Maxis confident it has a healthy fibre plan

• Competition moves to quality of service with MaxisOne Home launch
• Targets existing MaxisOne mobile customers, which number 620K+ currently

 
GIVEN that a competitor had recently announced a fixed broadband plan that dropped many a jaw, the newly-launched MaxisOne Home plan may seem a bit of an anti-climax.
 
But it does deliver one clear message: That the competition in this sector remains intense as telcos try to differentiate themselves.
 
“There are a few ways to look at value – you can count it by dollar and cents, or you can measure it by your actual experience and the actual delivery of a promise,” Maxis head of integrated services Tai Kam Leong (pic above) said at the launch of MaxisOne Home in Petaling Jaya yesterday (March 28).
 
About a week ago, Maxis’ rather smaller rival TIME dotCom Bhd announced its new fixed-broadband plan and gave existing customers speed upgrades for free.
 
For example, a TIME customer paying RM129 (about US$32 at current rates) a month for a 10Mbps plan has now been given a 100Mbps package at the same price. Those previously subscribing to a 30-50Mbps plan will now be able to enjoy 500Mbps.
 
Thus when Maxis issued its media invitation late last week, industry observers wondered if the mobile giant was going to offer a new plan as competitive as TIME’s.
 
Those who were expecting Maxis to unveil a 300Mbps or 500Mbps plan may have been disappointed, but this does not mean that the launch of the MaxisOne Home plan is not significant.
 
This is because instead of competing on who has the biggest or cheapest pipes, Maxis has opted to compete in an area it feels is close to the consumer’s heart: Quality of service.
 
Money back guarantee
 

Quality of service can be subjective, so how does Maxis hope to differentiate itself in this area?
 
For a start, it said it will be offering a 30-day satisfaction guarantee which means that if within 30 days of installing MaxisOne Home, if the customer is unhappy or not satisfied with the quality of the fixed-broadband service, the customer can simply cancel the service without having to pay a single sen.
 
Maxis also promises customers that its team of fixed-broadband installers, dubbed the ‘Maxperts,’ will arrive at their doorstep to install the service … on time, every time.
 
“We will also be providing our customers with 24-7 support, 365 days a year,” said Tai.
 
All this is part of good customer service but does not necessarily translate into a good Internet experience.
 
This is where Tai said his team of Maxperts can play a bigger role. Describing them as a “SWAT-like team of Internet experts,” he said they would be able to ensure that the broadband service is installed correctly and optimised throughout the customer’s home.
 
“Good home broadband should be like air – you never have to think about it. And like air, you should never have to worry about your WiFi. It should be everywhere in your home, it should always work.
 
“That was our goal when we developed MaxisOne Home – to build you a broadband service that works so well that you don’t ever notice it is there.
 
“It all begins by getting your broadband right, right from the start,” he declared.
 

 
Target market
 
The MaxisOne Home plan should appeal to existing MaxisOne mobile customers because they would be entitled to a rebate of between RM28 and RM68 a month, depending on their current package.
 
“The aim appears to be about increasing stickiness, or customer loyalty,” said a telecommunications analyst who declined to be named.
 
“With Telekom Malaysia set to launch its converged services in a few months, this can be seen as a defensive move rather than an offensive one in response to TIME’s recent packages,” the analyst told Digital News Asia (DNA).
 
For now, there appears to be significant growth potential in the MaxisOne Home plan, even if the company is mainly focusing on up-selling to its MaxisOne mobile customers.
 
As at Dec 31, 2015, Maxis had over 620,000 MaxisOne mobile customers. In contrast, it had about 118,000 fixed-broadband customers via its Home Services.
 
Related Stories:
 
Brighter days ahead for Maxis’ Home Services
 
Rivals Celcom and TM unite in converged play
 
‘We’re going to blow everyone out of the water’
 
How affordable are Malaysia’s ‘affordable’ broadband packages?
 
 
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