UPDATE: Paul Tan also pointed out that if you’re looking for a fixed IP connection on the cheap. Maxis offers fixed IP across all it’s business FTTH packages even the entry-level 4Mbps RM188/month plan. UniFi on the other hand, does not offer fixed IP for its cheapest BIZ5 RM199/month plan.
If you’re looking for a fibre broadband connection, there are alternatives to TM’s UniFi. There’s Time Fibre which offers FTTH service, but its limited service locations means its not really a feasible alternative for the masses. Then there’s Maxis FTTH which offers a low entry point for those looking at a cheap and reliable FTTH broadband solution.
But so far, the alternatives has been mostly focused on consumer plans, now Maxis has upped the ante with a range of FTTH packages catered for businesses with packages that nicely fills in the gaps of UniFi’s BIZ offerings. So let’s see how the Maxis plans stack up against the TM’s UniFi.
Where UniFi offers three packages — BIZ5 (RM199/month), BIZ10 (RM599/month) and BIZ20 (RM899/month), Maxis offers up four — 4Mbps (RM188/month), 8Mbps (RM388/month), 16Mbps (RM688/month) and 32Mbps (RM988).
Just like its home VIP packages, TM’s UniFi BIZ packages comes with a host of value added services as well, like web-hosting, an email account and cloud hosting solution just to name a few. While, Maxis’ FTTH packages seems “bare-bones” in comparison, all these features may be useful to some users but most businesses will probably not use them at all. So let’s just look at the plans based on speed and cost — the core of the matter.
Based on this, it looks like when it comes to business users Maxis has the upper hand especially if you’re running a business that requires a speedy broadband connection. Take Maxis’ 32Mbps package for example, with just an additional RM89/month you get double the speed of the fastest UniFi BIZ20 plan. Even in the mid-range segment you get good value with Maxis which offers 16Mbps — 6Mbps more than UniFi’s BIZ10 plan — for just additional RM89/month.
In the entry-level segment however, we’d choose UniFi over Maxis with UniFi’s BIZ5 offering a faster connection with a host of value added service and slightly better call rates.
What about Time Fibre? As mentioned before, their service locations are limited, so that leaves them out of contention at the moment. But if you’re wondering their cheapest business fibre package starts at RM148/month for 2Mbps and go all the way up to RM818/month for a basic 24Mbps line.
So it seems the tables have turned when it comes to FTTH offerings for business users. In an earlier comparison between the home packages from UniFi and Maxis, we noted that UniFi offered the best deals across that range except for the entry-level segment. This time, in the business offerings, it looks like Maxis has the upper hand. At the end of the day, the choice is entirely yours.
Thanks paultan for the tip.
