Reports have surfaced earlier today about Maxis Hotlink’s alleged throttling of bandwidth for their Prepaid Unlimited customers – the slowdown in internet was initially stated to only allow a measly 512kbps of data between the 8pm to 12 midnight every day.
@HotlinkListens Please clarify is the below true, without official announcement? pic.twitter.com/vvfazReg8b
— LeeKW (@leekokwan) January 30, 2021
The issue was brought to the media’s attention via Twitter user @leekokwan who contacted Maxis’ WhatsApp support team to clarify the issue – the latter then informed the throttle was part of a Fair Usage Policy (FUP) rule implemented during the MCO to allow their networks room to breathe.
Today, a report by SoyaCincau details Maxis’ statement on the matter – the telco says that the throttle experienced by @leekokwan was not part of a FUP rule, a miscommunication on their end.
However, Maxis still wants to ensure smooth sailing internet for its users during surges in network traffic – for that, Maxis employs network traffic management for its Hotlink users during limited busy hours from 8pm to 12 midnight, and this shouldn’t be confused with an FUP. Instead, it’s a temporary measure to reduce data congestion in its network, allowing users to still enjoy uninterrupted connections.
The whole situation is still pretty vague, and there is not real explanation why @leekokwan experienced such a heavy throttle hit – but the issue seems to persist even after purchasing a data add-on.
For now, there’s no clear answer as to what happens during Maxis’ supposed network traffic management period, but we’re hoping to hear more about it from the company soon.
