The Best Guide to Malaysia Broadband Internet

Having an internet plan at home has become essential in today's world. With internet access in your home, you can watch films, make free calls to friends and family abroad, and even work from your home computer. Choosing the right internet plan, however, isn't always easy, especially when there are so many different companies in Malaysia competing for your attention.
Here, we break down everything you need to know about broadband and internet plans in Malaysia so you can make an informed decision on which plan is best for you!
If you want to compare all the different internet plans available, we have a quick and easy broadband comparison tool to help you find the best broadband deals.

In order to get online from your home, you will need to sign up for an internet data plan. An internet plan is a contract between you and your internet provider which sets down how much data you are allowed to use over a certain time period.

Although you may have access to free internet, such as open wifi connections in public places, it is usually best to have your own internet plan at home. This means that you are in control of your own internet access, and it also means that you will be more secure while browsing online. Public or open networks can be accessed by hackers who can use the connection to try and access your computer and private information. In contrast, your own private network is much safer and is password protected. Make sure your password is hard to guess so fraudsters can't gain easy access.

To find out more about how to protect your information against fraudulent activity, read our guide to credit card security and fraud.

Your data plan will set down a number of factors affecting your contract with the provider as well as your internet usage:

• Fees
Your internet plan will indicate how much you pay for internet and how often. It will also set down when you have access to the internet. Different contracts offer daily, weekly, and monthly internet access. If you forget to pay your provider, your internet access will be cut and you may also be charged late fees. These terms will also be set down in your internet plan contract, so make sure you read them through carefully.
• Bandwidth caps
While some plans offer unlimited internet access, others limit the amount of data that can be downloaded over a certain period. For example, you may have a contract that restricts you to 60 GB (gigabytes) of internet each month.
• Data rate
The data rate in your plan dictates the speed of your internet connection. This means that if you have a plan with a lower Mbps (megabits per second) rate, your internet will be slower and you may notice that things like videos do not load as quickly.

It's always useful to understand how data usage works and how it is measured, especially for those on capped internet plans. Everything you do on the internet, from online shopping to playing games, consumes data. Some activities consume more data than others, but how do you know exactly how much each one uses and how many gigabytes of data you need in total?

• GB: Gigabyte
• MB: Megabyte (1000 MB = 1 GB)
• KB: Kilobytes (1000 KB = 1 MB)

Although your data usage depends on exactly how you use the internet, there are some basic guidelines which can give you an idea of how much data you're using. These numbers are not 100% accurate and are based on averages (i.e. downloading one average length song), so please don't rely on them completely, they're just here to give you an idea of how much data you're using.

• 0.3 GB = Browsing websites for 40 hours
• 0.8 GB = send 200 emails (attachments increase this according to their size)
• 2.1 GB = 1 film download (not HD)
• 4 MB = 1 song download
• 5.2 GB = 80 hours of online radio

Each internet plan sets out the consequences for exceeding your data limit, so be sure to check your contract and see which applies to you if you have limited browsing. Here are some of the most common consequences:

• Your internet access may be cut
• You may be charged extra for the additional internet usage
• You might continue to have internet access but at a very slow, low data rate.

If you have a capped internet plan, your provider will usually email you after you exceed a certain percentage of your data usage. This warning will help you know when to reduce your internet usage to avoid late fees or any other consequences.
If you keep getting warned that you are approaching your data limit, you may want to consider switching to an account with a higher data allowance.

There are a few criteria you need to take into consideration when choosing an internet plan, so we've laid them all out here, with their pros and cons, to help you to make your decision.

This depends on how much data you use. Unlimited packages allow you to browse the internet as much as you want without having to worry about exceeding your data limit, but users who only need a small amount of data can save money by opting for a limited package that best suits their usage levels.

You can browse as much as you like without worrying about going over your limit ? this is especially useful when you are sharing your data allowance with your family or housemates.
You can watch films and carry out other high data activities as much as you like.

You may be paying for data you don't need.

Casual internet users can save money by opting for a capped plan over an unlimited one.

If you use too much data, your access could be cut, or you could incur expensive fees.

If you're still not entirely sure how much data allowance you need in your internet plan, then you need to know if you fit into a specific type of internet user. This may help you get a better idea of how much data you use.

You use the internet every day and for high data usage activities such as streaming your favourite TV shows, downloading films, listening to music, and playing online games.
What you should look for:

• Unlimited or a very large amount of data usage
• High web speed

You check the internet every day, but mainly use it for lower data usage activities such as checking your email, visiting social media sites, and browsing the internet. However, you also watch video clips online and download music quite often.
What you should look for:

• Find a plan with a moderate download limit that is sufficient to cover your internet needs
• Download speed is also important

You don't necessary use the internet every day, and when you do, you use it for activities such as browsing mainly text-based websites and reading your emails, which have low data usage.
What you should look for:

• A capped plan with a low data allowance that meets your needs
• Web speed shouldn't be too important for you as you don't download music or videos
• You should be able to get a lower priced package

The speed of your internet connection is affected by a number of different factors and is measured in Mbps (megabits per second) and Kbps (kilobits per second). The higher these figures, the faster your internet will be. Although fast internet connections are important, the fastest connection may not be necessary for you, according to your internet usage, and you may want to think carefully about whether you want to pay extra for a higher web speed.

Your internet speed is determined by a variety of factors:

• How far you are from the server: The closer the better!
• What you're using the internet for: Users downloading HD films and other high usage applications may find their internet speed reduced ? this is done by your provider to prevent one user from 'hogging' the internet and reducing the network's performance for other users.
• Number of users: the more people connected to the network at the same time, the slower your internet will be.
• Your cables and router: Hardware is not always the same, and some equipment are not able to cope with the same speeds as others, thus slowing down your connection.
• The weather: Your web speed can also be negatively affected by extreme weather, including heavy rain.

Nowadays, there are multiple options for customers looking for a great deal on their broadband plans in Malaysia. Providers are now offering bundled packages which include other services as well as internet. Often these bundles include your landline telephone, television, and internet plans in one simple bundle. However, make sure you read through all of the fine print in the contract agreement and check exactly what is being offered in the deal.

• Paying for multiple services in one means less bills, making it easier to pay on time.
• Better value for money.

• You may have less choices in what you want from your internet plan.

• You already have phone and TV contracts set up and don't want to end them.
• This allows you greater flexibility in choosing what you want from each individual service.

• Different contracts with different providers means more companies to deal with and more bills to remember to pay.

As well as the money you pay for your internet usage as agreed in your contract, there are other costs and fees to consider:

• Installation fees
• Late payment fees
• Price of router (routers are often included for free as part of your contract)
• Fees for exceeding data limit
• Fees for cancelling the contract early
• Fees for switching to a different provider

• Reliability: When choosing which provider to set up your internet plan with, you may want to research online, talk to people you know, and find out other people's experiences with the same company. If a company has a history of bad customer service, you'll soon experience it and you may want to find another company.
• Coverage: Before signing up for a great deal, check that the area you live in Malaysia is covered by this provider. Providers share this data on their websites, so check it out before you commit.

Now that you know what to look for when choosing your internet plan, you can head to our quick and easy-to-use internet plans comparison tool where you can compare all the different deals on the market and find the best one for you!