The BlackBerry Z10 has been launched with other local postpaid telcos for a couple of days now, but if you do not wish to sign up for a contract to purchase the device at a subsidized price, you can purchase it directly off from other retailers, or with a prepaid account under TuneTalk.

TuneTalk is now offering the BlackBerry Z10 at the retail price of RM2,188 but if you have accumulated enough TT Points, you can either redeem it for 27500 TT Points, or use 17000 TT Points and top up with RM999. TuneTalk BlackBerry Z10 will come with a Free Tune Talk SIM pack and Free Cun Plan for one month worth RM38; TuneTalk also offers free delivery.

On a different note, Senheng is now also offering the Asus Fonepad for RM849, which comes with an additional free product voucher worth RM50.

Just under a week after the RM190,000 fine imposed on three local telcos for breaching their licence conditions, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has cracked down on our local telcos again. This time, it has imposed significantly stricter fines against six companies which came to almost RM1 million in total due to the companies’ failure to ensure that prepaid account registrations were conducted with accurate user information.

The companies fined were Celcom Axiata Bhd, Merchantrade Sdn Bhd, U Mobile Sdn Bhd, Tune Talk Sdn Bhd, Maxis Mobile Services Sdn Bhd and Maxis Broadband Sdn Bhd. Of these, Celcom Axiata were the hardest hit, with eight fines totalling RM400,000, while Merchantrade were sanctioned with seven fines totalling RM240,000, Maxis Services hit with three fines amounting to RM150,000, U Mobile issued four fines that totalled RM100,000, and finally Maxis Broadband and Tune Talk issued with RM10,000 fines.

Their failure to ensure accurate user information in prepaid account registrations are held liable under Section 242 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, which exists to avoid abuse of end user information. However, MCMC chairman Dato’ Mohamed Sharil Tarmizi stated that the commission received “numerous complaints and info about cases where individuals’ MyKad or IC numbers and names have been used when in fact they never did apply for the service from the said telcos.”

“We view the failure to ensure proper registration of accurate user information as a serious offence,” he added.

(Source: Digital News Asia)

Need more shopping alternatives for the upcoming long weekend? No problem, you can now order the HTC Butterfly from Tune Talk at RM2,299, and have the device delivered to our doorstep for free. While you still need to pay the full retail price to own the brand new phablet from HTC, Tune Talk is throwing in some freebies including free Tune Talk SIM Pack, Cun Plan (RM38/month) free for one month, and RM200 Air Asia E-Gift voucher (while stocks last). Tune Talk Cun Plan comes with 1GB of data and 60 minutes of local calls for all networks, subsequent usage will be charged at 16sen/minute for calls, 5sen/SMS and 5sen/MB of data.

Check out our previous post for more information about the HTC Butterfly or visit Tune Talk online shop to get your very own unit now.

If you can recall the 2013 Budget presentation back in September, the government has announced a RM 200 discount program for youths to purchase 3G-enabled smartphones. The initiative is then officially known as the Youth Communication Package (Pakej Komunikasi Belia) which will be in motion starting from 1 January 2013 right until 31 December 2013 or until the RM 300 million allocations have been fully utilized – whichever comes first.

Designated under the National Broadband Initiative, the package will be made available for Malaysians from the age of 21 to 30 years old with monthly income of RM 3,000 or below. However, one can’t just simply purchase any smartphones that he or she prefers. Instead, eligible youths are only able to choose from pre-approved devices by Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) which will not cost more than RM 500.

Furthermore, one also has to be an existing subscriber or register for a new broadband plan with any of the telco that participated in the program such as Maxis Berhad, Celcom Axiata Berhad, DiGi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd, U Mobile, YTL Communications and Tune Talk in order to enjoy the privilege.

According to MCMC, the list of approved devices and authorized dealers will be made available on telco’s website starting from 1 January 2013 although Amanz has revealed that Senheng and SenQ will be part of the list. To learn more about the upcoming Youth Communication Package, head on to its official website.

UPDATE (28/12): MCMC has published the initial list of approved devices, available right here.

[Source: MCMC, Amanz]