AP SET VS ORI SET : THE DIFFERENCES (part 1)

As a start i would like to share knowledge about most basic features of handphones ;

AP SET & ORI SET.

IMHO,AP only exist in Malaysia. Maybe due to absence of regulation imposed by government to sell handphones in monopolistic way,like only through the service providers like CELCOM or MAXIS ,as we can see like Singapore through SINGTEL & STARHUB or in EUROPE like T-MOBILE,ORANGE ,VODAFONE etc.


WHAT IS AP? AP refers to the "APPROVED PERMIT" like in automobile industry.
IZZIT TRUE AP IS APPROVED PERMIT LIKE IT IS? WE TALK ABOUT IT NEXT..


AP SET is classified into 3 categories of companies; 1st tier ,2nd tier & 3rd tier.


1st Tier : It is well known and trustworthy AP companies in Malaysia ,and their products being sold nationwide.Some of the 1st Tier AP companies have their own service centre nationwide. EXAMPLE is CSL. There are also 1st Tier AP companies that dont have service centre nationwide such as NEFION,TELSTRA(im wondering this 1 should be included or not),FINAL CHOICE,BBS DISTRIBUTION,PACIFIC & MPS. To be classified into this category,these companies offer their products with extensive quality control and checking before release off to market. All the handphones parts are guaranteed(by themselves) to be genuine and not taken out to be replaced by local @ used parts. Their price also slighty high compare to 2nd tier but pretty cheaper than ORIGINAL SET except for CSL(which is only slightly ceaper than ori set,thus no wonder it is ranked 1 in AP companies). Their warranty differ from each others ; CSL & BBS DISTRIBUTION (15 MONTHS ); PACIFIC (1.5 YEARS) ,MPS,NEFION & FINAL CHOICE (1 YEAR),TELSTRA (2 YEARS). The risk of recond handset are also much lower.THEY JUST DOING WHOLESALES,NOT RETAIL SALES.


2nd Tier: Most of companies in this categories have their own service centre. Their prices are slightly cheaper than 1st tier. The issue that they change handphones' parts so they can sell at lower price is another question. For me, they can sell at cheaper price because their offices & service centre is the same place, small number of workers,location and they also dont provide extensive quality control(They just sell handsets without test it first). Amongst the 2nd tier AP companies are ASPEN (i think they can be 1st tier) ,GBS ,K.K TELE ,Comsat(although some people argue should be 1st Tier) , UTNT ,GSN, GTmax,GSM Network. Their services can be said, so-so.(dont have systematic mangement). The possibilities for recond handphones is slightly higher than 1st tier. THEY ALSO JUST DOING WHOLESALES,NOT RETAIL SALES.


3nd Tier : Mostly,3rd tier AP company can be referred to the shop that selling handphones by providing their own warranty,not by the supplier like 1st tier or 2nd tier.They doing only retail sales and dont provide wholesales business.The risk for recond sets is higher as they sometimes sell at cheaper price or equal to dealer price of the 1st tier & 2nd tier suppliers.


-(TBC IN PART 2)-