I’ve been looking for a data plan for my beloved iPad mini. Yes, I already have a 4G mobile router with Maxis' unlimited data, but call it placebo or gut feeling, I feel like the close-proximity Wi-Fi transmission is giving me a headache. Hence the need for an internal data plan using the iPad’s SIM slot.
There are a few choices for cheap prepaid data plans in the market, but the most generous of all I can find is Yes. For 20 ringgit a month, it gives me 50GB of 5G + 4G data with uncapped speed, unlimited local calls, and 30 days validity. To sweeten the deal, there’s a promo for an extra 999GB for just 1 ringgit, which brings the total data to 1,049 GB.
I can choose to order a regular SIM card, but Yes also offers eSIMs, which I easily downloaded straight to my iPad. I got my Yes data plan running in less than 4 minutes. So how does the coverage fare compared to other major telcos? I used to remember that Yes' internet was crap back in the day. I couldn’t get any coverage outside my home and elsewhere, the 4G connection was spotty, to say the least. After a month of using Yes 5G regularly, I can say that Yes has improved tremendously in terms of coverage and speed. I can get 300Mbps download speed at my office in Seri Kembangan, constant 5G connection around Klang Valley, and even in my hometown in Tanah Merah. Except for a few remote locations in Gua Musang and Kuala Lipis, the internet connection has been pretty reliable.
When I first started using Yes prepaid, I set out to challenge myself to see if I could finish 1,049GB of data in a month. So I turned off the Wi-Fi at many locations except at home and used Yes 5G data exclusively everywhere, even at my office. After 30 days, I managed to use only 46.5GB of data. 50GB is more than enough for my daily data needs on the iPad.
Apart from Yes, I also tried out Celcomdigi and Unifi Mobile. Celcomdigi offered a generous 30+10GB data for 25 ringgit, while Unifi Mobile’s UNI5G WOW 25 plan only offers 30GB of data for the same price. Yes, Celcomdigi provides much superior coverage, but Yes prepaid still has the edge with its lavish 1,000 GB data pool. Unless they increase their price anytime in the future, I’m sticking with Yes 5G prepaid for now, which offers the best bang for your buck.
