Switching from Maxis to a cheaper prepaid but want to keep my number, does MNP port still take long in Malaysia?

Question

My Maxis postpaid bill keeps hitting RM120+ a month and I feel like I'm overpaying since I mostly use WiFi at home and office. Thinking of porting to a cheaper plan like Yes or one of the RM30-40 unlimited options but I've had this number for 12 years, cannot lose it. Is the Mobile Number Portability process still slow and painful, or is it smooth now? Any hidden catches?

Tiger Mum Mei Ling · Accepted Answer

MNP in Malaysia is actually pretty smooth these days and by regulation it's supposed to complete within one working day, though in practice I've seen it done in a few hours. The process: pick your new telco, request to port in your existing number, they'll ask for your MyKad and the number you're bringing over, and you just wait for the SMS confirming the switch. Two important catches though, first make sure you have zero outstanding balance and no active contract lock-in with Maxis or they can reject the port until you settle it. Second, if you're on a postpaid with a subsidised phone or device instalment, you must clear that first. When I ported from a big telco to a cheaper plan, the actual switch happened overnight and I only had maybe 30 minutes of no signal during the cutover, so do it in the morning not before an important call.

Fresh Grad Wei Xiang · Answer

If you rarely use mobile data because of WiFi everywhere, honestly even consider a cheaper prepaid instead of another postpaid, no monthly commitment at all. I pay maybe RM15 to RM20 a month topping up prepaid and just rely on WiFi. Number stays the same with MNP for prepaid too. Cut your bill from RM120 to RM20 easily.

Freelancer Kak Mimi · Answer

Before you jump, check the actual coverage of the cheaper telco at your home and office, not just the price. Some of the budget plans piggyback on other networks and the signal in certain areas or inside buildings can be patchy. If you mostly use WiFi anyway like you said, then it matters less. But test it out for a week if you can before fully committing.

Uncle Raju Insurance · Answer

One thing to watch, some of the cheap unlimited plans throttle your speed after a certain quota or during congestion, so read the fine print. Unlimited doesn't always mean unlimited high-speed. I switched to a RM35 plan and the data is genuinely unlimited but capped at a certain Mbps which is fine for me but wouldn't be for heavy streamers. Match the plan to how you actually use data.

Kakak Bank Suhaila · Answer

Very smooth now, I ported last month and it took less than a day. The only annoyance is that short downtime window when your old SIM dies and new one activates, usually just an hour or two. Keep your old SIM until you confirm the new one is fully working with data and calls. Other than that, no drama.

Doctor Wei · Answer

Just remember to update your ported number for all your banking TAC and e-wallet stuff isn't needed since the number stays the same, that's the beauty of MNP. But do check your Touch n Go eWallet and banking apps still recognise the SIM after the port, sometimes you need to re-verify. Small hassle but quick.

Switching from Maxis to a cheaper prepaid but want to keep my number, does MNP port still take long in Malaysia?

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