to Astro One pack.
Even if you don’t intend to switch to the Astro One pack, just pretend as if you’re interested; at least you might try your luck.
From there, you can see that they would rather convince you to stay on your current pack and even propose retention offers, such as monthly rebates, than easily allow you to switch to the Astro One pack for obvious reasons.
Ugh, that feels so “insincere”… 😪

On another note, logically, if your current total Astro subscription fee is less than RM49.99 (the price of Astro One: Entertainment Pack), then I don’t think Astro will propose any retention offer when you call them to switch to the Astro One pack, especially if you’re on those legacy “Family” pack (~RM39.95/mth).
Or there is also a possibility that they may not propose retention offers to any “Family” pack customers, even if the monthly fee is way higher, as the package is considered “too old”.

If you refuse the retention offer and insist to proceed changing to Astro One pack, where your monthly payments becomes lesser than what you're paying now, then you will be charged an RM10 switching fee.
RM10 switching fee won't be applied if you breach your ongoing contract by moving from your existing pack to the new Astro One pack, since you will be paying the early termination fees.

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Conclusion
With the Astro One packs, although it is now 3 packs which is so much simpler in many aspect, it isn’t necessarily a must-switch or better-to-switch thing for every existing customer out there.
Some people think that switching to Astro One means paying more for the same or lesser channels/apps, while others think it is cheaper and get to enjoy more channels/apps by remaining on existing packs.

So, would you switch to the Astro One pack, or "stay where you are"?
I hope you find this info helpful as you make your decision.

This post has been edited by joshhd: Jan 21 2025, 11:04 PM

Comparison of apps addon prices: Astro vs Unifi (Dec 2024)

Instead of subscribing to your favourite streaming apps individually (e.g. using your own payment methods like debit/credit card or e-wallet), you can consider subscribing to them through either Astro or Unifi, especially if you already have either Astro or Unifi installed at home. The main advantage is that you might be able to enjoy a lower subscription fee for some of the streaming apps, as well as the convenience of an all-in-one-bill.

Some of the Astro/Unifi TV packages have included some or all of your favourite apps. It is a highly recommended option since it provides the best value, but it usually comes with 24-month contract, and not everyone is a fan of that.
Instead, you can still subscribe to them as a standalone add-on through your preferred provider (Astro or Unifi), where the streaming app's subscription fee will be added to your Astro or Unifi monthly bill. That way, there will be no contract, hence you’d have the flexibility to remove them anytime.

Both Astro and Unifi offer various streaming apps, but you could save some money by checking which provider can gives you the lowest price for your preferred apps.
Here's a comparison of the app’s add-on prices between Astro and Unifi:

No I have to disagree with that.
If force all customers to upgrade the box, it can potentially pushes more customers to even terminate Astro subscription altogether, as it causes some inconvenience to customers.
There will be customers who are skeptical on Astro's "generous free box upgrade offer", and having the thoughts like:

• "The current box still works fine, why bother changing it?"
  
• "I don't need those fancy features like On Demand, Play from Start, cloud recording. I'm happy with what i have now"
  
• No additional fees and no contract? Are you sure? What's the catch here?

...then customer would eventually just refuse the offer.

So they still need to have a balance on the approach. Forcing is definitely a no-no, unless they want to go for a suicide mission
At this stage, they are just encouraging existing customers to upgrade the box, not "forcing".
They offer free box upgrade with no additional monthly fees or installation fee, is considered "quite good" already...
This alone is already a cost involved on their end, so I don't think Astro would want to burn more money by providing further discounts to incentivise its customers to upgrade the box.

Also, the catch is, they're pushing more on Plug & Play rather than Satellite.
This is something you need to take note of, especially if you know that the reliability of a satellite service is still better (put aside rain fade problem) than their Plug & Play's internet streaming service.
But if you don't mind on the downsides of their Plug & Play service, then it's fine.

Email wecare@astro.com.my pertaining to your Multiroom request.
If they still refuse your request, screenshot the email and post it here.

https://support.astro.com.my/question/what-...oving-procedure
More FAQ: https://support.astro.com.my/category/my-account

This post has been edited by joshhd: Dec 27 2024, 11:53 PM

If you love watching live sports, such as Premier League, I strongly suggest you opt for Satellite rather than Plug & Play, unless you really cannot opt for Satellite due to some reasons (e.g. connection issues to your condo/apartment's centralise dish, don't want to have dish because of wiring, drilling, etc.)

Although you will experience rain fade (no signal during heavy rain) if you go for satellite dish, but Ulti/Ultra Box has the Continuous Viewing feature that allows you to temporarily and manually switch to internet streaming.
This is what it'll appear when the box has no satellite signal:

Once you tune to other channel, it will revert back to satellite reception. At least you're still able to continue watching your TV channel when there's heavy rain.

For satellite, as long the settings and the cable connection is OK, and also the dish facing correctly to the sky, then you can get the signals already, no matter how rural or remote (deep jungle) you are in Malaysia.
Meanwhile, Plug & Play is 100% Internet streaming; does not rely on satellite dish at all. They'll just deliver the box to your house, so you just connect it to WiFi, activate it, then can start watching already. You can easily do it yourself and no installer visit required.
It highly depends not only your fast Internet connection, but also at the mercy of Astro's streaming servers (which to me, it's not robust enough).
Regardless of your internet speed and even on LAN cable, you will not only experience 30 seconds to 1 minute streaming latency, but also fluctuating picture quality in the name of "adaptive bitrate streaming", intermittent buffering for no reason, loading cursor that keeps appearing whenever you change channel.

If you only care about "as long got picture appear on my TV screen", and these technical downsides mentioned doesn't affect you, then Plug & Play should be fine for you.
Otherwise, you need to specifically select or inform the agent you want it to be Satellite.
If you don't specify that, they will proceed the order as Plug & Play.

Plug & Play is Astro's default installation method nowadays, because they want to save cost (compared to Satellite)

It may not be a major concern to most viewers because not everyone have that kind of expectations in its service quality, cuz after all we're paying a premium monthly fees for Astro... Some people's expectation is "as long got picture and sound appear on TV, then ok" or "little bit of buffering is ok".

I agree that although not everyone mind much about the slight delay due to streaming latency, but another thing to bear in mind is, you may experience intermittent buffering, similar like what aniq8676 just said.

Upon proceeding with Plug & Play, you will have to accept that this intermittent buffering as well as fluctuation in picture quality is an "expected behaviour" that will happen from time to time, even if you're LAN cable and regardless of your fibre Internet speed. And also, raising this concern to customer service will bring you nowhere, other than giving you unhelpful troubleshooting steps, and further disputes may lead you to Satellite option as a last resort (24 mth contract may restart at that time, if applicable).

If you or your dad don't mind that, then it's fine.

You mentioned about your dad watching sports channels, I assume you already have Astro, isn't it? Using satellite, right? Then why not just continue with Satellite? Satellite option is available upon request/selection.

This post has been edited by joshhd: Dec 30 2024, 01:28 AM

You could say that Plug & Play option is meant to avoid the use of satellite dish altogether, and uses only Internet streaming.
Because it is purely Internet streaming, then for sure no more weather interruption like what we all get from satellite dish reception.

So the only "interruption" you could get from Plug & Play, would be intermittent fluctuating picture quality and buffering (which the issue is coming from Astro itself), even if your Internet connection is fast and stable.

Plug & Play option / method feels like we're paying double to watch astro channels..
People usually subscribe to Internet service at home, of course it's not just because of Astro, so I don't think it is accurate to say that it feels like "we're paying double to watch astro channels"...
It's just that majority of people out there already have Internet connection available at home (unless your area have limited or no copper/fibre internet coverage & 4G/5G cellular coverage), so the Ulti/Ultra Box just tap into your Internet connection to get the service.
And there are people who prioritises simplicity and able to do-it-yourself easily, without the need of installer visit to your home.
One quick question - since I already have all the satellite setup, can I setup for satellite connection myself later if I order as plug and play now?
According to Astro's SOP for Satellite, the short answer is no, as installer visit is required and they will need to do the configuration.

Why you want to set it up yourself when installer can come and do it for you? Is it because your PVR box is installed at different house now (This is a common reason why some people want to avoid Astro installer coming to their house )
If yes, then to avoid "awkward situations", just bring the PVR box back to the house address as registered for the Astro account.
Connect the cables as usual, then able to watch Astro channels as usual, then when installer comes, then it'll be as if the box has always been there By doing so, you can make Astro installer's life easier too.

If you have Multiroom, please make sure to bring over your primary box rather than the Multiroom one(s).
The "free upgrade and no contract" offer is mainly applicable for the primary box (also known as main box).
Refer your Astro bill (page no. 3) or My Astro app, and cross check the smartcard number of all the Astro boxes you have. Make sure don't get mixed up between the primary box and Multiroom box.

On other note, upgrading your Multiroom box to Ulti Box is free. But if you want to upgrade your Multiroom box to Ultra Box, there will be RM100-149 installation fee and 24 months box contract.

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Let's say you only have 1 Astro box, and don't have Multiroom, then:

If you insist to proceed with Plug & Play:
Once you received the box and activate it, able to watch TV channels as usual, then you perform Restore Factory Settings, set it to Satellite mode, then you will realise that almost ALL channels will have the "Subscription Required" message. Do note that refreshing your smartcard WILL NOT HELP.
That is because once your Astro account is tagged under Plug & Play on Astro's system, their backend provisioning/entitlement system will not work the same like for Satellite users.
This is intentional, not a "technical problem", because they wanna make sure Plug & Play users are not watching TV channels via satellite dish (which shouldn't happen in the first place) and also to avoid complications in after-sales technical support in the future.
So you're left with no choice but to perform Restore Factory Settings again, set it to "IPTV Plug & Play (seif-install)", then you will be able to watch your subscribed channels again as it should.

TL;DR Once your Astro account is on Plug & Play, you cannot "fallback" to Satellite, unless you tell Astro to change your account to Satellite in their system, then it'll trigger re-contract as well as installer visit.

If you proceed with Satellite:
Installer will come over, swap to the new box, and do whatever configuration as necessary.
Although it is easy (and can actually do it yourself), but their SOP is, the configuration MUST be done by installer, not by customer.
But the good thing is, you can "fallback" to Plug & Play at anytime, by performing Restore Factory Settings, and set it to "IPTV Plug & Play (seif-install)". You won't experience the "Subscription Required" message on your subscribed channels, as mentioned earlier.

Once the installer leave your house, you can disconnect the cables, then bring the new box to another house and then set it up there (if applicable).

Currently the account is on superpack 3 with old decoder (with now non-functional PVR), thinking of whether we should drop the movies channels and downgrade to sport packs to reduce the subscription from RM163 to RM99 (before tax).
If you switch from Super Pack 3 to Astro One: Sports Pack (RM99), you will lose Disney+ Hotstar (Basic plan) https://www.hotstar.com/my and also Max (Standard plan) https://www.max.com/
If you want these 2 again, you would need to add-on separately, unless you opt for Epic Pack RM199.99.
Also, you will be losing 3 mini packs selections (either News/Learning/Kids/Variety) unless you subscribe to the add-ons separately.

If you add here and there, the total cost would become higher than what you'd pay for Super Pack 3 now.
Take some time to read this before you decide: https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...#entry110957241

a) Just upgrade the decoder to ultra box (satellite or plug and play) - without contract renewable, with options to downgrade to the new sport pack later
b) directly downgrade to Astro One sport pack and ultra box - understand the additional inconveniences arises in order to have lower month payment/commitment, and the additional 2 years contract
I suggest Option A. Upgrade to Ultra Box first. Change pack can decide later.

Yeah, I remember you said this previously, and I replied this: 👇

geekfiredog I don't have the information whether is it intentional or unintentional that Astro implement it like this...
But for me, to be safe, it is better that you inform Astro that you want it Satellite since the very beginning, if you want the box to be able to receive via satellite without potential Subscription Required issues in the future.
There's no guarantee that they wouldn't change this behaviour for Multiroom boxes in the future...

So up to you to decide...

This post has been edited by joshhd: Dec 30 2024, 11:23 PM

Oh, if like that, if want to confirm, need an Astro staff to check your Astro account, see whether the account or the box is tagged under Satellite or Plug & Play or not...

You mean you want to launch Disney+ Hotstar app and Max app on the Ulti/Ultra Box?

If yes, then do note that right now, Ulti/Ultra Box don't have Max app at all. Instead, selected Max content is available to stream as On Demand instead. Max app on the Ulti/Ultra Box is coming soon.

Also, if you subscribe to Max app from Astro right now:
Meanwhile for Disney+ Hotstar, yes, you can launch the Disney+ Hotstar app on Ulti/Ultra Box, and then login to your existing account. Not necessarily must subscribe through Astro to use it one.

Remember, it is NOT MANDATORY to subscribe to the app through Astro just because you want to use the app on Ulti/Ultra Box.
When you launch the app on Ulti/Ultra Box, you will see the "Checking entitlement..." message, meaning it'll check whether the particular app is included in your Astro subscription or not.
If it isn't, you may be prompted to subscribe to the app (which will be charged to your Astro bill if you subscribe), but don't be alarmed, there'll be a button for you to just proceed to launch the app as usual.

The above applies the same to other streaming apps available on the Ulti/Ultra Box.

This post has been edited by joshhd: Jan 21 2025, 11:10 PM

laze84 I assume you just subscribed to Astro Fibre bundled with Astro TV subscription not long ago, so the 24 months contract just started...
If you want it to be on Satellite, it's better that you contact customer service, tell them you want it to be on Satellite rather than Plug & Play.
Your 24 months contract date will be restarted in this process, and they shall arrange a technician to come over to change the settings for you.

To advise you further, can share why you prefer satellite rather than Plug & Play? What's the downside that you're experiencing on Plug & Play now?