Maxis 3G/EDGE/GPRS Charge is Expensive!!!
Posted by Watson on Wednesday Apr 1, 2009 Under Tips
My wife got her iPhone (Not Maxis Package) last month and she happily browse here browse there, get application downloads and surf facebook on it. And guess what? I got the Maxis bill now (her line under my subline), I saw a WOOPING RM264.34 charge for 27MB of Data transfer!!!
I have a talk with my wife and found out that she actually not connecting to 3G purposely, but the application at background will request for a connection from time to time (when a page opened in Safari; Mail accounts setup in iPhone and by default it will check your mailbox every 5mins?), or she mistakenly press some applications that will connect to internet and get update by itself (Weather, Stocks, Maps…).
For those who use iPhone 2G/3G and you are not taking 3G unlimited package or the Maxis iPhone package, please take my painful “experience”. Think twice before you activate your 3G connection to surf on your iPhone. Since Maxis 3G/EDGE/GPRS charge is DAMN EXPENSIVE!!!
There is way to stop the 3G/EDGE/GPRS connection to connect automatically when applications request. Please stay tune on my next post.
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August 11th, 2009 at 11:25 pm
Dear IPHONE Users, personally I have been used iPhone for more than 6 months bought from oversea and WITHOUT any data plan with MAXIS. For the past 6 months, Maxis charged me small amount of data usage(3G & EDGE) except last month(3 digits amount). I called up Maxis customer support and ‘ding’ ‘dong’ for about a week. First Maxis told me have to request data report and it take about 3 working days. Fine! Someone called me after 2 days later and told me the data usage charges are valid. If I need a report, RM5 will be charge for courier service. I’m sure you won’t pay if you’re like me! Anyway end up it’s free after I make noise. Again, the interesting thing happen. They told me the data usage report only provide date, time & download size. WTF? She told me NO URL details will be provided. Maxis DO NOT have such systems? It’s JOKE? And she promised to check again. I called again but this time another girl picked up the and told me different story. She promised to request from another department again(yes different dept – customer service team DO NOT have the details). I can’t believed! End up she CAN’T give me the full report(I need the full URL). The Maxis customer services manager told me this details(URL) is for internal used only. The 3G/EDGE data charges is VALID and Apple iPhone design such a way which data come first then only voice. No matter how you turn off 3G or EDGE on Apple iPhone, the 3G/EDGE data connection still going out and you will not know any background or auto update services running behind. In order to make sure no DATA going out, you must TURN ON Airplane Mode while using any WIFI services. This is NOT make sense at all and seriously I can’t agreed on this! So the conclusion is you either sign up with Maxis unlimited data plan or you can switch to another Telco. Good luck!
September 4th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Regarding the edge/3g/gprs charge, i was once told by maxis operator, 1KB of using while surfing, download etc, will charge at RM0.01 @ 1 Sen. So judging by using the data at 27,000 byte, it is not suprise the charge will be at RM200++. Just wanna add info and please correct me if i’, wrong.
However i’m using Bill + data which required me to pay RM200 / month and i have no issue of this charge at all.
Thanks!
September 4th, 2009 at 11:55 pm
ya…i hope i read ur message early…i just dont realise my iphone use 3g and edges for the whole day…i think my bill will be very expensive…maxis damm expensive…
October 13th, 2009 at 10:06 am
you can download this app known as BossPref.
it has a function to disable edge on your phone so there will be no unncessary download of data without your knowing. you can turn it on when you want to download email, surf. hope this helps.
October 13th, 2009 at 10:13 am
Hi TJ, It’s not true. You have to called up Maxis help desk and ask for that and the interesting is Maxis team will tell you iPhone design such a way which data go out first. Again no matter how you stop 3G or EDGE, you may still have change to get charges by any telco.
October 13th, 2009 at 10:34 am
I am using it and it works fine. I haven’t been charged unnecssarily since the first months bill almost 2 yrs ago. Try it.
December 20th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
Dear all, i need your advice.
Like Maxis Crap above, I was charged rm430++ for 43 mb of data being downloaded within 30 mins (I got a report from a Maxis centre, but similarly like above, I had no url report).The problem is, at the time of the alleged download, I was watching a movie at Sunway Pyramid (which has very bad reception in the hall). I have no apps in my phone, occasional GPS which will definitely not account for that amount even if it’s accidentally turned on, browser which i used to access mobile plurk (definitely not used that night).
What concerns me is that the Maxis rep told me that the usage is valid because it’s “logged at both ends of a server” (whatever that means). Seems like he is dead sure that I’m lying. If they do not provide me with a list of URLs like what happened to Maxis Crap, then it’s pretty much a dead end.
1. What could have happened?
2. What actions should I take next if they refuse to budge?
3. Is it possible for me to achieve such a high speed on 3g (2MB within 30 secs) if I’m not on any data plan with maxis?
December 31st, 2009 at 1:06 am
This thread is very infomative. Saw it for the lst time. I’ve an iphone which i used on my Digi line for the last 12 mths. Last month, Digi started to charge me for GPRS. I protested the charges because I accessed the net through WIFI and had always disabled the 3G/E features on my iphone. I’ve not signed a data plan with Digi and therefore I don’t believe Digi has the right to bill me for GPRS. Digi refused to credit me back the GPRS charges, so I terminated my service and moved to Maxis. I also called up all my clients who are heavy users to cancel their Digi lines and moved with me to Maxis.
So far, I’ve not encountered any problems with Maxis. I do hope our authorities reviewed this issue. I especially want the authorities to put in a new rule that only customers who signed up for a data plan can be charged for data services. As more smart phones come to market, many unsuspecting customers are being nailed for services they didn’t want. For all the customers out there, review your monthly statements.
January 10th, 2010 at 4:24 pm
I just called Maxis to disable all the Data Services for my main line and all my supplementary lines. So I can use the Iphone without any worry anymore…
January 12th, 2010 at 12:33 am
Hi CT, I’m strongly agreed with you and this is the only way solution.
March 1st, 2010 at 1:07 pm
Hai,
Yes! Maxis 3G/EDGE/GPRS Charge is damn Expensive!!!
I have to spend my money RM150 every week coz of this…
March 3rd, 2010 at 8:02 pm
Yes, damn expensive, my bill for gprs alone is RM7000+ . Just because of my stupid brother use it to watch movie online in a single night.
I suggest you guys turn off/deactivate 3G and GPRS by dialing *136*4#. or stop using phone to online.
March 12th, 2010 at 5:20 pm
I did what E said…dial *136*4# and I received sms from Maxis saying my 3G had been successfully cancelled…however after 2 days i saw that my iphone had been sending 5kb and receiving 12 kb…what the hell is this?
March 28th, 2010 at 8:33 pm
Hi all, although you have disabled your 3G, iphone will proceed to download data through the next available option, which is EDGE or even GPRS. The only way for you to force iphone not to download anything is to give it the incorrect 3G APN settings. The simplest way is to on your iPhone WIFI, goto http://www.unlockit.com.nz and install the Fake APN Certificate. You can uninstall it later at the Settings/General page. If you have apps like Mail/Weather or any 3rd party which uses data, it will auto connect to the 3G to update itself. Hope this helps.
March 29th, 2010 at 10:39 am
Walah.. Today my line got banned by maxis.. Unfortunately I’m surfing the website for whole night for more than 100++ ringgit for 12mb++.. Very2 expensive lor.. Now I’m deleted all the setting and no more GPRS or 3G..
May 26th, 2010 at 11:29 pm
Think urself bfore blaming
if u dunno the phone features better dont use it la !!!!!!!!!!!!
those are blaming is not smart enough to use smart PHONE
of course the bill will go up if u using the internet the whole night la MR JIEB
Malaysians is only good at BLAMING
May 26th, 2010 at 11:36 pm
I am so happy to have found this forum. I subscribe to Maxis also and I’m using first gen iphone(2G) that I bought in US. My average monthly phone bill has always been below RM150 except if I travel overseas. My Feb/Mar gave me a real shocker where I was charged a few hundred on internet usage. I was charged for a couple of hundred again in the following months. I called up Maxis immediately in early March to enquire what was that all about. I also requested for the detailed statement of the internet usage. What puzzled me was that in the detailed statement, I was charged for a few seconds of internet usage hourly at the exact minutes and seconds for like 8-10 hours on almost everyday!! How strange is that?! It took Maxis many months to have finally someone who understood my problem and frustration to call me and explained the charges. I had a lengthy chat with them which I wasn’t entirely convinced. The net takeout of that conversation was that if I didn’t buy the iphone from Maxis thru its ivalue packages, I’ll be screwed!
Anyway, I just have my fair share of such painful experience. I told the guy at Maxis who was kind enough to give a follow-up to me to apologise for their mishandling of situation and we also settled the issue.
June 27th, 2010 at 6:24 pm
I thinking wanna get back last quote from which guy said I’m the one whos nothing to used smartphone..
Halo bro Ash, Im not trying to blame you or others.. What did I want to said situation in this country where goverment are always recommended to participating in IT knowledge but at the end the people will bear high cost for that like me.. internet surfing through broadband cost RM120 for 12 mb.. You got that bro???
I’m beleived broadband user only for rich like you and always yours be good as good to used internet phone.. Dont trying to bullshit anyone while you will got crab over it..fuxk!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 30th, 2010 at 12:36 pm
The maxis charged me RM300++ for last few months although i did not use any GPRS.
I went to maxis centre last month and requested them to disable GPRS. And yet, they charge me again for RM300+ this month… wtF!!!!! For a mobile user without online using GPRS and have disabled GPRS, how come RM300+ will appear in my bill??
July 2nd, 2010 at 6:47 pm
hey all…iphone have that features regardless of what telco u use, it still chrge internet ppu…..i agreed with ASH, malaysian are not smart to use smart phone …keep blaming others…and summore in malaysia technology to burden people…so the solution is switch to celcom the internet is only rm38 monthly/ unlimited….
July 22nd, 2010 at 3:57 pm
does EDGE will charge on bill?…how do i download game for free? im a new user!…
August 17th, 2010 at 5:18 pm
I received my maxis bill today and got a shock too. My data usage was RM339.99. The same case, which i “did not” connect it and thru hell the internet got connected. SAD.
August 18th, 2010 at 10:01 pm
hi
if you dont want any bill shock, please delete the apps you installed and all email accounts in your iphone. even when you open a simple brick game, it might uses data to send ‘statistics’ to apple or the developer. if you are not subscribed to the data plan, please do not get shocked if you bill go beyond you imagination. data is charged by the kilobytes.
apple designed the iphone to be an internet smartphone. that is why there is no option to switch off the internet. now with ios4, be careful of apps running in the background.
also, be wary of apps with ads. ads fetch data through the internet.
statistic data, ads, are all valid data. most free apps have ads in them. also, read the papers comes with your iphone. i forgot which one, but somewhere does states that iphone do transmit data to apple and app developers. even when you download an app, even if its free, you should the terms and condition.
btw, im not sure that you can disable internet access totally from your mobile service.
August 19th, 2010 at 6:09 pm
According to my conversation with Maxis supervisor, there is NO WAY to disable that because Apple iPhone design such a way to make it work by send data out which I believe this is the plan and marketing strategies. Unfortunately this is NO benefit to end user but very benefit to telco.
August 19th, 2010 at 6:25 pm
the only way is to subscribe to higher data plan. digi is the cheapest with 5GB for the rm250 package. im on maxis since maxis is the only mobi-co reliable for me. well, other ppl have other lucks. just hoping maxis will upgrade their package when iphone 4 arrive.
my best fren tried an iphone. but hes using prepaid. he was screaming when the whole rm30 topup disappeared in less than a day. after talking to me, he went like ‘ooow…’
anyway, the best for iphone users is to suscribe to any data plans. it can lower your bills. unless you rather charged by kilobytes. just hoped you dont have heart attack! which one you prefer? additional rm300, or additional rm40-99? no jailbreaking can stop this.