Hotlink might be one of the country’s longest running prepaid service but it has come to our attention that Maxis will be launching another prepaid service very soon. Called Ookyo, its official website went live recently and it provides a significant amount of information regarding the upcoming service.
For starters, Ookyo offers unlimited data to its customers when they use selected apps which depends on what type of Ookyo’s All Access Pack that users choose. The list is shown below:
Both All Access Packs come standard with free unlimited access to WhatsApp, LINE, WeChat, and Facebook Messenger. It also comes with 3GB internet quota for other internet usage. For apps that are not listed above, customers can choose to obtain additional Unlimited Passes for them which apparently starts at RM 3 per app – at least, that’s what we understand from Ookyo’s official website.
At the same time, all Ookyo customers will also receive 10% of the amount they spend on purchases through the Ookyo store and monthly plan renewals in the form of Google Play credits. Customers will also able to receive free Google Play credits when they refer their friends to Ookyo.
At a glance, Ookyo sounds rather simple but truth to told, the service is rather complicated. For example, the unlimited access to these selected apps can only be obtained when users run the Ookyo app. In fact, users need to allow the Ookyo app to run as a VPN on their device.
In other words, the Ookyo app must continuously run on users’ phones in order for them to properly utilize their unlimited plans. Else, their general 3GB data quota will be used instead. For tethering, users apparently need to turn off VPN and data tracking access directly inside their phones settings.
Since Google Play is highly integrated with the service, it is not surprising that Ookyo is only available for Android users at the moment. In addition to that, the service also utilizes two e-wallets: one for Google Play and another one for Ookyo’s itself.
Another factor that makes Ookyo different from most telco packages in the market is the service being 100% digital. According to its website, the service will not have physical stores and all activities including customer service is done online. In fact, we couldn’t event find a helpline number on its website, which means users might have to rely on Ookyo’s knowledge base or its Fuzzy chat bot for help.
To register with Ookyo, which can be done directly through its official website, you need a credit or debit card (Mastercard or Visa) as the service doesn’t accept cash or online banking for the time being. Once registered, a SIM card will be delivered directly to users via courier service – although the delivery service is limited to Peninsular Malaysia for now.
All in all, it goes without saying that Ookyo is significantly different from any of Maxis’ existing products in the market. With an emphasis on digital ecosystem and unlimited access as its main theme, it might seem that Ookyo is following TM’s Webe footsteps.
However, Ookyo’s unlimited access is being delivered through a different manner – and it does seem rather complicated to a certain extent. Additionally, Ookyo also has its own rewards system that is integrated with Google Play, which is unique to the service at the moment.
Despite all the details that we have dug from Ookyo’s official website, we are still curious on what Maxis has to say about its new prepaid service. Hence, we have reached out to the company to obtain further information regarding Ookyo.
(Source: Ookyo)
