REDtone WiMAX offers USB Plans, more coverage in East Malaysia

REDtone, another WiMAX operator has quietly launched its portable USB WiMAX offering. The portable USB WiMAX modem comes with 2 plans, the Flexi50 and Flexi80.

Flexi50 offers 512kbps download and 128kbps upload with 8GB quota at RM50/month, while Flexi88 offers 1Mbps download and 384kbps upload with 15GB quota at RM88/month. The packages looks similar with the recent P1 WiMAX Wiggy postpaid plans of WiGGY 59 and WiGGY 89.

Subscribers will have a choice of a 12 month contract with what looks like a free USB Modem or a contract free option that requires RM239 up front for the device. A RM100 deposit is required for the device on the 12-month contract. REDtone didn’t provide much details on the modem except that it looks like a red little box that fits in your pocket. We also wonder that since Intel has launched a new range of laptops and netbooks with WiMAX built-in, REDtone should have look into offering their WiMAX service on them as well. Since the WiMAX module supports 2.3GHz, there shouldn’t be a problem for it to work as long as REDtone’s network is ready for it.

In addition, we noticed that REDtone has expanded its coverage beyond the capital cities of Kuching and Kota Kinabalu. At the moment, we are seeing coverage in Miri, Sarawak as well as Sandakan and Tawau in Sabah.

Miri

Sandakan/Tawau

REDtone has been quite slow in its WiMAX roll out but currently it stands as the 2nd WiMAX operator in commercial service after P1. AMAX, the other WiMAX operator has temporary suspended its service for reengineering purposes until further notice. P1 previously had mentioned that they will be entering East Malaysia around this year. We hope that happens soon to give REDtone some competition in this underserved region.

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