Buy a phone and change it anytime you want with Celcom’s NewPhone

Buying a phone outright is expensive and getting one through a contract could be troublesome with its lock-in periods. To make phone ownership easier, Celcom has introduced its NewPhone program. On the surface, this is similar to the Maxis Zerolution program as it lets you change phones every year for free.

The Celcom NewPhone program is open to current and new Celcom customers and you can own your phone with monthly installments over 24 months. On top of that, you get to change phones for free every 12 months. Unlike Maxis, Celcom gives you the option to change phones earlier. If intend to do this before 12 months, an advance change fee will apply that ranges between RM300 to RM1,000 depending on phone model.

Similar to Maxis, you are required to return your existing device in good condition. For greater peace of mind, they are also offering Device Protection which gives you coverage for damages, theft, and even water damage.

For new Celcom customers (or those who have only been Celcom customers for less than a year), if you do opt for the NewPhone plan, you will be required to pay 3 months of your NewPhone’s installment upfront, which will be rebated back to you over the coming months. However, for existing customers who have been with Celcom for over a year, you will not be required to make this upfront payment.

Also, if you intend to stop at any time, you have the option to keep the device while paying the balance RRP of your installment or to return the phone completely with a one-off penalty charge. When we checked, returning the Galaxy Note5 will attract a penalty charge of RM900.

At the moment, Celcom NewPhone only offers Samsung devices which include the Galaxy J7, Galaxy A8, Galaxy S6 edge, Galaxy Note5 and Galaxy S6 edge+. The Galaxy Note5 can be yours at RM125/month or RM145/month if you take up its device protection coverage. As comparison, Maxis Zerolution offers the same model at RM123/month (with Zerolution Upgrade) or RM146 that includes Device Protection.

The key difference between this and Maxis’ Zerolution is that you can choose any plan you want to pair with your NewPhone. This means if you’re happy with your current postpaid plan, you can just add-on NewPhone even there’s an on-going device bundle contract. So if the MaxisONE plan isn’t your cup of tea, you can go for Celcom’s more affordable First Gold plan that offers 10GB of mobile data, unlimited calls and SMS for RM80/month.

For more information, head over to Celcom’s NewPhone.