eSIM in Malaysia: top 3 local carriers

Let’s take a look at your options for an eSIM in Malaysia

A multicultural country, Malaysia provides tourists with a glimpse of Chinese, Indian, Sri Lankan and several other Asian countries’s heritages. Malaysia is brimming with beaches, hills, and glistening cityscapes such as those of Kuala Lumpur. It is open to greet travellers from around the world, serving them delicious food and pampering them with a buzzing shopping scene and traditional spas.

You can opt to stay in a welcoming hostel or a luxury hotel with a plethora of modern amenities. Most of the sightseeing attractions in this country cost reasonable entry charges, so it would be easy to travel within a budget! You can also save money on a commute by opting to use public transportation.

Malaysia is a cultural hub

There are various UNESCO Heritage Sites in Malaysia that illustrate its inspirational heritage! The best places in Malaysia for culture-enthusiasts are Malacca, Kuala Lumpur, George Town, Ipoh, and Putrajaya – they really are must-see locations.

Not only does the country have a lot to offer, but all major local carriers support the use of an eSIM in Malaysia as well!

Traveling to Malaysia? Stay connected by purchasing an eSIM online!

eSIMs are easy to activate on your device, without the need for physically interacting with SIM cards. They also allow you to use a physical SIM at the same time – namely, your local line. Travel eSIMs are especially useful as you can acquire them digitally right before you travel, thus eliminating the need for individual SIMs or phones for your travel destination. You can also easily switch phones by registering your new device with your cellular network provider!

How do eSIMs work?

The way an eSIM works is that when you purchase one from a mobile network provider, you are sent a QR code via email, which you can scan and use to install a connection onto your phone. In other words, it is simply the virtual form of a SIM card, which you can easily install on your phone!

Why purchase an eSIM in Malaysia?

For starters, it is a great way to stay connected to your destination country. In this case, purchasing an eSIM in Malaysia will allow you to maintain connection to communication services while you are abroad during your travels. If you were to use roaming data, you could be charged high fees. Secondly, they are very easy to acquire and you do not need to physically interact with any mobile service provider of an eSIM in Malaysia, keeping your travels as streamlined as possible!

Let’s take a look at your options for an eSIM in Malaysia

Local Carriers

digi

digi is the largest network in Malaysia today, as it overtook Maxis in 2016. It’s half-owned by the Norwegian Telenor group. 4G/LTE was launched in Kuala Lumpur in 2013, and they were also the first to offer GPRS (2.5G) and later EDGE (2.75G) in Malaysia on May 14th, 2004. DiGi primarily uses the 1800 MHz band for GSM with the network code of 502-16.

It uses the native dialling prefix identifier of “010”, “011 16000000 through 16499999”, “016”, “0143”, “0146” and “0149”, although, after the implementation of mobile number portability by the Malaysian government, this does not apply to subscribers who switched from their old mobile service provider to Digi. Currently, switching to Digi is free!

This carrier supports the use of an eSIM in Malaysia. 

Check out their local prices and coverage (in MYR)

Maxis

maxis malaysiaMaxis is a communications service provider in Malaysia. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, it provides a variety of communication products, applications and value-added services for consumers, large enterprises and small & medium business owners.

As of 2016, Maxis provides 100% 4G population coverage with minimum signal strength of -110dBm in Klang Valley, Penang and Johor Bahru; 95% 4G population coverage with minimum signal strength of -110dBm across all state capitals; and 88% 4G population coverage with minimum signal strength of -110dBm nationwide. In July 2018, Maxis claimed that its 4G LTE network covered 92% of Malaysian population.

Celebrity Spokespersons

There are several high-profile celebrities who have signed on as spokespersons for Maxis, including Siti Nurhaliza, the Malaysian reality television show Akademi Fantasia‘s contestants, Jessy Wong “The Diva”, and Arthur the Brave and Fluffy. Maxis was the first company to launch LTE services in Malaysia on January 1st, 2013, in the Klang Valley region.

Maxis operates 2G GSM/GPRS/EDGE, 3G WCDMA/HSPA+/DC-HSPA, 4G LTE networks.

This carrier supports the use of an eSIM in Malaysia. 

Check out their local prices and coverage (in MYR ) 

maxis price

Celcom

Celcom is the oldest mobile telecommunications provider in Malaysia, and is a member of the Axiata group of companies.

Being one of the very few companies in Malaysia to first acquire a cellular phone license, it successfully introduced mobile telephony in Malaysia through its ART-900 (Automatic Radio Telephone) service, using the first-generation (analogue) ETACS (Extended Total Access Communication System) specifications of the United Kingdom, a derivative of the US-AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone System) technology. The ETACS ART-900 was launched using the prefix “010”.

Celcom now uses the dialling prefix identifier of “013” and “019” and offers digital GSM (Groupe Speciale Mobile), a world standard for mobile communications. The original frequency band for GSM is 900 MHz and was eventually extended to 1800 MHz, in order to cater for much wider bandwidth requirements. The 2100 MHz band is utilized for their dual-channel HSPA+ network. Celcom is also government-licensed and has been operating FDD-LTE on 1800 MHz and 2600 MHz.

Through the Mobile Number Portability by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, Celcom additionally provides Virtual Mobile Operator services. The company also provides communications services in rural areas using CDMA Technology and Satellite Phones.

This carrier supports the use of an eSIM in Malaysia. 

Check out their local prices and coverage (in MYR)

eSIM2Fly Roaming SIM

asia packageSo how does a roaming eSIM compare with local eSIMs?

Local SIMs are charging about $2.05 per GB. The price per GB on SIM2Fly is $3.10 per GB on the first package and then $2.50 for add-on packages. This makes the eSIM2Fly roaming SIM competitive with the local eSIMs in price per GB, and another great option for an eSIM in Malaysia.