TM snap into mobile market in MNP oppurtunity

TM has just launched its new mobile starter pack on iTalk.

The iTalk Mobile Starter Pack has a film based sim card that slip on top of your current simcard and inserted together into your phone. When you turn on your phone, you will find a new menu called IP which will allow you to configure your iTalk service.

This iTalk sim is created is to make easy your iTalk calls on your mobile phone without all the complicated instruction. In other words, you can make call through iTalk from your phone book without any additional codes.

You can still use your current sim as normal (calls/SMS) but all your outgoing calls goes through iTalk unless you deactivate it through the IP menu on your phone.

The only problem with this iTalk sim is that you need to insert it properly in to your sim card reader. You will also face problem if your phone is using a sim reader that requires you to slide in your sim card.

The good part is, you save money while making international calls and without all those complicated instructions.

TM is capitalising the prepaid mobile market by letting prepaid users to call local and international call using new seamless iTalk miss call service (without needed to key in destination number after iTalk call back). Many prepaid users have purchased 1 year credit validity, thus they can use this service without toping up usage credit any further*.

(remark: *Celcom and Hotlink still require users to topup at least RM30 within 6 months after purchase of 1 year validity to maintain the account.)

The latest domestic rate for iTalk calls is:-

Normal Access:

• RM0.15 -Fixed Line
  
• RM0.17 -Mobile

Mobile Callback:

• RM0.24 -Fixed Line
  
• RM0.25 -Mobile
  

The iTalk Mobile starter pack cost RM10 and comes with a RM5 airtime. You can only get it from TMPoint at Klang Valley at the moment.

I had a hand-on on this starter pack bought from TMPoint USJ. Try with my DiGi SIM on LG KU380 phone which with slide in SIM slot. You really need to be very careful to place the iTalk film SIM on the slot first, then only you slide in the normal SIM card as the normal SIM is harder than the film SIM.

Then you switch on your phone and it will discover iTalk first then you normal SIM, here is DiGi.

To use the iTalk SIM feature, you need to go to the SIMcard toolkit menu, called IP. Then active it. You can select languages as well, Malay, English and Chinese.

Before it please make sure you active your iTalk account and associate it with your mobile number so it can call back. The iTalk Starter Pack has RM5 iTalk card included. You can sms with predefined code or call 1800-87-3535 tollfree fix line (non toll free from mobile). Details on iTalk. It's the normal iTalk call back and configuration process.

For those who have iTalk account and mobile associated, can straightly use the service.

Then I try to dial a number and press call. The SIMcard toolkit will take priority to call 1800-87-3636 (which is iTalk callback number) and then being hang up by the iTalk server. Then the call back come in, just pick up as usual. The SIMcard toolkit will then send the number you dial earlier to iTalk server by way of DTMF dialtone. The call get connected and you can start talking.

I try dialing with 01xxxxxxxx without GSM +sign and with GSM +sign, it works. Dial IDD and works as well.

Unfortunely during the testing and swapping of mobilephones, the iTalk film SIM was broken. So be very careful!

Also it can't work with USIM, in another words, it canm't work if you are attached on 3G networks (etc Maxis 3G, celcom 3G and U Mobile 3G).

You have to change your network to GSM. In that way, your USIM (3G SIM card from operators) will act as normal GSM SIMcard.