The Malaysian government has endorsed yet another scheme, aimed at low-income group, to give everyone a cheaper alternative for mobile and internet services. The Sim Kad Rakyat 1Malaysia (SR1M) service was launched in the middle of March and it is a private initiative by Optic Tech Sdn Bhd. The SR1M service comes in a start-up pack that costs just RM 5.90 and it comes with free RM 5 credit as well as 150 MB of data. These starter packs can only be purchased from registered distributors (which are currently limited but the number is growing) with online options to come in the near future. New users can register for a new number while users with existing numbers/lines from any existing service providers can simply port them over (MNP) to SR1M.
The Pay-Per-Use (PPU) rates for the service are 8 sen/30 sec block for calls, 8 sen/SMS, and 5 sen/MB of data. There was also a mention about a 50 sen/IDD but, just like all the incomplete data found on the Facebook page, we can’t verify if that is for a 30 second block or for the whole minute. These PPU rates come into effect if users have not subscribed to any of the packages that are on offer, or if the allocated quota for the plans have been used up (if they do subscribe).
As for bundled data packages, there are currently a few on offer:
- RM 4.90 with 7 day validity
- Comes with 100 MB data.
- RM 17 with 30 day validity
- First subscription: 500 MB
- Subsequent: 1 GB
- RM 27 with 30 day validity
- First subscription: 700 MB
- Subsequent: 1.5 GB
- With free: 27 minutes talktime, and 27 SMS.
- RM 47 with 30 day validity
- First subscription: 1.5 GB
- Subsequent: 3 GB
- With free: 47 minutes talktime, and 47 SMS
Reload options are scarce at the moment but users can top-up directly from the SR1M’s Tambah Nilai page. The reload amounts available are RM 10, RM 30, and RM 50 and the site accepts multiple online payment options as well as credit cards. (The reloads previously came with an airtime validity of 10, 60, and 100 days respectively, and there even was a RM 5 top-up with a 5-day validity.)
To find the nearest distributor or to register to become one, please visit the SR1M’s Pengedar page to find out more. Users can also head to SR1M’s Facebook page to get their queries answered, or to the Hubungi Kami page for other contact options.
The SR1M service is operational but it’s still in its early stages; there are not many dealers available and there are no online sales option. The details about coverage areas and technology used are a bit sketchy at the moment, but 4G has been mentioned on SR1M’s home page. The company has also confirmed that it is indeed an MVNO but, as was misreported previously, U Mobile is not its technology partner. It is instead powered by Clixster Mobile in collaboration with Enabling Asia (MVNA). Clixster Mobile is also an MVNO and it incidentally, is the one in partnership with U Mobile.
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