5G Rahmah allows Sabahans get quality smartphones at affordable prices
29 Aug 2023 11:29pm
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However, at the same time, the Sabahans think that the telecommunications companies (telcos) involved also need to state the minimum internet speed commitment they can provide for users.
Marine technician, Muhaidie Md Sain, 29, said that a smartphone such as the Samsung A14 5G, with a market price of RM949, but offered at a price of RM240 through the package, is fairly cheap.
"This (smartphone) is cheap enough, and we in Sabah can afford to buy it at that price, but the package that telcos quoted is RM60 per month with minimum data of 60GB. There was no mention of the speed not being very good because we in Sabah have internet problems,” he said, when contacted by Bernama today.
E-Hailing driver, Danny Agun Lasimbang, 47, said that it would be better for telcos involved to state the internet speed commitment in their respective packages, because it has been done for a long time by fixed line Internet providers, such as TM with Unifi internet facility.
"Unifi dares to state their package as RM89 per month with unlimited data and with speed at 30Mbps... it is true that fixed line and wireless are different, but this is a model that should be emulated by wireless telcos, to provide the best internet facilities for the people,” he said.
Danny Agun, from Likas, is of the view that the Samsung A14 5G or Honor 90 Lite 5G brand smartphones, offered through the package, are capable of supporting high quality 5G internet facilities.
Meanwhile, Information Officer, Ramanshah Rudding, 34, from Penampang near here, said that the RM10 per month rebate, through the Rahmah Civil Servant Postpaid Incentive, is a good start to help civil servants who are also affected by the increase in the cost of living.
"Saving RM120 a year is good, but don't stop at that, it needs to be developed further and maybe increase fixed line internet incentives at home, so that the whole family can enjoy, similar to the previous RM69 Unity Package, it is more economical than postpaid subscriptions for each family member,” said Ramanshah.
Ramanshah also said that the government has carried out various efforts to increase internet access in Sabah, including the National Digital Network Plan (JENDELA), with 4G reaching 88 per cent of populated areas as of February, but it requires the cooperation of Telcos to ensure the quality of internet delivered to the population is at the best level.
Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil today launched the 5G Rahmah Package, which will be offered to all Malaysians from Aug 31 until December.
The initiative will offer device bundle data plan, involving a smartphone priced at no more than RM240, along with a postpaid plan as low as RM60 per month with minimum data of 60GB.
In line with the MADANI Economy framework, Fahmi also announced a 5G Rahmah package, offered to the first 100,000 customers from the B40 group, who will be eligible to receive a RM120 subsidy for the smartphone.
For the Rahmah Civil Servant Postpaid incentive, Fahmi said that the rebate offer is only for civil servants serving under the federal and state governments, as well as local authorities, subject to the terms of the telecommunications companies involved. - BERNAMA
