Owning an iPhone has never been easier these days, what with easy payment plans and the ability to pay zero Ringgit upfront when you sign up for postpaid packages from Malaysian telcos.
U Mobile’s new UPackage plan makes owning an iPhone even easier. It’s like an easy payment plan for credit cards, but better in a few key ways.
UPackage allows anyone to pay for any iPhone (iPhone 5c, 5s, 6 or 6s) the same way that they pay for their monthly postpaid bill. This means that at the start of the new billing cycle, subscribers get charged with the monthly bill as well as the monthly installment for the iPhone – all in one statement.
Unlike easy payment plans from credit cards, UPackage does not incur any changes to the user’s credit limit on their credit cards, removing the disadvantage and inconvenience for credit card holders who want an iPhone.
And just as importantly, there are no interest charges for the duration of the payment.
On top of that, U Mobile has also increased the data quota for the iPhone-only postpaid plans for which the UPackage is eligible for, the i90 and i130 plans. Both plans offer 7GB and 10GB of data respectively, and subscribers enjoy unlimited calls to all networks.
Finally, when purchasing an iPhone via UPackage, subscribers will also enjoy the iPhone at a subsidised price; the 16GB iPhone 6s will cost RM2,352 or RM98 per month for 24 months, for example.
What’s interesting is that U Mobile claims that UPackage offers the lowest monthly commitment for the iPhone 6s, and the table below illustrates this better. We should also note that U Mobile is only one of two telcos to not require users to pay the device price upfront.
Of course, there are some restrictions in place for UPackage. For instance, while UPackage is open for current and new U Mobile customers, they must not only have zero outstanding amount in their postpaid bill, but also be currently subscribed to a postpaid plan that has a minimum RM70 monthly commitment.
At the point of subscription, customers who are porting in from another telco must present a copy of their last three monthly statements as required documents. This restriction is likely to be a preliminary indicator that subscribers will be able to afford the minimum RM188 monthly commitment when subscribing to UPackage.
In addition, due to the nature of UPackage, subscribers will need to enable auto debit for the postpaid plan, in order to allow a seamless and pain-free payment experience.
Also, UPackage does not offer zero upfront payment. Subscribers would need to make a payment consisting of the first month’s device installment as well as the first month’s monthly commitment. For example, if the subscriber is purchasing a 16GB iPhone 6s with the i90 plan, they would have to pay RM188 (RM98 for phone and RM90 for plan) upon sign up.
That being said, this amount is very small compared to other telcos, some of which require users to pay the subsidised device price at the point of registration.
For U Mobile subscribers on active contracts who would like to subscribe to UPackage, you are considered as terminating the current contract before registering for UPackage. This means you are liable to potential penalty charges, which is quite disappointing.
However, if you’re on i90 and would like to upgrade to i130, there are no termination charges.
Overall though, the UPackage plan is definitely a very appealing plan for those looking to buy an iPhone, especially those who would not like to tie down their credit limit with easy payment plans. It is rather straight forward, and is actually a good alternative to the U Micro Credit feature, which appeals to those without a credit card.
Those who would like to sign up for UPackage, or simply would like to know more, can do so by visiting any U Mobile outlets nationwide.
