DiGi and Maxis has collaborated to launch Mobile IM, a Mobile Instant Messaging service(IM).
Customers from both telcos could chat with each other on their phone using Mobile IM that is based on Java 2.0 . However, not all Java 2.0 supported phones could be used with Mobile IM. See here.
DiGi and Maxis customers could also download a Mobile IM PC application to chat with other online Mobile IM users.
According to DiGi Head of Product Development & Management, Albern Murty, DiGi has approached Maxis 1 year ago to joint them in making the Mobile IM a reality.
Even though both Telcos launched Mobile IM at the same place with a joint press release, both were offering different charges with different branding.
DiGi’s Mobile IM software is called DiGi Mobile IM. It offers a 1 day package and a 30 days package. For the 1 day package, DiGi users could send unlimited instant message to DiGi and Maxis Mobile IM users. The 30 days package offers unlimited IM and cost RM25 for a month.
Maxis has branded the software as M-Messenger. They have a much complicated charging method. They calculates each Instant Messaging being sent out as token. Two package is offered. The basic package has 100 token and it cost RM1 with a validity of 5 days. Another packages cost RM5 and has 500 token, valid for 30 days. 5 token is required to send an IM to a DiGi user while only 1 token is required to send an IM to a Maxis user. I guess Maxis thinks that this is a game as we will be requiring tokens to play it. Plus they expect us to jot down the numbers of token that we have used. I also do not understand why 5 tokens is needed to send an IM to a DiGi user.
Sending an SMS from one network to to another cost a lot while sending an SMS to a user within the same network cost less. Both telcos are using the same exchange server and runs on the same software using INTERNET, I wonder why Maxis is differentiating a 012 and a 016 user on the INTERNET when both are located at the same location.
Mobile IM is free for download. Maxis user could download it via *100# while DiGi users could get it via *128#. Users will still have to pay for data chargers(GPSRS/EDGE) when they download the java software to the phone.
Mobile IM is free until end of December 2007. After December, customers from both telcos while have to opt for one of the packages to continue using the service.
