Using your phone while you travel makes life easier. Whether it’s to view and manage your travel money account, get directions or message friends, modern life pretty much requires phone access - and never more so than when you’re away from home.
If you’re a Maxis customer, you’ll need to learn about the Maxis data roaming options1, to pick the specific Maxis roaming package that fits your needs. This guide has you covered.
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Maxis data roaming is available for postpaid and prepaid customers. Both Maxis postpaid roaming and Maxis prepaid roaming is offered on a wide variety of different package types, from daily single country options through to longer packages you can use in a broad range of countries.
It’s worth reading the terms of the different packages carefully - for example, if you buy Maxis roaming for Singapore in the morning, but then fly out of the country, you’ll need to pay the daily cost again for the next country you’re in - buying a Maxis roaming for Thailand package, for example.
We’ll look at some of the ins and outs of Maxis data roaming packages in this guide, but as the packages and terms are quite complex, it’s worth reading them over yourself before you pick.
To keep phone data when you’re away from home, you’ll have a few different options to pick from:
- Activate international roaming on your Maxis phone
- Buy a local SIM card on arrival at your destination
- Use a travel eSIM if you have a compatible device
When it comes to choosing a data coverage option abroad, there’s no single best option here. Here are a few of the pros and cons to consider:
| Pros | Cons | |
|---|---|---|
| Data roaming | ✅ Keep your normal phone number ✅ Roaming packages can be tailored to your exact requirements ✅ No need to switch out a physical SIM card | ❌ Fees may apply ❌ You’ll need to do some advance planning |
| Local SIM | ✅ Can be cheap in many countries ✅ No advance planning needed | ❌ You’ll need to buy SIM on arrival, taking up time ❌ You’ll need to remove (and look after) your Malaysian SIM ❌ You’ll have a new phone number |
| Travel eSIM | ✅ No need to switch out a physical SIM card ✅ Can be bought and installed digitally | ❌ Not all phones can use an eSIM ❌ Fees will apply ❌ You’ll have a new phone number |
Depending on your needs, the different coverage options have various offerings that impact your travel experiences. Read on to find out if Maxis data roaming is the plan for you.
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If you start to use your Maxis phone overseas in one of the following countries, and turn on data, you’ll be put onto the single day roaming package at 29 MYR automatically once you reach a certain data usage limit.
- Brunei
- Cambodia
- China
- Hong Kong
- Indonesia
- Laos
- Macau
- Philippines
- Singapore
- Taiwan
- Thailand
- Vietnam
If you’re heading elsewhere, or need a longer data package, you can choose an alternative based on your requirements, like the Maxis roaming 7 days, Maxis roaming 30 days or the ASEAN roaming pass.
Here’s an overview of the plans available:
| Plan name/duration | Coverage |
|---|---|
| DataRoam Pass/daily | Single country - over 100 countries to choose from |
| 3 day ASEAN Plus Pass | Multi-country (ASEAN only) |
| 7 day ASEAN Plus Pass | Multi-country (ASEAN only) |
| 15 day Data Roaming Pass | Multi-country - over 70 countries covered |
| 30 day Data Roaming Pass | Multi-country - over 70 countries covered |
The costs of the different Maxis international roaming packages are as follows:
| Plan name/duration | Maxis international roaming rate |
|---|---|
| DataRoam Pass/daily | 38 MYR/day |
| 3 day ASEAN Plus Pass | 39 MYR/3 day |
| 7 day ASEAN Plus Pass | 49 MYR/7 day |
| 15 day Data Roaming Pass | 89 MYR/ 15 day |
| 30 day Data Roaming Pass | 119 MYR/30 day |
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Before you buy your roaming, do read the terms and conditions carefully. As we’ve mentioned, there are a few rules to understand. For example, Maxis roaming for Japan packages on a single country basis can only be used in Japan, so may not be suited to a multi-destination trip, Maxis roaming for Indonesia will only be available in Indonesia, and so on.
If you’re only going to use a single day roaming package, your phone can autosubscribe you without you needing to do anything. You’ll then be charged on a daily basis. For the other plans, you’ll need to subscribe via the Maxis app. Log in and go to Service Details, then Roaming Passes & Rates. Here, you can pick the package you need to get signed up.
Once you’re overseas, and have your roaming package, you’ll need to connect to one of the Maxis preferred networks in your destination country. You can find these in the SMS sent when you activate your package, or in the Maxis app and will then need to manually connect to make sure your phone has continuous service. Here’s what to do.
For Android Devices:
For Apple Devices:
To get in touch with Maxis you can call into a store, or you can use one of the following2:
- Call Maxis on 1 800 82 1123, or 123 from your Maxis phone
- WhatsApp Maxis on +6012-3451123
Uninterrupted data roaming is one travel essential. Wise is another.
Open a Wise account and get the Wise card to cut the costs of overseas spending and cash withdrawals, in 150+ countries around the world. You can open and manage your account with just a phone, add money in MYR, and tap to pay with your card or using a wallet like Apple Pay.
Every time you need to convert from MYR to a foreign currency you get the mid-market rate, with low, transparent fees3. Plus you can make up to two free overseas ATM withdrawals every month for those times only cash will do. Easy.
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Sources:
*Please see terms of use and product availability for your region or visit Wise fees and pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.
This publication is provided for general information purposes and does not constitute legal, tax or other professional advice from Wise Payments Limited or its subsidiaries and its affiliates, and it is not intended as a substitute for obtaining advice from a financial advisor or any other professional.
We make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether expressed or implied, that the content in the publication is accurate, complete or up to date.
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