Methodology
The model chooses. Copy explains.
AI may explain deterministic winners, but it cannot change the winner list. Eligibility filters run before scoring.
Fibre & 5G Home scoring model v1
Fibre (fibre_v1) and 5G Home (home_5g_v1) share the same weighted model. Both are fixed-line or fixed-location broadband where speed, contract length, and one-off fees drive the true cost of ownership.
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| True 24-month cost | 30% |
| RM per Mbps | 20% |
| Download speed | 15% |
| Contract flexibility | 10% |
| Upload speed | 10% |
| Installation and device fees | 5% |
| Router included | 5% |
| Confidence score | 5% |
A plan approaching the 7-day freshness limit receives a flat −8 penalty so newer captures rank above equally-scored stale-soon records.
Postpaid, Prepaid & Roaming scoring model v1
Mobile categories (postpaid_v1, prepaid_v1, roaming_v1) share one model. Data quota matters more than raw speed here, and contract risk is weighted higher because mobile plans are easier to switch.
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| True 24-month cost | 35% |
| Data quota | 25% |
| Contract flexibility | 15% |
| Installation and device fees | 10% |
| Confidence score | 10% |
| Unlimited data bonus | 5% |
The same −8 stale-soon penalty applies. Plans with unlimited: true receive the full unlimited-data bonus; capped plans receive a partial score.
Cost projection by category
The cost column you see on each page is chosen to match the plan's real commitment — not for cosmetic consistency. Comparing a 24-month fibre contract against a no-contract prepaid top-up on the same timeframe would misrepresent what you actually pay.
| Category | Cost label | Timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| Fibre | True 24-month cost | 24 × monthly + one-off fees |
| 5G Home | True 24-month cost | 24 × monthly + one-off fees |
| Postpaid (contract) | True 24-month cost | 24 × monthly + one-off fees |
| Postpaid (no contract) | Annual estimate | 12 × monthly + one-off fees |
| Prepaid | Annual estimate | 12 × monthly + one-off fees |
| Roaming | Cost basis | Per pass / per day / per month (by plan) |
Contract plans lock you in for the full term, so the true cost reflects that commitment. No-contract plans can be cancelled any time, so a 12-month annual estimate is the fairest projection. Roaming passes vary by validity period, so the cost basis (per pass, per day, or per month) is shown instead of a fixed projection.
Ranked decisions and guide decisions
| Mechanic | When it is allowed | What the page can claim |
|---|---|---|
| Ranked decision | Comparable fields, current official evidence, required market coverage and at least three distinct eligible organizations. | Exactly three scenario-specific results from a versioned deterministic model. |
| Guide decision | The choice depends on personal eligibility, underwriting, a user-entered quote or assumptions that cannot be compared fairly across the market. | Calculations, filters, explainers and user-entered comparisons without a universal winner. |
EPF/PRS, mortgage, personal insurance and health insurance are guide-only. They cannot emit a universal product or provider ranking.
Evidence freshness by fact class
The evidence window follows how quickly the underlying fact can change. A record becomes stale soon after four-fifths of its allowed window and stale at the full window.
| Fact class | Maximum current-evidence window |
|---|---|
| Promotions and device stock | 24 hours |
| Commercial rates and financing terms | 7 days |
| Insurance and PDS facts | 30 days |
| Monthly PRS data | 35 days |
| Annual EPF and tax facts | Source-defined validity, capped at 370 days |
Freshness alone does not make a record publishable. Effective dates, confidence, source authority, coverage, review status and regulatory eligibility must also pass.
Coverage and evidence gates
Each vertical declares its required launch organizations, product fields and official source types. A page remains coverage-blocked, noindex and outside the sitemap until that cohort is complete. Regulators, official provider pages, official APIs, PDS documents and official terms are the only publishable authorities.
Mutable amounts, rates, fees, benefits, eligibility, regulatory status, stock and promotions must resolve from structured evidence. Authored copy cannot be used to bypass that record.
Eligibility filters
Plans are excluded for stale data, missing official source, confidence below 0.85, unclear promo or contract fields, inactive status, or incomplete source fields.
Freshness rules
Every plan must have an official source URL and capture timestamp. Data older than 7 days is stale and cannot enter a recommendation. Records approaching that limit are marked stale soon, while confidence below 0.85 requires manual review.
How the top 3 are determined
Eligibility runs first. The category's versioned scoring model then ranks only qualifying records. The page publishes exactly 3 picks, including a specific reason to choose or avoid each one. If fewer than 3 plans qualify, the ranking is blocked instead of padded with unverified choices.